It’s an irony that the rain gods had to interfere and dilute the last Lankan international series that was against the West Indies. The Lankan selectors in earnest did divide the five-match series into two segments and named a ‘play-safe’ sixteen for the first two games and left the options open for the next three to ascertain the ‘what could be’.

Yet the gods were not so kind to their plans at the end. The Premier League cricket tournament which also saw a delayed start due to the very same reason will get on the road from tomorrow. Yet chief selector Aravinda de Silva went on record to say that performances in the coming Premier League will not be a yardstick for recognition for 2011 World Cup selections.

Dilhara Fernando one of the luckiest mediocre performers to have extended play.

We do agree with the selectors up to a certain extent. If a complete outsider playing in the tournament comes up with a ton of runs during this tournament, it is hard luck; already the 30 players have been named and there is no room for change. Yet the question is if some of the names in contention within the thirty come up with the required consistency (not a struggling hundred in one match or a fifer in a single game) shouldn’t they too be in line for a place?

The selectors had named T.M. Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara (captain), Mahela Jayawardena (vice captain) Thilan Samaraweera, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Rangana Herath, Lasith Malinga, Suraj Randiv, Nuwan Kulasekera, Ajantha Mendis, Chamara Kapugedera, Dilhara Fernando, Chamara Silva and Jeewan Mendis into their initial sixteen against the West Indies.

If the Premier League performances do not come into contention and these sixteen names were the last to be recognized by the selectors, surely it may be the world cup final list that could reach the minister.

With the inclusion of champion off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, one of the named spinners in Ajantha Mendis or Rangana Herath will be axed while in all probabilities Jeewan Mendis will be omitted. The selectors may justify their position by saying that there will not be any competitive cricket played in Sri Lanka before the world cup cut-off date of January 19.

A cricket insider who is quite conversant even with selection procedures confided, “The Premier League is an opportunity for the selectors to see as to who is in form at this juncture and how confident the players look on the field. With their experience they should know if a certain player is in control of the game in his specialized field of activity.

“Down the line it is the club cricket tournament that has been the feeder point to the national grid and why shake off an opportunity that has come their way? I honestly feel the performances of the Premier League tournament should be made a yardstick for the selection of a few players, about whom they still have some doubts. In a larger sense, the Lankans are going towards one of the most important tournaments in the cricket calendar and why not make full use of it”.

We endorse his viewpoint. The Premier League could be taken as a yardstick for the players in the provisional squad of thirty. After all we are talking of the cream of thirty in the country.
It is not a secret that there are some players in this sixteen who have been on an extended play against the run of form.

For some reason players such as Dilhara Fernando and Chamara Silva have not produced those required match winners at international level when cornered -- like a Michael Hussey or a Mitchell Johnson. Yet their names keep popping out like a set of rubber balls in a water tank.

Certainly, there are cricket experts who feel that this Premier League tournament should be taken as a platform for criteria for those players in contention as the World Cup tournament will be played in Sri Lanka and the entire lot of players will be in action (hopefully) during the tournament.