Sports - Do we value our players?

Even as you read this column the 2nd test at Edgartown dominated by England up to now, is well under way, and hopefully the Sri Lankans would have commenced yet another one of those great fight backs as the test progresses. But the question that comes to one’s mind is are Mahela and his team capable of a second miracle? That only time will tell.

Team selection for the game against Sussex
However it is indeed interesting to examine the build up and the Lankan line up. Let’s start with the Sussex game. The ground at Hove was beautiful and by the coast and it were possibly four of those coldest days in the summer so far.

The Sri Lankan line up for that game had just 3 front line bowlers and a string of batsmen. True the Lankans did come on top against a weak Sussex team, but then that is not the fault of visitors. That was the best the county could field and it was no fault of the Lankan batsmen just got a mountain of runs. But my criticism is leveled at the bowling combination!

For the second week running Malinga Bandara the highly talented leg spinner will feature in this column! I wonder what is passing through his mind at the moment other than uncertainty. Ok he couldn’t make the test team at Lord’s. But surely isn’t it fair and logic to let him at least get his bowling working in the side game? Just in case the pitch appeared to support the spinning types? Sadly it was not the case. Instead he was relegated to the ranks of a reserve with Kumar Sangakkara, Mubarak and Kapugedera doing some rather friendly bowling. It appears that the message is clear as far as the young man is concerned. He is not needed and will not be considered. One wonders whether the new set of selectors will make the mistake of omitting Bandara from the one day side now that he has not figured in the longer version. I for one would like to see a spin combination of Bandara and Lokuararchchi with Muralitharan being rested and played only in the tests as he is so precious to Sri Lanka cricket. How can one ever forget the way Bandara tamed the likes of Andrew Symonds and co in the VB series and end up with a bag of wickets? I hope Mr. Ashantha De Mel and Co will make the correct and sensible decision in retaining him and use his Gloucester experience for the greater good of the side.

Sanath Jayasuriya
Then comes the most interesting of things! Sanath Jayasuriya. Rushed to England to be available for the test series but once again made to sit out! What kind of a joke would you call it? The selectors on tour headed by Michael Tissera the Manager, would want to argue the fact that there are three openers on tour. If that was the case why was it suggested or even thought of using Thilan Samaraweera as an opener at Lord’s? The answer is obvious. The available one’s weren’t in form or not ready.

Now as for Jayasuriya don’t forget that he had retired. Coming out of retirement and being recalled to the side after being left out are two vastly different things. Jayasuriya had happily retired (or forced to retire?). You do not persuade him to come out of retirement and insult him by leaving him out! I wonder whether most other countries would do it to their best player. As Alec Stewart the former England Captain/Wicket Keeper said “It’s like calling me back to keep wickets and then be told you are too old” Jayasuriya may have not been told that, but the continuous ignoring of him seems to suggest that. Speaking to the fans on the street in this country, they feel that the veteran had been hard done by.

Then what is the thinking behind the tour selectors? Are they using a tough tour such as England to blood youngsters who are untried? It is pertinent to remember that the players of the quality of Doug Walters amongst many had got no where close to their prolific form in England on many tours they made there. Question that comes to my mind is then do we use a tour of England to blood youngsters? To test youngsters? I am not sure. Especially at a time when the more experienced batsmen seem to struggle. During the month of May the most difficult times to bat is in the summer!

I thought it was very obvious that the Sri Lankans were expected to play their best available line up for the 2nd test. And Jayasuriya was after all available. Unfortunately it was not to be.

The Sri Lankan tour itself so far, and some of their decisions made up to now has mystified quite a few. The decision to bat first in the 2nd test when you win the toss, on a pitch which was covered for some time and had support to the seam bowlers seem to be the biggest mystery of all. Most captains with four seamers will look to have the best bowling conditions and whether the Sri Lankan coach with his English Experience and the fielding coach with his Edgartown experience were planning a different strategy one would never know. May be rather than having a go at the English batsmen, they under estimated the English bowlers. I am not sure. However the wisdom of the decision to bat first will be very loud and clear by the time I write to you again.