Cricket is a funny game. It even has been described as a game played by ‘the flannelled fools”. Well, the flannelled fools may have been those Englishmen who wanted to bask in the summer sun and thus indulged in unending cricket matches, but today here in Asia it is a dead serious business. In short, the Indian sub-continent is the world’s cricket powerhouse.

However, still this powerhouse produces some of its branch leaders who cannot even ascertain the strengths and inner abilities of their own teams. Especially, often when they are enjoying the hospitality of a neighbouring country they tend to forget reality. At that time of indulgence, they go on record saying “Oh! It’s your team that is going to win and not mine”.

Yes, our cricketers did prove him wrong and retained the custody of the Asia Cup, winning this coveted piece of furniture in the exact land where we won the Cricket World Cup. Now winning the cup also has brought in some problems of its own kind. Now there are more questions asked than answered.

Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup in style. However are we adding on problems or solving them. - Pic by Sanka Vidanagama

Just prior to the Asia Cup departure Minister of Sport Gamini Lokuge put his cricket cap on and turned chief selector and air dropped veteran Sanath Jayasuriya on the strengths of his IPL exploits. Alas! How right he proved himself in his skills, now he might as well kick the incumbent chieftain Asantha de Mel out and keep the job for himself in future.

Now that Jayasuriya has put ‘Dorian Gray’ in to shame and proved that, he still looks twenty and does what the twenties could do the tangle gets more knotted inside. Then the question now is are we dropping the ‘looking for the 2011 world cup’ statement or else sing that beautiful song ‘one day at a time’ and stay with the present scenario. Whatever is right at this moment only an insane person would even think of disengaging Jayasuriya from his present location. At the same time, I argue if he can do what is expected of a much younger person at the age of thirty-nine, there is no young aspirant who could even pose half a threat to Jayasuriya’s present form, and fitness why not let him continue.

Then come the next poser – ‘are we taxing Sangakkara too much by getting him to open? As we have learned of him, he is a perfectionist and takes pride in what he does. This alone has resulted in him invariably playing the anchor role and getting stuck in the middle for long periods some times which runs well into the fortieth over. Then a few minutes later, he is still in his pads, but this time behind the stumps. Mind you now, the challenge is bigger. Added to Murali, he now has the added challenge of standing up to the challenges missiled in by our ‘new found’ wonder Ajantha Mendis. The perfectionist that he is he may try to do his best to meet this challenge, but, how much is it taking out of him is an answer which will be delivered to us later in his career.

If the above possibility holds any water, the sooner that Sangakkara is relived off his stumping duties and a specialist wicket keeper/batsman is brought into the middle is also a thought that is worth toying. At the same time the two charming Chamaras and ever-hasty Dilshan also have not lived to their true potential and a wicket keeper/batsman in the calibre of Prasanna Jayawardena who has proved his worth at every given opportunity looks a gamble worth pursuing.

Similarly, in opening with Sanath and Sangakkara and having Mahela Jayawardena to come at one-drop --- aren’t we putting all our eggs into one tiny basket. This nearly came true in their last outing in Karachchi, but Sanath survived several chances before rowing the Lankan boat ashore.

Another option that could be given consideration is the return of Upul Tharanga to his usual openers berth. There if he can get back to his former self and bat turning himself into the anchorman, Sangakkara will get some respite a step below even if has to bat at number three. This will also see that Mahela is back at his usual number four position – a place where he has scored tons of runs.

Still the cry for a true all rounder who can bowl and get his 2/3 wickets and score his 30/50 runs in every outing is a huge cry. The man who gets closest to this vacancy is young Farveez Maharoof. Ironically, this young man has chosen to emulate Fred Flintoff – at least his injured part.

With the advent of Ajantha Mendis Sri Lanka al last have reached a position that they could have been in for a while. We at this end feel that even not as dramatically as the Asia Cup final Malinga Bandara could have been tried to pair off with Muralitharan as was done during the tri series in Australia a few seasons ago. However now that we have hit the jackpot and proved to ourselves that even against the sub-continental sides that we could use the spin option and win tournaments why not for starters try the option of 2 pace 3 spin combination and see what we could achieve. Well going with 3-1 pace accented combination against the Englishmen in their last outing on our own soil, we lost the series. I just cannot foresee Sri Lanka losing with the aid of 3-1 spin accented combination.

Just you wait! ……All this while we were talking only about the limited overs format. Be positive … look at the brighter side. By the year 2011, Sri Lanka will have an experienced Test opening pair most probably in Michael Vandort and Malinda Warnapura who by then will have around five seasons of opening batting together. Then with the rest of the flock to follow along with a much-matured bowler in Ajantha Mendis, Lankan cricket will be good enough to be pitted against any opposition. May be though running in the opposite direction Lankan cricket do have a plan for 2011.
Yes, I agree cricket is a funny game. .