Sri Lanka Cricket still to decide on Bangladesh tour
 The Sri Lankan cricketers who will be concluding their series with
Pakistan after the Third Test that is now on in Sharjah, but have yet to
decide on whether to tour Bangladesh or not for a Test and limited-over
series.
This is because of the unsettled conditions in that country. Vice
President of Sri Lanka Cricket Mohan de Silva and a committee had
travelled to Bangladesh to see for themselves the situation and will
report to the Executive Committee for a decision. The tour is due to
begin with the First Test on January 27.
Bangladesh is also due to hold the Asia Cup with Sri Lanka, India,
Pakistan and hosts Bangladesh in the fray. According to a leading
Pakistani journalist Qamar Ahmed, is confident that the Asia Cup nor the
ICC World Cup Twenty20 tournament will not take place.
Ahmed who has tremendous experience, told this writer that Pakistan
has still not committed to play in the Asia Cup or the World Twenty20.
Nothing is known about India's stance in this connection.
A good yardstick to judge whether the Asia Cup or the Twenty20 World
Cup will go ahead depends on Sri Lanka successfully touring Bangladesh
for the Test and one-day series.
Keen for tour to take place
President Mahinda Rajapaksa is very keen for the tour to take place.
So is Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheik Hassina who was recently
elected with a thumping majority.
All concerned with the Sri Lanka team tour of Bangladesh have
promised top class security. If the security has been guaranteed, then
Sri Lanka Cricket should have no qualms of touring Bangladesh.
Vice President of Sri Lanka Cricket, Mohan de Silva and his committee
have met every one who matters and they have explained that security
will be very tight and that they should not harbor any fears.
The Sri Lankan cricketers will want to tour only if the atmosphere
and the situation in Bangladesh is conducive to showcase their talent.
Any sportsman or woman for that matter needs to be free from worry to
perform.
However, for the furtherance of the game and its future, it is hoped
that the Sri Lanka tour will proceed without any hindrance and lay the
foundation for the Asia Cup and the World Cup Twenty20 to proceed.
Our view is that cricket is a great leveller and a unifier as we have
seen in Sri Lanka and the tour should be allowed to take place.
Good on Sri Lanka Cricket
Sri Lanka Cricket must be lauded for mapping out plans to reintroduce
cricket to the North and East. In this regard they hosted a dinner at
the Atlantis Hotel in Dubai to collect funds for this purpose.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa who was himself a sportsman and whose
sons Namal and Yoshitha are going great guns in rugby for Sri Lanka with
them captaining the national teams, is a great believer of taking
cricket to the villages.
When talking of taking cricket to the North is mentioned, one cannot
but write and talk in glowing terms of the sportsmen and women who
excelled in sports before the dreaded war broke out.
There are several names that come to mind with the most outstanding
being High Jumper Nagalingam Ethiriweerasingham. Fondly called 'Ethir',
he was the first to go over the 6 feet mark and in continuing won for
Sri Lanka an Asian Games gold medal. Other names that come to mind are
Nadarajasunderam, Kanaganayagam, Seevaratnam, Rukmani Vethanayagam, and
several others whose names do not come to mind. Once Sri Lanka Cricket
takes the game to the North again, there is bound to be talent oozing
and it won't be long when their cricketers keep pushing for places in
the national cricket team.
When England were out-thought and out-played
With England suffering a whitewash by 5 matches to nil in the back to
back Ashes series by Australia led by example by Michael Clarke and with
left arm pace bowler Mitchell Johnson wrecking havoc, the cry was for
the seniors to be dumped. While a few names were mentioned, one name
among them was former South African born Kevin Pietersen and who like
his countryman the late Tony Greig captained England before being
prematurely removed. For his high standards Pietersen had a very poor
run with the bat in the Ashes series. When big runs were expected from
him, he failed to deliver which was also a contributory fact for England
getting licked.
But apparently the England selectors and think tanks have kept faith
in him and in also retaining coach Andy Flower and captain Alastair Cook
whose names were also on the block with critics baying for their
removal, have decided to rebuild with them.
Named in provisional squad
Now comes the news that Pietersen has been named in a provisional
30-member squad from which the contingent for the World Cup Twenty20 in
Bangladesh in March will be picked.
Pietersen who is 33 is not the slap bang batsman he was who tormented
and tortured bowlers during his prime. But now with him involved in
controversy and with reflexes slowing down, he has lost his hunger for
big scores. But being named in the 30-man squad does not guarantee him a
place in the final England squad for the World Cup Twenty20 in
Bangladesh. He could be included depending on the form he shows against
Australia in the three Twenty20 games in Australia.
England's limited-over coach former England left arm spinner Ashley
Giles dismissed suggestions that Pietersen's presence in the squad could
prove problematic, describing him as a 'million-pound' asset.
'He's another million pound asset at least. He might be worth a bit
more than that. He's a fantastic player and he's shown that in T20
cricket. Kevin has been a fantastic player for England for many years',
said Giles.
Moshin Khan ever willing
Former Pakistan stylish opening batsman Moshin Khan who coached
Pakistan to great success before the Pakistan Cricket Board switched to
Dav Whatmore and dumped Khan is willing to take over the job once again.
I had the opportunity of meeting and chatting with Khan after the
Second Test won by Sri Lanka in Dubai and when asked whether he would
be ready to take over the job again said: 'Most certainly. But on
condition that the PCB asks me. I enjoyed my stint where I showed them
how and took the game to the top.
'But since I was relieved of the job and Whatmore took over, Pakistan
has not met with the same amount of success. Whatmore will be quitting
after this series against Sri Lanka and if the PCB asks me, I will
certainly take over the job I enjoyed doing', said Khan who is now the
manager of the team. Khan during his time was an excellent opening
batsman, with the correct temperament and technique and was a big
success. He scored a lot of runs and gave his side several good starts
from where to build on. At the moment the Pakistan team has some
brilliant cricketers. But surprisingly very rarely performs collectively
as one unit. With a home grown coach in Moshin Khan, Pakistan cricket
could shoot to the top again.
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