So it’s back to the traditional form of cricket. Its test cricket after all and what better place to play it other than the land which discovered it and nurtured it! It is Sri Lanka vs England a three test series and one of the Test matches is at Lords! Well it may not be as big as an ashes battle but yet the series will contain all the required ingredients to make it a thriller and an event one can look forward to with anticipation. For starters Sri Lanka will be a new look unit. The team will have a new captain, a new coach and new talent and a different format of cricket!
 |
The squad and the captain named by the national selectors make exciting reading. Tillakaratne Dilshan is not going to be the conventional leader that one may expect him to be. Dilshan who has risen through the ranks and come through tough times enduring various challenges to be one of the best and the most explosive batsman in the team, is bound continue to playing his cricket and also captaining the side on similar lines.
His aggressive and positive instincts are factors that will influence his leadership. But what is extremely important from a team and his personal point of view is for the skipper to succeed with the bat as well. His predecessor’s Jayawardane and Sangakkara thrived with the extra burden and were always in the forefront when the need arose. Dilshan who is a natural player and a package of talent will also require to be working on those lines, without trying to be artificial with his game. Hence the success he achieves with the bat will rub off positively on the rest of his games too and will give him sufficient confidence as the skipper to develop an upbeat approach.
One other reason the selectors should be applauded is for making him captain in all three versions, avoiding the past mistakes of many teams including Sri Lanka when they rotated the captaincy between Hashan Tilakaratne and Marvan Atapattu! Such moves can only be detrimental in the long run as it is bound to create groups and clicks with divided loyalties. Thankfully that has been avoided with Dilshan now the undisputed leader of the team.
As for the squad the absence of Lasith Malinga who is not too keen to play in the longer version is a huge blow. His pace and the deadly swinging yorkers have unsettled the best of batsmen, add to that his skidding deliveries was bound to give Sri Lanka the clear edge in pace. In his absence the Lankans have thrown their lot with Dilhara Fernando who in my opinion has been handled badly! True he has had his fair share of problems but here is a bowler who has genuine pace and could have been the ideal foil for Malinga.
 |
| Dilly walks to meet the scribes for the first time as Lankan cricket captain. Pic by Sanka Vidanagama |
I wonder whether Fernando who is the pace spearhead on this tour is short of confidence having sat out of so many games? It is vital that he puts his hand up and be counted and take on the role of the main pace weapon which will serve both the team and himself well not just on this tour but at least for another two to three years more! In the pace bowling department the recall of Chanaka Welagedera is timely. Being a bowler with sufficient pace and with his left arm over the wicket angel, Welagedera should be a front runner to be in the starting line up. Besides he could help Randiv and Mendis with the rough outside the right handers off stump, a feat well perfected by Chaminda Vaas in the past.
Despite these inclusions the most exciting addition to the Sri Lanka line up is the young Nuwan Pradeep! Bowling with a slinging action and touching speeds of over 140kmp, young Pradeep has been impressive with the Royal Challengers of Bangalore in the current IPL despite not figuring in any games. Hailing from a softball back ground and from the outskirts of Negombo and discovered by Sirasa TV, Pradeep has the potential to be one of Sri Lanka’s best fast bowlers in the years to come.
In the batting the selectors have included two of Sri Lanka’s finest young batsmen in Lahiru Thirimanne and Dinesh Chandimal. Both players have been identified as Sri Lanka’s future batting stars with Chandimal getting a century in his first series whilst Thirimanne getting hundreds in his outings against Pakistan and India for the Board Xl.
However looking around the circuit one has to sympathize with both Malintha Warnapura the Colts captain and opener who has had a terrific run with the bat who was axed from the test team two years ago despite maintaining a decent test average of almost thirty six. Warnapura this season has been outstanding with the bat being the mainstay in his team. The other unlucky batsman is the SSC wicket keeper Kaushal Silva who has tons of experience at ‘A’ level and have also had a very good season for his club. The job of a selector is never easy and can never satisfy everybody. In fact a selector is bound to puzzle many with his final decision and could appear to have very little logic in his arguments. Having said that, if the panel of selectors is people of high standing with a clean record then, their decisions are bound to be respected.
Regardless of the questions and challenges stemming from the selection it is hoped that the squad to England will be successful. I am sure the Lankans have the muscle in their ranks to do well with enough experience in their line up. Lets wish Tillakaratne Dilshan the lad from Kalutara who is now the most important cog in the Sri Lankan cricket wheel the very best in his start, so that he can continue Sri Lanka’s good work in cricket!
Roshan Abeysinghe is a leading
cricket promoter and an international cricket commentator |
E-mail
