Sri Lanka victory gives England cricket a wake up call

While the Sri Lankan cricketers will be savouring and basking in the glory of their first ever Test series victory over England and readying to front up to the South Africans, we would like do a bit of analysis on England's cricket.

When England took wing to Australia for the Ashes series which is known as the 'mother of all cricketing battles', not one Englishman ever imagined that Australia would heap shame on them by thrashing them 5-nil.

But that was exactly what happened. England came back licking their wounds. They changed coaches, even pinched Sri Lanka's coach Paul Farbrace, dropped several players, among them being Kevin Pietersen and falsely patted themselves saying they are ready to take on the world!

The England's dream world was given credence by their biased Television commentators, their radio broadcasters and some of the cricket writers who made the England team look larger than life.

Climate ideal for England

They had Angelo Mathews' Sri Lanka cricketers here in the early part of the summer when it is cold and gloomy and not the climate that would suit Sri Lanka, but ideal for England.

But even that ploy did not work to the advantage of the British Three Lions and finally when the three series ended, England cricket was still in the wilderness losing theTwenty20,the one-day internationals and the Test series for the first time.

It was a loss of face for England and their carefully planned strategy all went haywire and they are back again on the drawing boards, studying where and how they went wrong and hoping that the tour by the Indians would help resurrect their lost pride and prestige.

Incidentally England has given India a five match Test series for the first time in the history of the game. With the three big powers ruling the roost, the five match Test series did not come as a surprise.

Future tours by the three powers

Future tours by the three big powers England, Australia and India will see five-match Test series and the other Test playing nations will have to wait for the crumbs and get reduced Test matches. With Sri Lanka beating England, the Sri Lankans can now demand for more than just two Test matches. When Sri Lanka cricket was in its embryo stage, England refused to offer more than just a Test match.

It was the solitary Test match at Lord's where Sri Lanka led by Duleep Mendis had England playing second best that made the lords at Lord's stand up and take notice that forced England to give Sri Lanka more than just a solitary Test Match.

When that team to England led by Mendis was picked, Gamini Dissanayeke who was then the President of BCCSL handed the squad to R. Rajamahendren, the big boss of Maharaja Organisation who was a Vice-President and what that team achieved in that one-off. Test made history.

Cook's Captaincy must be revived

Having said that, we now move on to England for a study of what their

cricket is at the moment. Starting with the Captaincy it must be said that it is time that Alastair Cook's Captaincy must be reviewed.

His poor batting form has knocked his Captaincy that was good at one time. He has lost the self confidence that is very necessary for a captain to succeed. Cook has lost six of his last seven Tests and has not scored a century since last May.

After the Australian debacle, his Captaincy has not improved one bit. His bowling changes, field settings and generally his every move lacked positivity. It was so negative and the Lankans were quick to capitalize and having them running second best in the series.

But the authorities that matter have reposed their confidence in him and given him another series against India and unless he is able to lead by example, especially by getting his batting form back and be more attacking on the field, his days as captain are numbered.

No solid opening pair

England must find a solid pair of opening batsmen who can give the

side a good foundation to build on. Cook's form is horrendous and his partner, the Australian born Sam Robson is just beginning and there's nothing exciting in him.

Batsmen three, four and five - Gary Balance, Joe Root and Mooen Ali are not threatening and nowhere in the class of say a Peter May, Colin Cowdrey, Tom Graveney or a Ken Barrington. They don't have the style or the class of the above mentioned former greats who could skin any attack.

Wicket-keeper Matt Prior has been long enough in the game and is not a batsman of the calibre of say a Alan Knott, Jim Parks or a Paul Downton. His 'keeping' too was sloppy dropping vital catches and if he continues will soon be tagged 'iron gloves'.

England made a big hue and cry about Chris Jordan. But to us he is just an ordinary allrounder who could bowl a bit, bat a bit and field a bit. As a bowler he is most of the time off line and rarely makes the batsmen play.

Opening bowlers lack sting

Opening bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad seem to have played enough and more cricket and have now lost their sting of old. Liam Plunkett is fast but lacks accuracy. In addition they were injury prone and were second best to Sri Lanka's Shaminda Eranga, Nuwan Pradeep, Nuwan Kulasekera, Suranga Lakmal and Dhammika Prasad.

In the past England had terrific fast bowlers who instilled fear into the minds of batsmen with their blinding speed and ones who could win a match on their own. Names that come to mind are Harold Larwood, Fred Trueman, Brian Statham, Frank Tyson, David Larter, Graham Dilley and Devon Malcom. Where are bowlers of that class now?

The less said about the spin department the better. The only spinner they could showcase was offie Mooen Ali. They spoke big about him having learnt the art of bowling the doosra from Pakistani Saeed Ajmal who plays for Ali's sauce county Worcestershire.

But rarely did Ali put on show the doosra. Probably he was fearing that his action would be queried. It is not easy to bowl a doosra without a questionable action.

Funny England using Saeed Ajmal

Like Australia getting Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan on their bowling staff to show their spinner how to deliver the doosra, it is funny England using Ajmal to show Ali how remembering that England queried Ajmal's action in the Test series in the Gulf when Ajmal had their batsmen in a flat spin.

Where are the spin legends that England had in abundance like Doug Wright, Johnny Wardle, Jim Laker, Tony Lock, David Allen, Norman Gifford, John Emburey, Derek Underwood, Phil Tufnell and Graeme Swann. They were all match winners in their day.

Scanning the county scene, there does not seem to be any outstanding talent like the former legends emerging and unless natural talent emerges, England coaches Peter Moores and Paul Farbrace however much they huff and puff will be only wasting their energy. Cricketers are born, they rarely are made.

Sunil Seneviratne passes away

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing away of one of the finest soccer players to come out of St. Benedict's College,

Kotahena, Sunil Seneviratne. He was also a good all round cricketer Seneviratne was a sharp striker who came from the Albert Fernando and Edward Jayewardene stables and many were the match winning goals he scored for SBC. His brother Kavi too was a sportsman at SBC. His funeral took place last Saturday at General Cemetery, Kanatte (July 2) before a large gathering of former team mates and old Benedictines. May his soul rest in peace.

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