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Every dawn with the crackle of the first crow a feeling that flashes across the minds of cricket lovers especially in the Indian sub continent is – “Oh! It’s another day getting closer to the next Cricket World Cup”.
Though at present two of the giants in the cricketing arena are fighting it out for the top slot in the Test fortunes in the main metropolis of Sri Lanka the hustle and bustle of the preparations for the World Cup proper goes on unhindered behind the curtains.
Now skipper Sangakkara has the luxury of on field specialist consultation.
(Pic. Shantha Ratnayake) |
Coming to the surface of things in day-to-day cricket, since the taking over of the Aravinda de Silva and company the Lankans have enhanced their hopes of a better cricketing future. Yet, there are some moves that have upset the main stream of followers, but, those are still confined to the barstool arguments.It is a stubborn fact that Sri Lankans are big time players. They posses the ability of performing on the clarion call and enhancing their performance under circumstances where other big names tend to wilt.
If one takes a general count, the Lankans may have entered more finals in big time competitions in recent times than most other countries and in that sense it is only Australia who has been able to keep their nose ahead at the tape.
At the same time in general terms in the run of the mill matters the Lankans have not performed to their potential and have been languishing just above the bottom rung of the ICC one-day rankings on a prolonged basis. This is the million dollar question that the Lankan cricket hierarchy has been trying to solve since their Jack-in-the-box World Cup win in 1996. Yet, they do understand finally it is the eleven individuals who have to bind together to deliver the goods as one positive unit.
Last week it came to our focus about the Malinga plight. The fast bowler who undoubtedly spearheads Sri Lanka’s bowling in the post Murali era, was an unhappy man. His grouse was that in spite of the onus that the authorities have placed on his head, his talents had been undermined by him being placed with the fourth rung of players. Yet the authority was flexible enough to give the slinger a hearing and place him on the second tear along with tribesman Nuwan Kulasekera.
One bleeding heart healed and another muscle added to the fight in February 2011.
The other is a more complex problem where quick fixes are concerned.
From the time the Lankan champion spinner Muttiah Muralitharan announced his departure from the Test arena the question of, “Who is going to step into his shoes as the vice-captain was bartered around.” The next day the squad was announced, and surprisingly it was Mahela Jayawardena – from whom the incumbent skipper Sangakkara inherited the legacy.
One cricket follower of stature and a man who has a lot to do with present day cricket was screaming: “Where in the world do you get the man who had just stepped down from position of the captain, being placed again as the vice-captain of the squad? This is like the Managing Director of a firm being placed as just another director. It’s not done! I don’t know how Mahela is feeling, but I feel bad”.
There also came out a theory. In the general run Dilshan is the most senior and he successfully led the Lankan side in their excursion in Zimbabwe and it is Dilshan who should be placed as vice captain.
The second school of thought were under the view that Thilan Samaraweera is a mature cricketer and he also has led the national squads at junior level and on his sober shoulders lies the ability to take the second slot in Sri Lanka cricket and move forward.
The third school of thought were under the view that it should be a youngster who is certain to be with the game at this level for the next decade or more should be given the position and go on as Sangakkara’s under-study for a given period of time and take over the reins when the former is looking to give it away. The majority vote on this count went to Angelo Mathew.
But, none of them came into the equation and Mahela was entrusted with the job. WHY?
The musings took this question to an insider who is in the midst of things. He defended the de Silva and Co move to the hilt. He agreed that it is Mahela who is the best for this under the present circumstances.
The official explained “Unarguably Mahela is one of the best cricket captains that Sri Lanka has produced and at the same time Sri Lanka is approaching the World Cup and when we are moving towards that goal we should stand as the best united unit. At the same time when Mahela is the vice-captain, Sangakkara has the chance to seek his guidance when necessary, and Mahela is also in a good position to come out with his strong points when the team needs them.
“This is a unique situation. Unlike any other time Sri Lanka is moving towards this World Cup which is being played mostly in our own backyard. So I think Aravinda and company may have taken stock of this situation very carefully. Once the World Cup is over then they have the breathing space to think of the options, but, till the World Cup, I feel the selectors have taken stock of the situation very well and added talking of Malinga I feel they placed him in the fourth slot because he hardly played any international cricket during the last year, however I am glad that he has been placed in the second slot since he has proved himself beyond any doubt. At the same time I also feel it wouldn’t have been a problem at all for the selectors to arrive at the decision”. |
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