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Furious
clash over selections
Sri Lanka's National Cricket Selectors came under fire yesterday by some of the senior cricketers and the team management following their decision to rest seven experienced players from the team selected for the second test match against Bangladesh. Earlier this week the three member selection panel comprising Guy de Alwis, Ranil Abeynaike and Roger Wijesuriya picked separate 15 member squads for the two tests. While the squad for the first test was at full strength (except for Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa who were rested) the 15 member squad for the second test included a host of youngsters at the expenses of seven experienced players. Furious over the selection policy Captain Sanath Jayasuriya and Coach Dav Whatmore met Minister of Sports Jhonston Fernando on Friday in a bid to iron out the differences and reach a compromise with the selectors. The selectors who were also present at the meeting did not give in and insisted that the squads selected remain. However the selectors bid to rest Muttaih Muralitharan from the test matches failed as skipper Jayasuriya insisted that the star spinner should play in both tests. After much debate the selectors agreed to play Murali in only the first test. Jayasuriya disagreed but was left without any option. Although the Sports Minister was in favour of skipper Jayasuriya's views he left it to the selectors to have the ultimate say. It was only last month when the selectors picked players for the Nat-West Triangular in England the Sports Minister overruled their selection and added two players. The move did not pay-off and hence this time the Sports Minister refrained from over ruling the selectors. Speaking on the grounds of anonymity a senior cricketer said, "It's a ridiculous decision by the selectors to rest seven players from the second test match. Some of these players are not in the best of form while some others have not played a lot of test cricket. This would be an ideal opportunity for them to regain their form and even add on to their experience. Why can't the selectors understand this?" Speaking further the cricketer queried, "Why are we only given the tough tours like England, Australia and South Africa. Why can't they give us a chance against Bangladesh as well. Changing three or four players to blood youngsters is okay but not seven players. I think the selectors have got it all wrong. They should be removed from their positions". Some of the players in the test squad have not played a full season in the Premier League tournament while certain bowlers have not taken five wickets in a Premier League game. Imagine such a player making his Test debut for Sri Lanka? Another question posed by the players was why the selectors announced the squad for the second Test even before the commencement of the first test. "We need to win the series first before looking at changes of this magnitude. True, Bangladesh is a weak opposition but remember they are an ICC Test playing nation and we are not playing at our best right now," explained the player. If Bangladesh salvages a draw in the first Test Sanath Jayasuriya will be hardpressed to win the second Test where Sri Lanka will field a virtual second string side with only Hashan Tilakaratne and Thilan Samaraweera as the experienced players. When the Sunday Times asked National Selector Ranil Abeynaike as to why the changes were made even against the wishes of the players he said, "We have assessed the potential of the Bangladesh players after their two practice games and are of the view that this opportunity is ideal for us to rest our seniors and blood some of our youngsters as there will not be any test cricket until next May". Sujeeva to
make test debut Second Test
squad
In the first-leg the Red Shirts won 19-14. CH after their humiliating defeat at the hands of Kandy in their own backyard did well to sharpen their rough edges thanks to the support rendered by sponsors Sharpe, did well to outplay CR with a better game plan to win this match. CH kept a fast pace from the kick-off and was distinctly unlucky to not have scored due to poor ball handling. Both teams lapsed in this aspect with the line staring at them. CR blundered in trying to move with their forwards who failed to get their act-together, despite abundant good ball coming their way. Haren Kaluarachchi (picked for the 7s national team for the forthcoming C'wealth Games) was the pick in the line. In the second half he was injured and hobbled out but will make the tour. It was not a serious injury. Two former Sri Lankan stalwarts old Trinitians Noel Broheir (No. 8) who played for Havies, and Mohan Shayam, the dazzling fly-half witnessed this game along with former CH player, John Burrows, who is here on a holiday. Incidentally Brohier will be the chief guest at the Bradby Shield second-leg next week in Kandy. CH forwards especially upfront showed mobility and did well to match the power-packed CR 'eight' who were found wanting in this game. Asanga Rodrigo in the last line was safe and sure in defence for the CR. Less said about the others the better. CR could have won this game, but it was a comedy of errors. For CH their backline played cohesive rugby - constantly running the ball where Taranga Jayakody centre Ajith Upawansa, Nalin Dissanayake (fly-half) finding his rhythm. His deceptive long range kicks helped to take much pressure off in defence. Full-back Dinuk Wijeratne was a tower of strength for the CH whilst constantly forming the over-lap. Playing at a fast pace it took some of the fire off the CR back division. CH opened scoring when Dissanayake fired a 40-yard kick over the crossbar. CR hit in the 33rd minute off a scrum in the CH '25'. Forwards pushed Asanga Rodrigo did well to squeeze his way over the line. Zulficar Halimdeen added the extra points for CR to lead 8-3 at the break. After the turn around CH displayed better rugby skills. In the 11th minute off a superb 40-yard rugby centre Taranga Jayakody who picked a dropped pass where the ball changed several hands for Muditha Cooray to roll over. Dissanayake added the extra points 10-8. CH kept on pressing with this success - of course aided and abetted by CR's poor thinking. Off a ten metre
scrum CH forwards forced their way for scrum-half Milinda Jayasinghe
to roll over. Nalin fired a simple kick to put them in an unsailable
position minutes before the long whistle when Ref. Anil Jayasinghe
blew no sides.
A large part of the contingent has already arrived in Manchester while the last batch of the Lankans will leave Sri Lanka in the early hours of tomorrow. The contingent had to be sent in batches due to the size of the contingent and the difficulty of making travel arrangements in the most busy time of the summer. Interestingly two representatives from the Sports Ministry will also make the tour as observers on a virtual joy-ride. Director General of Sports Milton Amerasinghe and Sports Ministry's Senior Additional Secretary Mrs. L.C. Kodikara are the two officials who are making the tour without a real reason. Both Amerasinghe and Kodikara are in the organising committee of the forthcoming Asian Athletics Championships to be held in Sri Lanka, the largest ever single sporting event to be hosted by Sri Lanka. The two officials are holding top positions in the organising hierarchy and observers are baffled how they are going to cope up with their job as the Asian Championships are scheduled to start in Colombo on August 9, a mere three weeks away. Sri Lankan Track and Field team of the Commonwealth Games is scheduled to arrive back in Colombo early on August 1 in order to prepare for the Asian Championships while the Commonwealth Games will continue till August 5, though the athletic programme will end on July 31. Sources indicated that Ministry officials had wanted to return on August 1 in order to attend to the Asian Championship duties, though tickets for August 1 flight had only been booked for the athletes. Officials had reportedly demanded that they be given return passage on August, even if it meant displacing some athletes. However the Airline understanding the importance of getting athletes than officials down in time are reportedly trying their best to find two more seats on the August 1 flight. The original Games contingent was enlarged several times to accommodate the whims and fancies of several elements and the latest additions were two athletes in an incident that clearly underlined the bungling by officials. |
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