Asantha de Mel requests all concerned to give cricketers a chance to perform

CRICKET: Chairman of cricket selection committee Asantha de Mel, beseeched the cricket-loving public to have patience in the T20 World Cup squad chosen by him and his committee as their final act. The period of the selection committee expired on April 30 and it is unlikely that they will get an extension.

De Mel said the tendency of most fans and critics is to expect the cricketers to keep on producing results tour after tour and that is not possible. He requested all concerned to give the newcomers ample time to develop into solid players, instead of hauling them over the coals.

De Mel, a former Sri Lanka fast-bowler told Sunday Observer that in the absence of adequate bench-strength, his committee had based their selections for the T20 World Cup squad going on players performances in domestic tournaments.

Focussing on three players (Farveez Maharoof, Angelow Mathews and Jehan Mubarak), who have caused much consternation among critics, since their inclusion into the T20 World Cup squad, the selection panel Chief noted that they had opted for Maharoof and Mathews to fill-up two all-rounders slot in the starting XI.

He asked if people who oppose the choice of Mathews, into the World Cup squad, how they could justify the former St. Joseph's captain's selection to the Kolkatta Night Riders team of the Indian Premier League (IPL) by the foreigners organisers.

With regard to Mubarak, De Mel said the ex-Royal captain has been unfairly criticised by both fans and critics and that the latter needs to be persisted with, if Sri Lanka is to gain the optimum from his talents.

De Mel agreed that the on-going IPL T20 tournament in South Africa, has afforded the opportunity for Sri Lanka players, to earn the kind of money which they couldn't have even dreamt of getting even if they had played for five consecutive years.

The former Sri Lanka pace spearhead pointed out that aspects such as burn out and injuries need to be looked at seriously by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) ahead of the T20 World Cup in England next month, if Sri Lanka is to field a strong team.

He added that in T20 cricket, a game could be decided by the first 10 overs and how a side would perform could greatly hinge on any given day's state of the wicket and conditions.

JK