Winning the World Cup on our soil By Gwen Heart Cricket has become very professional and alluring and gone are the days when girls would come to watch cricketers and not the game. I think, I am one of them to have emerged from this scenario, but very elated that it led me to pioneer women's cricket in Sri Lanka to ICC level and place the team, ranking at sixth position at international level, before saying 'bye' to the game (they have flopped since). The spirits are high; there is excitement in the air and the eruption of euphoria around the country as never seen before. This is the chance; this is the time and this is the year for our players to put their best foot forward and go for the 'kill'. It is now or never! However, the team must watch their senses as over-confidence could imbalance their quest for victory. I hope, as much as they are ready physically, they are mentally geared too. One little lapse on the part of a single player could turn a smashing victory to defeat. They have to interact on split-seconds because their playing areas such as over-stepping and being run-out for which little attention is given. Can affect the scoreboard. Batting, bowling, and fielding should not be considered priorities as I have noticed in many foreign teams whose brilliance in these areas were depended upon, just crash away by a careless run-out. Every aspect of the game such as positive and crisp calling between wickets is equal and can save a team from being stumped. Our team is brilliant, spiced with experience and youthful exuberance and need not be reminded what they should and not do, but a little opinion can matter since a small lapse, can take them away from the World Cup. The team is well-balanced and equally strong in all departments. I am not that happy with the middle-order because as much as we have the top four who can deliver, by some freak of a chance, if they don't deliver. We need to have a very comfortable middle-order to take up the game from this point. But our taller bowlers can tease the batsman who will hop around their short-pitched deliveries and watch their discomfort at making mistakes. If the ball is pitched three to four feet short, a miracle could happen, but one must not bowl to a blind spot. Sri Lanka will be richer with maidens. Tackling every technique with efficiency and accuracy at the highest level of the game will result in a spectacular triumph for Sri Lanka and she can do it. However, I was perturbed when Sanath Jayasuriya was dropped. He is such a dependable player and has remained in good form over the years. If he fumbles in batting, he makes it up in bowling, is agile at fielding, and is a moderate player for the team. If the selectors did not rush in naming the team and handing over the list with almost two weeks to spare, this calamity would have been averted. Surely, he could have been a stand-by. Jayasuriya on his particular day will sweep into three figures or be sent back to the pavilion no sooner he settles down, but I would have placed a buck on him to strengthen the team. That is Jayasuriya, the maestro. The lesser known teams or the underdogs are good as they come because each team is blessed with an outstanding coach who have hand-picked, tasted, dropped and recalled, and then rescheduled their best teams. There is also a bunch of newcomers and one never knows how they will react to the conditions of the wicket. Such raw players are bold and go for the game like 'a bull in a China shop' which may yield results for their countries much to our surprise. The saying goes that cricket is such an unpredictable game. So, we must remember that no team is weak, but are determined and highly motivated, brainwashed to go for the 'kill'. One team I will be watching is the Bangladesh team. They have come a long way from scratch and can upset any team at any given time. All eyes will be on Sangakkara, but he must forget and not be conscious about it. He must lead his team the natural way as he has always done and not relax. As much as we think that Sri Lanka is going to clinch the World Cup, there are a few other countries who feel the same way about themselves. If India comes into the Finals with us, they will be under immense pressure and we can score a point over them. Here's wishing all the very best to Kumar Sangakkara and the team! You can do it; Yes we can do it. (President Obama's winning slogan) The writer is a Past President of the Puttalam District Cricket Association.