What ails Sri Lanka Cricket?

I think this question is on all  the cricket loving public is what ails Sri Lankan cricket.  Once a dominant force in world cricket, Sri Lanka has seen a steady decline in performance over recent years. While several factors contribute to this downturn, one of the primary reasons is the over-reliance on slow, turning wickets at home. This strategy, aimed at maximizing home advantage, has had unintended negative consequences on player development and overall team competitiveness on the international stage.

Looking at the talent emanating from the  school system one would conclude that there is nothing wrong with the talent available. Our players have natural talent particularly in batting and they are beautiful to watch in full flow . There is no lack of enthusiasm whether they are  batters or bowlers. . So the  question one would ask is , why is it that this talent does not develop beyond club level  and shine in the international arena? How is it that we do not do well when we play against England, Australia, India, Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa, particularly when playing in their country? The answer is elementary my dear Whatson, as Sherlock Holmes would say. We have been weaned on slow turners  and are not adept in playing on fast tracks. Simply put,  our technic is flawed to face up to world class fast bowlers on fast tracks. Our batsmen cannot be blamed for that. Having played all their cricket on slow wickets the  adjustment  is tremendous. Basic elementary technics  have been forgotten or not being taught, When a batsman is scoring heavily in the school scene, the coach will not even look at the technical flaws of the batsman. Why would he?

Sri Lankan batsmen, having honed their skills on slow, low-bouncing pitches, struggle immensely on fast, bouncy tracks in places like Australia, South Africa, and England. This deficiency is due to:

• Lack of exposure to high-quality pace bowling in domestic conditions.
• Poor technique, as batters fail to play close to the body, leading to frequent dismissals against quality fast bowling.
• The inability to adjust to different conditions, which results in subpar performances away from home.

Technical Deficiencies in Batting: Sri Lankan batsmen, accustomed to playing on slow tracks, have developed flawed techniques, particularly when facing fast bowling. Many batsmen tend to play away from the body, which makes them vulnerable to pace and bounce on faster overseas pitches

Our flawed technic is exposed, as it is an open secret. Every fast bowler know our Achilles heal is.  We either get out being bowled through bat and pad, or get out caught behind or by the slip cordon. Mind you, these are world class stroke makers.But there is a technical hitch that no one is prepared to address.

The beginning of a bad policy: Ever since we received test status, the authorities were hell bent on winning a test match. So the powers that be, prepared turners in Sri Lanka where our spinners could exploit foreign batsmen who did not know how to play on turners.D.S.De Silva, Kumar Dharmasena, Muthiah Muralideran, Ajantha Mendis  and Rangana Herath ran amok against foreign teams. When playing test matches in Sri Lanka we  confined our playing test matches mainly to Galle which was a super turner. We abandoned all our other world class grounds like the Oval, SSC, Pallakelle and Dambulla. This was absolute lunacy. This policy prevails even now.

The result is plain to see. Our batsmen have flawed technics. Unfortunately, international teams have now figured out how to play on turners like in Galle. They play right back, giving them enough time to foil the  spin and they  dance to the pitch of the ball and loft it over mid off and extra cover or play defensively forward smothering the spin. Also we have stopped developing spinners of the caliber of Muralideran, Ajantha Mendis or Rangana Herath. Our current spinners are not of the same caliber. Additionally, teams such as Australia, New Zealand, England and Australia have developed much better  spinners.

The reason I suspect is that their spinners  need to work harder to turn the ball on their grounds so they have to really hone in their skills  whilst our spinners don’t have to work so hard.

Despite our slow wickets  since of late, we have a good battery of fast bowlers thanks to the Fast Bowling Coaches and the Academy. Unfortunately they are not given a chance because we always opt to go in with more spin bowlers. Imagine how much better our fast bowlers will be if they were weaned on fast wickets and given fast wickets to bowl on? To mention a few of the current crop of fast bowlers.

1. Matheesha Pathirana clocked speeds of 150.9 at the IPL .
2. Lahiru Kumara clocked 142 kph
3. Chameera 140 kph
4. Lasith Eranga 145 Kph
5. Asitha Fernando 135
6. Aviska Fernando 135

For some reason since of late  Batsman also appear to be flawed in technic in facing good spinners. They appear to tentatively prod forward defensively or try to hoist them over mid on.They have to correct this as well which is not too difficult to master playing right back on your stumps.

In order to correct the current pathetic state, Sri Lanka needs to change it very shortsighted tactics. The preparation of fast tracks is a must. Look what is happening in Galle right now. Australia amassed 650 for the loss of six wickets and we were all out for 137. So lets say good bye to this foolish theory, and this is not the first time, England has also done the same to us in Galle. So we aer kidding ourselves both in the short and long term.

Sri Lanka developed fast wickets before. I remember the Oval being mentioned as one of the fastest wickets in Asia. Keith Miller and Wes Hall liked the strips that they bowled on!

Factors to Consider in Preparing Fast Tracks:

1. Soil and Terrain
Sri Lankan soil generally doesn’t naturally lend itself to producing fast pitches in the same way that, say, South Africa or Australia’s conditions do. The country's tracks are generally more conducive to spin due to the nature of its soil, which is rich in clay and moisture. But certain grounds in Colombo and Galle (which are known for their slower, spin-friendly pitches) could be reworked to produce faster surfaces with more bounce.

2.Pitch Preparation and Maintenance
The quality of pitch preparation is crucial. Groundsmen in Sri Lanka need to be trained to produce pitches that offer both pace and bounce while still maintaining the balance for spinners. By focusing on the right mix of soil and water retention, and using techniques like rolling and mowing to achieve the desired consistency, Sri Lanka can produce pitches that provide more assistance to fast bowlers.

3.Climate and Weather Conditions
Sri Lanka’s high humidity and monsoon rains tend to make pitches slow, especially in coastal regions. However, with proper draining and preparation, they can handle the moisture, and with the right management, they could create more favorable conditions for fast bowlers. The pitches in Kandy and Pallekele, for example, tend to be more favorable to pace bowlers because they are at higher altitudes, offering more bounce.

4.Infrastructural Investment
Building the right infrastructure is key. This would include training groundsmen and ensuring they have the right tools to create and maintain fast wickets. Additionally, grounds like R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, which has been used for both international and domestic matches, could be further adapted to encourage more pace and bounce.

5.Player Development
To take full advantage of fast tracks, Sri Lanka would also need to produce and nurture fast-bowling talent. While they have historically been more focused on producing spinners, improving the quality and quantity of fast bowlers (with more facilities, specialized coaches, and support for pace development) would help make fast tracks more effective.

Quality of radio Commentators of the Past

Reverting to the quality of the cricket commentaries that we listened to when we were young was an experience by itself. Particularly if the match was played in England, we would listen to the commentaries from about 5 p.m until close to midnight. My father and I peeled to the short wave radio with the ear almost touching the speaker as sometimes the reception was very bad.

Listening to these legends was more than imagining that you were there at the Lord cricket grounds or at Edgbaston Birmingham. Apart from the entertainment of watching cricket the  technical knowledge that was imparted was terrific. , it gave you tremendous substance and depth in how to deal with Jim Laker and Tony Lock on ‘turners’ that were prepared by the English or how to deal with the superfast Wesley Hall,  Gilchrist and Charlie Griffith of the West Indies or Ray Lindwall, Keith Miller and Alan Davidson of Australia or even the wily leg spin of Richie Benaud who also later became a brilliant cricket analyst. In tribute to these great commentators, who were my teachers I should at least provide some one lines describing each one of them. 

1. John Arlott – A poet and journalist, Arlott's rich, evocative descriptions made him one of the most beloved cricket commentators of all time.
2. Brian Johnston – Known for his humor and warmth, "Johnners" was a key figure in BBC's Test Match Special.
3. E. W. Swanton – A more formal and authoritative voice, he was a prominent cricket writer and broadcaster.
4. Trevor Bailey – Former England all-rounder, provided expert analysis with a dry wit.

ABC Australia:

1. Alan McGilvray – The doyen of Australian cricket commentary, he pioneered ball-by-ball radio coverage.
2. Lindsay Hassett – Former Australian captain, known for his insightful and relaxed commentary.
3. Johnny Moyes – A respected cricket journalist and commentator, providing deep analysis.
4. Norman May – Emerging towards the 1960s, he later became a significant sports broadcaster.
5. Richie Benaud- After a very successful cricketing career moved into giving expert analysis and ball to ball commentary in 1964.

Our school cricket masters and coaches also took their cue by listening to these experts and by reading books batting, bowling and fielding technics. From my young days I would remember our coaches putting us through the drill of leaning to play with a straight bat. Correcting our back lift to ensure that your bat came straight down and not from an arc like from third man. Keeping your left elbow straight and pointing in the direction where you intend hitting the ball! As bowlers you were taught the technics and the advantages of being side on at the point of delivery.