Coaches and Psychologists make men out of players

Sri Lanka Cricket has still not been able to decide on a new coach for the national cricketers. Apparently they do not want to rush, but are closely studying the credentials of the coach to be before giving him the nod.

The two contestants are local boy Marvan Atapattu and South African Mark Davis. There is little to choose between the two and the panel headed by Ranjit Fernando and entrusted with the onerous task to pick a coach can be relied on to pick the best man.

But the fact remains that however good the coach is, it is how the

cricketers perform out in the middle. That is what matters. Sri Lanka can get the world's best coach, but it will be an exercise in futility if the performance is poor and team work is absent.

Coach can explain

A coach can explain, talk and show how. All that will come to zero, if the cricketers fail in the middle. If the cricketers fail, get beaten and continue to lose it is the coach and the captain, whose necks go on the block.

So the onus is on the cricketers. While they have a lot to learn by watching and asking the coach, they must make it their business to put it all together out in the middle if success is to be achieved.

However all cricketers and cricket fans are waiting and watching as to how the coach selecting panel will bat on this very important issue which concerns the entire country.

Counselling a must

We have on numerous occasions in these columns batted for Sri Lanka Cricket to employ, part or full time, an all important PHYSCHOLOGIST. Not only the juniors, but also the senior cricketers need counselling and motivation.

Today the game has a lot of money to be won and pride and prestige to be maintained. As such the pressure on the players is tremendous. They are mentally and physically drained and need counselling.

News trickling down from the cricketing fortress has it that a

motivator is working with the cricketers studying them mentally and physically and counselling them, which is great.

Cricketing might

The cricketers are now in desert country facing the cricketing might of the Pakistanis. It is going to be pressure filled and strenuous tour and they need to be not only physically, but above all mentally fit.

So while we are aware of the constraints Sri Lanka Cricket is faced with, the cricketers and the local cricket world will appreciate if a physiologist could be flown to be with the cricketers in desert country.

The cricketers will be playing Two Twenty20, Five one-day

internationals and Three Test matches and with the bottom line being winning, it is going to be a mentally and physically demanding tour.

Winning is paramount

It is paramount that Sri Lanka wins the Two Twenty20 games against Pakistan in the desert if they are to cling on to the top position in this style of cricket. Not to win could pose problems.

The Lankans did well to stuff New Zealand and stay top. Had they lost to the Kiwis they would have come tumbling down from the perch, which could have been galling.

The Pakistanis won't be easy meat, although sans some of their stars due to injury. They have infused some young and promising cricketers and are determined to be more than worthy opponents to the Sri Lankans.

Dias a good friend and raconteur

It was sad to hear the passing away of a great friend and fierce cricketing opponent and raconteur par excellence Sylvester Dias on early at Sunday morning. He was laid to rest on Monday.

Dias had his early cricketing lessons at Zahira College, Maradana where he shone as a tearaway fast bowler and big hitting batsman. He had many a schoolboy batsman ducking and weaving his terrifying bouncer.

After an illustrious school career and on leaving the Maradana school, he played for Mutwal CC and it was at Moratuwa Sports Club, playing Sara Trophy cricket that he served notice of his tremendous prowess.

Fiery Moratuwa matting

On the fiery Moratuwa matting wicket, he was unplayable. He used to pitch short and with tremendous pace get the ball to climb head high and in those days there were no helmets or body guards and facing him was no easy task. Playing for Saracens, I had the frightening experience of facing him on the Moratuwa mat. First ball, he bounced and I remember it coming like a missile. I hooked only to see the shot going high, with the Moratuwa wicket keeper at that time Thennuwara getting under and taking the catch.

When the Saracens batting was under threat of a collapse with Dias

threatening, Ralston Burke and B.N. Mohamed batted with great courage to master him, score centuries and give Saracens a first innings points victory. Not many sides could beat Moratuwa on their mat with Dias in the team.

Pre Test era

Dias played in the pre-Test era and had to contest with fast bowlers of the caliber of Sonny Yatawara, Stanley de Alwis, Norton Fredrick, T.B. Kehelgamuwa, P.I. Pieris, Nihal Zoysa, Darrel Lieversz and Lucky Gunatilleka to name a few for a place in the Ceylon team.

He was an excellent raconteur. He was a bubbly character, full of fun and there was never a dull moment with him. He made it with the Ceylon squad to India in 1964 under Michael Tissera, but could not make it to the playing eleven.

Sri Lanka served notice of its prowess in the game by beating India at Ahamedabad in an unofficial Test which went a big way to help the country make it to the big league of Test cricket.

Dias was also in the Ceylon squad that was in training for the first ever tour of England in the pre Test era. But unfortunately and to the detriment of the country's cricket that tour was called off owing to a captaincy wrangle.

His brothers Carlyle was an officer and gentleman and an all round

sportsman in the Police. Telesphor was a great promoter of football as an administrator.

Sylvester's funeral took place amidst a large gathering of former cricketers and friends in Jaela on Monday. May his soul rest in peace.

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