Sometimes working as a media person makes you a very frustrated man. Your line of work in some instances wins the confidence of certain important people whose statements would be devoured by the general public in whatever context it may come out. At the same time they may come out with the absolute truth on the ground situation as a friend, but puts a veil in front by adding “That’s off the record” which means that is not to be shared with the public – anyway not under his name.

The right to learn the truth is a basic human right. Nevertheless for us to share with you what we know as media people is a hassle that we have grown up to live with. For instance when a prominent cricketer confided in us saying “We are aware that there is going to be a change in the cricket administration, but I only hope that the correct persons would come to occupy the set of hot seats”. Oh! God ….. Only if we could have linked that statement with the man who said it, but sadly we can’t.

Taking the ground reality to account, it is not the only direction that winds of change are blowing. It’s blowing from all directions, but, we only hope that it would not change into a tornado.

While watching the current Lankan series against Zimbabwe we felt that there was something amiss from the very inception. Knowing that we were taking on a weak opposition who is also deprived of quality international cricket on a regular basis the Lankan think tank opted to send a very young combination – the nucleus that would be serving Sri Lanka probably in the post 2011 forum.

In the first match the home team looked good coasting along at a healthy 123 for 3 when the Lankan spin duo Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis had to unite to bring the ship ashore by capturing seven wickets for three runs. But, the seam attack that has to take Sri Lanka cricket to the future looked toothless.
In contrast the Zimbabwe attack is far short of the exposure that even the limited experience which the Lankan new combination of fast bowlers have gone through during the past eighteen months in international cricket. Yet, they did trouble the Lankan batting machine up to a certain extent and even a batsman of the calibre of Kumar Sangakkara batted with a lot of vigilance knowing one wrong step could spell disaster which the Lankans could hardly afford at this juncture.

In the second match Farveez Maharoof struck early, followed by Mendis and the Home team crashed to 68 all out.

A rain shortened game is always a challenge to any side especially if you are batting first. Once again Lankan batting was vigilant and went through with a certain goal in mind which they thought that would be beyond the reach of the home team.

But, it was not to be so. For Zimbabwe who have never won a game against Sri Lanka a new approach did not matter at all. The Lankan concern is not that they managed to win by only five runs. But, the fact that their seam attack looked quite ordinary. Even the turning point wickets of Mirando came through two ordinary balls that did not deserve wickets.

When asked a prominent former cricketer he just said “May be they too must be feeling it with the problems at home and upon playing to empty stands must be telling on them added with a hint of complacency after winning the first matches with consummate ease”.

Two more matches and the Lankans travel to Bangladesh for another below par confrontation.
However the ground reality is that it is time that Sri Lanka earnestly looks at avenues of living up to the challenge of the 2011 World Cup. The last time they had it around these quarters Sri Lanka took to the challenge and brought home the cup through a concerted team effort.

We at this end earnestly do not believe that Sri Lanka at this end has taken the 2011 World Cup challenge that seriously. Saleem Altaf, the Pakistan board's director-general, is deep into the matter and has blamed that work progress is slow in the hosting of the World Cup in the sub-continent. According to a prominent cricketer who was on assignment in Bangladesh recently in spite of losing a hoard of players to ICL they are intent on having a good pack at the Word Cup and are already working on it. As for India they put all their eggs in the 2011 basket and are well on their way.

There are times that you have to speak hypothetically. If there is a change in the Lankan cricket administration within the next few weeks they will have no time to settle in at all. They will be like a middle order batsman who walks on to the crease at the 45th over of a ODI against a side of equal strength. They will have to start performing while keeping their wickets intact.

The coming committee will have to build two programmes. One will be to focus on the 2011 World Cup and how they intend focusing on it while on the other hand get the magnifying glass and look into every nook and cranny and see ways of repairing the ravaged citadel that needs a complete overhaul.