| Sports |
|
Lankan guns keep booming |
Sri Lanka’s success at the Tests and now with its rather easy wins in the first three ODI games was more or less expected as Pakistan appears to be struggling on many fronts. Firstly the poor batting display, then the possible lack of oneness in the team and then the shocking revelation with regards to bookies approaching the players. It is quite clear that all is not well in the Pakistan camp and unless and otherwise it is arrested they may not be able to finish the tour with any significant achievement.
Having said that the opposite camp or the Sri Lankan camp appears to have everything going well for them! Everything the skipper seems to touch has turned to gold! It was so apparent in the last game, when the veteran Jayasuriya fell ill, how Jayawardene’s promotion just did the trick for them with an opening stand of over two hundred runs and a magnificent hundred for the classy Jayawardane being the result.
In the rest of the batting too, may be with the exception of Samaraweera, who is still trying to come to grips with the ODI game, the others looked excellent. The brief innings of Kandamby too suggested that he was in prime form and could rise to the occasion if he gets the opportunity. The biggest plus for Sri Lanka has been the young Kapugedera’s resurgence. There was little doubt about his talent when he was spotted first and it was a shame that he has taken a bit too longer than usual to make it permanently at least in the shorter version! However it appears that Kapugedara is on the way up to where he belongs!
 |
| Is it just ‘Sanga’ or ‘skipper Midas’ |
Judging by all this it is no doubt that Sri Lanka has had a dream run under the new skipper Sangakkara with the current ICC rankings showing the Lankans now 3rd in Tests though a disappointing 6th in the ODI’s. Whilst rankings may not be everybody’s cup of tea, it’s important that such statistical objectives too are perused relentlessly as it helps in groupings etc in major ICC tournaments. With Australia still at the top of the Test rankings and dethroned from the ODI top level the playing field is far more levelled and full of opportunities for countries such as Sri Lanka. From a Test ranking point of view if the Aussies lose the Test series to England and then Sri Lanka could achieve a white wash against the Kiwis in the 2 test match series, they could reduce the gap of points between themselves and Australia which currently stands at 5 points which will obviously be great for Sri Lanka as their prime objective is to be the best Test Playing Nation. I am firm believer that with the talent available and judging by the manner the team has been responding this is a definite possibility, though combating Australia and South Africa in their own back yard could be a challenge though not impossible.
Whilst the Test rankings and the achievements are definitely positive for Sri Lanka it is the ODI rankings that are yet disappointing for the Lankans. I am rather surprised that a team which has performed consistently in World Cup Cricket winning the plum in 1996, being losing Semi Finalists in 2003 and the runner up in 2007, they haven’t figured more prominently in this form of the game’s rankings! Therefore it is definitely a huge bonus for the Lankans to win the Triangular which will give them the greatly needed improvement in the ODI version rankings. However Sri Lanka’s biggest obstacle to improve on the ODI’s rankings will be the lack of matches as the next series is against Bangladesh which is 3 match ODI series in December 2009 running in to January, which series too is yet to be confirmed. Then Sri Lanka’s next major ODI assignment will be the Asia cup. Hardly enough ODI’s to move up the ladder!
As such whilst all of us are delighted to see the Lankans defeating Pakistan for the first time in a home series in both Tests and ODI’s lets also look forward to a Sri Lankan double at the top! Top Test Nation and the Top ODI nation in the world! I know it’s easier said than done. But considering the manner the Lankans play their cricket and their desire to win, I will not rule out the possibility either.
Roshan Abeysinghe is a leading cricket promoter and an international cricket commentator |
|
| |
 |
| |
 E-mail |
| |
views[1] |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
