It has been a sensational start for Sri Lanka in Bangladesh in the Tri Series. One could call it fantastic and even superb as Sri Lanka was without their top guns and was playing more with a makeshift side. For starters there was no Jayasuriya, Muralitharan, Jayawardane and Mendis and in the second game there was no Dilshan too. All proven match winners! In that situation it was definitely an uphill task for the skipper and how he combined with his young and mostly inexperienced outfit not only to win the first game but to also beat the fancied Indians was an indication of the potential the team has in them.

A closer look at the team which was selected to play in the two games saw most of them Pushpakumara, Randiv, Welagedera, Thisara Perera and Suranga Lakmal making up the bowling line as inexperienced and possible not knowing how to contain a strong line up like India. Add to that there was young Thirimanne at the top of the order and with Samaraweera and Kandamby too not playing too many ODI’s even the batting wasn’t possessing the experience factor. Maybe the toss played an important role and Sri Lanka chasing in both games with the dew factor coming in to play also being a vital issue in the overall context of it, managed to win both of them.. You may own the best and most luxurious car but it doesn’t move on its own, one has drive it. The similar argument is prevalent when it comes to Sri Lanka’s performance in the tri series.

Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisara Perera and Chanaka Welagedera - all promising young talent (Pic Ranjith Perera)

Despite the conditions being in their favor, they have still to perform to win. We have seen many teams throw it away from winning positions which is very common these days. One doesn’t have to look too far but only as far as Pakistan. One cannot understand how they lost the first test to Sri Lanka in Galle last year and the last test in the recently concluded series against Australia. This is a fair indication that conditions alone aren’t enough for a team to win. They need to perform!

Talking further on the subject of performance, what can one say about Dilshan? If he had finished 2009 on a fantastic note he started the New Year even better. A dashing and a match winning hundred against Bangladesh! The more you see Dilshan bat one is convinced that he must be one of the top five attacking batsmen in the world of cricket. The shots he plays and the ease he executes them is simply top drawer stuff. His injury only prevented the cricket world of another possible gem against India. However the young Thirimanne who has been spoken with high praise didn’t do a bad job in his first outing grasping the given opportunity with both hands.

If there was one complaint against Thirimanne it was the fact that he was trying to be somebody he is not! All he had to do is let his senior partner Tharanga do the scoring with him lending support at the other end. Dilshan has reached this status as an attacking batsman after almost a decade in the game and Thirimanne should realize that. Despite that it was a classy innings from the youngster with his off side play which was on display being of a class player. Surely he is bound to be a mainstay in Sri Lankan batting for a very long time to come in the not too distant future.

Dwelling further on the young talent Thisara Perera has to be the find for Sri Lanka at least for the shorter version of the game. Well built for his age Perera besides bring brisk as a fast bowler could hit the ball extremely hard. His innings against India when Sri Lanka needed a move on was beyond one’s imagination. One felt that despite the timely and calm century of Samaraweera Sri Lanka would have struggled had young Thisara failed to produce the type of innings he played.

On the subject of Samaraweera, it was a vindication of the faith the selectors had in him, when he scored the all important century. Sri Lanka needed a cool head and finisher at the crease to ensure the innings didn’t falter and Samaraweera was able to provide it to ensure that Sri Lanka was not piped at the post.
Back to the young blood in the Sri Lankan line up, Chanaka Welagedera has easily become the best of the fast bowlers on display with his controlled bowling. His wicket taking ability has been something to be admired as he has done what Chaminda Vaas had done for Sri Lanka by providing the break throughs at the top of the order.

Though he did go for more than six an over against India the top three wickets he provided was a key factor for the Sri Lankans to restrict India to fewer than 300. Suranga Lakmal too has had his day with the ball delivering the red cherry at almost 140kmp. This definitely is a tribute to the coaching department of Sri Lanka and the fast bowling coaches in particular. Anusha Samaranayake and Prabath Nissanka have been working very hard behind the scenes to ensure Sri Lanka has adequate replacements for fast bowers which is becoming a very demanding trade.

With Lasith Malinga loosing form and Dilhara Fernando injured Sri Lanka would have been hard pressed without the Welagederas and Lakmals. And on that point the service of the fast bowling coaches have been commendable.On the subject of coaching the role of spin bowling Coach Piyal Wijethunga too cannot be ignored as it is a youngster Suraj Randiv who was hardly known one year ago holding the fort for the Lankans. With Murali and Mendis being rested young Randiv has plugged on manfully with his control and guile and is another player who is expected to figure in the line up for a long time to come.

Besides the joy of winning in Bangladesh the Sri Lankan management should also be elated that it is their younger brigade that has done most of the work engineering wins for the country with good support from the available seniors. Surely all of us can take heart of this contrary to the doomsday prophets. Sri Lanka cricket is alive and well.

Roshan Abeysinghe is a leading cricket promoter and an international cricket commentator