No substitute for experience

As England keep stumbling from one disastrous experience to another, the home team has moved on from strength to strength. Since being dismissed for 188 runs on the opening day of the first test at Asgiriya, Mahela Jayawardena and the team have come back very strongly. The main reasons are experience and having quality players who perform consistently.

Sri Lanka has an abundance of both and are way ahead of their current opponents – England. In doing the arithmetic on the two teams connecting with average age and test matches played, the figures tell the story. These were the figures at the second test played in Colombo.

The Sri Lankan players averaged twenty eight years and two months in terms of age, with Muttiah Muralitharan at thirty five, heading the list and Upul Tharanga at twenty two, being the baby of the team. Captain Michael Vaughan heads the England list at age thirty three and two players, Alistair Cook and Ravi Bopara are the youngest at age twenty two. The average age of the team is twenty six years and eleven months -- quite a substantial difference between the two teams. What is important with passing years is to maintain physical and mental fitness. The Sri Lankan seniors must be complemented for the manner in which they have gone on and on being focused and disciplined, maintaining their hunger for success. Sanath Jayasuriya has set the example. He has survived over a dozen years at the top. His parting innings from test cricket indicated that he could still contribute with the bat and follow it up with bowling and fielding contributions, no different to a few years back.

In the same breadth, mention has to be made of Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas. World test wicket record holder Muralitharan is bowling as well as ever. Ha has capacity to go for many more years at test level and still get wickets for Sri Lanka. As a wicket taking bowler Vaas has been in the shadow of Muralitharan. His contribution has been so significant in the success story of Sri Lankan cricket. He has now played 102 test matches. It will surprise me to see a local quick bowler ever reaching this three figure. Vaas could now be identified with the best produced in the sub continent – Imran Khan, Kapil Dev, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.

England’s Michael Vaughan (33) is the senior man in the line-up,. still not too old for test cricket and still in very good batting form. He has played 73 test matches. The question is where did all the batsmen of his age group in the country disappear?! Vice Captain Paul Collingwood (31) is close in terms of age, but he has played in only twenty nine test games. In his early days he was considered more a one day player. England has to pick the correct players. Those who definitely display potential to play the rest of the world and survive in conditions that are totally alien to them. Injury is also a major concern for them. Andrew Flintoff who is not on this tour is a case in point. On this tour they have young players in Alistair cook (22), Ian Bell (25), Kevin Pieterson (27), Ravi Bopara (22), Mat Prior (25), Stuart Broad (21), Monty Panesar (25). They will return to this country most likely in four years from now and a majority if not all these players must be present. Then they will benefit from the current experience and all other experiences in between, to form a competent outfit.

Sri Lanka has struggled with their middle order batting in recent test matches. In Australia they used Chamara Silva and Thilan Samaraweera. Against England, Chamara Silva, Jehan Mubarak and T.M. Dilshan have been given the opportunity. A huge opportunity is there to be taken. At present this is the one shortcoming in this test team.

Chamara Silva is getting an extended run to cement his place. He must realize and it must be emphasized by the coach that the approach to one day and test cricket is different and he must make the necessary adjustment. He can play attacking strokes, but they must be selected, picking the correct delivery for execution.

T.M. Dilshan also went through that phase and lost his place in the test team. The manner in which he would get out on most occasions, in the past, must have displeased the selectors. He has got runs in domestic cricket and for the Sri Lanka ‘A’ teams and also given the ‘A’ team captaincy, as an added responsibility. All indications of support to assist a return.

He got his call and played a majestic innings of 88 runs. Now, he must look to get big runs consistently. One more factor to keep in mind is the necessity to have another spinner good enough a player to back Muralitharan. Currently the blend is satisfactory. Keep building players by affording the experience. There is no substitute for experience.