South Africa and after
By Aubrey Kuruppu
To all intents and purposes, the South African Safari (Yes, it must indeed have been one for some of those selected!) was a disaster pure and simple. One Test was lost inside three days and the other (Lord be praised!) after the Sri Lankans had given off, their best not only with bat and ball, but also with the verbals.

However the series has been lost notwithstanding one brilliant performance. All this coming on top of a dismal performance in the English summer raises a few pertinent questions.

Leaving aside the Australians who are out on a limit, South Africa seems to have got their combination just about right. Other question of Gibbs' partner and the spinner's spot are up for grabs. Yet the balance looks good.

Sri Lanka, by contrast, look unsettled, the lack of a geuine all-rounder gives a gaping hole in the line up. There doesn't seem to be anyone on the horizon who could measure up. Of the hoped for all rounder, Chandana seems to have fallen by the wayside while Samaraweera can cite loss of employment.

Running the risk of departing from the script it may be asked, what have the spinners clinics unearthed? In the last decade or so, some famous Sri Lankan spinners were involved in the past.

Did cricketing politics get in the way or was there a policy shift from spin to pace? As a result of the fast bowling clinics, plenty of fast medium bowlers have come to the fore. Not all that long ago, we had the likes of Upashantha, Liyanage, Ganegama, Gallage and Charitha Buddhika. These players have now given way to others - assuming the talent to be there in profusion. What is needed is continuity on the big stage, choosing a fair and striking with them may be the better option rather than casting the net wide. Did someone say quality at the expense of quantity?

It is no secret that the wickets in South Africa are pace friendly. Yet, basking back to the last couple of one dayers at Benoni and Kimberly the tracks were good for batting. It was only at the Wanderers in Johannesburg that the ball moved round so much. The final of the World Cup will be played here and one day cricket being mainly a batsmen's game, one could hope for a better track.

As far as the South African and Australian tours go, the Sri Lankans will be relying on a duet of pace plus the spin of Muralitharan. The spinner's quota being limited, Sri Lanka surely needs others too for the World Cup games. Horses for courses seems to be the policy, yet could there be a place for a little more spin? And there's the rub! What have we got in this respect? Jayasuriya and Aravinda might deliver (though not on a consistent basis). On the slow, how and, may one say, grassless wickets over here. But they seem ill-equipped to deliver on South African soil.

The Sri Lankans played seven batsmen at Bloemfontein Kimberley. In the third game some of these were not called upon to don pads. Will Sri Lanka be represented by an almost totally fatigued, battle-weary set of cricketers at the World Cup? The question is pertinent given the nearly non-stop nature of the programme. The problem is twofold.

The pursuit of trophies demands that you put out your Test team day in and day out. This would mean that the Samaraweeras and the Gunawardena don't get a look in. This in turn would lead the players towards disinterest. Lack of opportunity would also mend to make them go off their game. Too few seem to be tried with too little results.

Back to the beginning, dissatisfying and disappointing as the results have been, I wouldn't agree that the writing is on the wall as far as the World Cup is concerned. That brilliant all round performance at Benoni should have proved to the doubters and the faint-hearted that on their day, Jayasuriya's team can get the better of any team, even Ricky Pointing's.

However the all-important consistency is sadly lacking. One swallow does not make a summer. For Sri Lanka to make a sorting impact on the World Cup, Jayasuriya's team need to string together four or five good days. A settled, confidenct (alas, sadly lacking at the moment) and mental freshness are sine qua nons.

World Cup players demand better deal
Champions Trophy crisis cropping up again before World Cup
By Marlon Fernandopulle
As the countdown to the World Cup begins the controversial issue that sprang up over the players contracts prior to the ICC Champions Trophy held earlier this year, is about to surface again.

With players all over the World strongly objecting to the ICC players contract negotiations between players and the respective Cricket Boards have already begun in a bid to to solve the issue before it reaches threating propotions.

The Sri Lanka Cricketers Association (SLCA)which is looking after the interest of the Lankan Players have already had a few rounds of talks with the Cheif Executive of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka(BCCSL) Anura Tennekoon. According to SLCA spokesman Graeme Labrooy the Association will meet with the BCCSL Cheif again on Tuesday hoping to get a positive response and work out an agreement with the players.

However as admitted by Labrooy the players contract issue would be of great significance due to the huge sums of money that are involved and due to the restrictions that have been arbitarily imposed on the players."The Crux of the matter is that the ICC has sold the contracts,rights and images of the players without their consent therby depriving players of certain benefits".

According to Labrooy the finances involved at the World Cup is about 70% more than that of the ICC Champions Trophy.To make matters worse the players contracts with the ICC permits the sponsors of the event to use players images one month prior to the World Cup and upto six months from the completion of the event.

Players are opposed to this clause as it will also restrict them from contracting with any one of the competitors of the sponsors during this period.The ICC has contracted with four main sponsors for the World Cup.They are LG Electronics, Pepsi, South African Airways and Hero Honda.

Players are insisting for this clause to be removed or for them to be adequately compensated. When this same issue surfaced prior to the ICC Champions Trophy the players initially demanded 30% of the guarantee money paid by the ICC to the BCCSL,but finally agreed to 18% after rounds of negotiations between the two parties.

As the Lankan players will only be in the country for two days and the BCCSL also working at snails pace unable to take quick decisions the issue with regard to the Sri Lankan player contracts are certain to drag on.

South Africa whip Sri Lanka again
Bernie Wijesekera reporting from South Africa
BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa, Friday - Neil McKenzie struck a workmanlike half-century to steer South Africa to victory over Sri Lanka by six wickets in the fifth and final one-day international at Goodyear Park on Friday.

McKenzie finished unbeaten on 70 as South Africa reached their target with four overs and five balls to spare after Sri Lanka won the toss and batted first, posting 228 for eight from their 50 overs.

South Africa's run chase was again given a flying start by Herschelle Gibbs, though his quickfire 47 came as wickets fell at the other end with both opener Andrew Hall (18) and Robin Peterson (five) edging behind to wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara.

Gibbs fell to Chamila Gamage, bowled when he edged a pull shot onto his stumps. Earlier, debutant Monde Zondeki struck with his first ball in international cricket as South Africa put on a fine all-round bowling performance to restrict the Sri Lankans.

Sanath Jayasuriya's decision to bat first on a lively track looked to have backfired as they slumped to seven for two. Sri Lanka's captain made just two before carving Allan Donald to point and veteran Aravinda de Silva was caught behind off Shaun Pollock for a duck.

Pollock struck again in the same manner to dismiss Mahela Jayawardene (three), but after Zondeki's sensational start, Sangakkara and Russel Arnold (36) rebuilt with a partnership of 61 for the fifth wicket.

What about 'Little Kalu'?
By M. Shamil Amit
None of the cricket fans approached by The Sunday Times justified the omission of Romesh Kaluwitharana or 'Little Kalu' as effectionately known, from the national team. Some who had read the newspapers recently were almost thrown out of their seats when they saw Romesh's name omitted even from the 30 member squad in preparation for the forthcoming World Cup to be played in South Africa. Even Kalu was surprised at being not included in the squad.

It was in a one day game against India in 1990 that thirty three year old Romesh began his involvement with the national team. Since then he has played in 177 matches and scored 3463 runs but has not lost his pinch hitting fashion and keeps on performing better than players who are in the present Sri Lanka team.

This is not the first time that 'Little Kalu' is undergoing this trauma. He made his test debut against Australia in 1992 in style cracking an unbeaten 132. Even the selectors at that time did not have confidence in him. For three years from 1992 to 1995 the selectors tried their experiment with four players namely Pubudu Dissanayake, Gamini Wickramasinghe, Ashley de Silva and Chamara Dunusinghe but none got the nod. The selectors called back Romesh for the tour to Australia and it culminated with the 1996 World Cup and what a sensation he was. That was the first instance he was discriminated.

All past test players of Sri Lanka have undergone a bad patch at one time or another. Namely two former prominent players Sri Lanka skipper Arjuna Ranatunge and Aravinda de Silva. They had undergone immense hardships before they made a name for themselves again. In general any selection committee of a test playing nation would admit that every player has a bad patch in his cricketing career. But omitting a player of the calibre of Romesh is definitely a shock to all cricket loving people of Sri Lanka.

He has proved in the ongoing domestic limited over tournaments that he is yet capable or ready to assault the foreign bowlers. There is no doubt that he has the experience to bat on fast pitches whether in Australia, England or South Africa. He was one of the founder members of pinch hitting along with Sanath Jayasuriya. They kept the fielders running circles and the opposing captain guessing. Since then he was an automatic choice to the Sri Lanka team. Even now it is not too late to include this diminutive batsman. Inability to cope with pace bowling of the South Africans, proved to be the downfall of many.

'Little Kalu' has done his talking with the bat, he has averaged an astonishing 97.2 in the ongoing domestic limited over tournament which is in its final stages. In the six matches played Romesh with his usual flamboyant batting has hit 64 in 78 balls vs NCC, 44 in 43 balls vs Moors, 52 n.o. in 58 balls vs Sebastianites, 32 in 43 balls vs KYCC, 98 n.o. in 105 balls vs Moratuwa SC and 99 in 83 balls vs CC. All accumulating to 389 runs for the six matches.

So now has he not proved his batting prowess to be considered as a one dayer specialist. If his wicket keeping is not up to the mark the coaches should rectify his mistakes, since they are paid for it. The Minister of Sports Johnston Fernando had earlier mentioned that he wont interfere in the selection process. But then by sending selectors to watch games that are being played abroad, what does Sri Lanka cricket gain? How many selectors come to see the club matches that are being played every week?

The thrashing we got from the South Africans is enough, its high time that players who are capable to cope with fast pitches be selected to the national team. Like how Little Kalu and Sanath did in the mid 90's. Kalu is definitely a player with confidence and has the experience of playing on fast pitches and its high time the selectors changed their stance for the betterment of cricket in Sri Lanka which has now hit rockbottom. The newpaper reading public will no doubt agree that 'Little Kalu' should be a member of the Sri Lanka team. He has proved it.

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