Lankan cricketers banking on ‘glorious uncertainties’

The cricketers and the cricket crazy Sri Lankan fans must be praying that the glorious uncertainties of cricket will help them win the 2015 World Cup co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia beginning on February 14.

If the poor manner in which the cricketers have been performing in all departments - batting, bowling, fielding and approach is an indication, then in addition to the glorious uncertainties, luck must also play for them. And perhaps a hope for planetary change may not be out of place. To be fair however such speculation on our part may, we hope, may be unfair pessimism at a time even the most ardent critics will hope beyond hope that Sri Lanka will get back its former form and slipping glory.

We, after all is said and done want desperately for the Sri Lanka Flag to fly at its best. When the Lankan cricketers took wing to New Zealand for Two-Test matches, followed by seven one-day internationals, the idea was to give the players for the World Cup opportunities to fine tune their game.

But the cricketers have with their poor form in the one-dayers where they have been no opponents to the Kiwis, shown that they stand no chance of getting close to within even sniffing distance of the World Cup.

When so much was expected by the cricketers to make use of the opportunities against New Zealand and be on top of their game to challenge for the World Cup they perform like novices which is inexplicable.

Squad in a crisis

In addition the squad seems to be in a crisis if reports reaching us from New Zealand are to be believed. The rumours doing the rounds does not speak well for the peace and harmony in the squad which is very important for success.

It is said that there can be no smoke without fire. News was circulated that bowling coach Chaminda Vaas was to be flown back for not producing much input and showing the bowlers how.

But on tours we have noticed Vaas doing his job with great concern and responsibility and putting the bowlers through their paces. To accuse him of neglect is unacceptable. The bowlers are not performing as they should. This is shown by the disdain the Kiwi batsmen have treated and feasted on them. So don’t blame Vaas.

If Vaas has to take the blame for the poor bowling, then with the batting falling apart and fielding putrid, should not the batting and fielding coaches also be accountable?

From what was on show other than for Tillekeratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews and to an extent Lahiru Thirimanne, the batting has been woefully poor.

Nothing worthwhile

The less said about the middle-order batting the better. Dinesh Chandimal, Jeevan Mendis and Thisara Perera have not contributed any worthwhile runs. A lot was expected from them to muscle the middle order, but they have been conspicuous and consistent with their failures.

The main problem has been in the opening slot. When Dimuth Karunaratne made a grand century in the Second Test, the selectors thought they had the openers slot covered.

But came the one-dayers against the Kiwis which is an altogether different ball game, Karunaratne with his repeated failures proved that he is not material for limited-over cricket.

How the selectors would have loved to have explosive openers of the class of Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharane who turned the aspect of opening batting on its head and helped Sri Lanka win the 1995/96 World Cup in Lahore.

To reiterate a similar opening pair could have emerged had the clone of Sanath Jayasuriya, Kushal Janith Perera grabbed the opportunities and obliged. That he failed was sad.

Cemented opening berths

Veteran Tillekeratne Dilshan has cemented his opening berth batting with great flair and aggression and bashing the Kiwi bowlers slamming two centuries. It is essential that he carries this consistent form into the World Cup.

With Karunaratne failing miserably, the selectors have pushed up Vice-Captain the left-handed Lahiru Thirimanne to partner Dilshan. He is shaping well, although not in the class of a blaster and the selectors will be hoping that Thirimanne would come good.

There are suggestions to toss the big hitting Thisara Perera to partner Dilshan. Would the selectors take that gamble? Batting in the middle he has been a complete failure. In addition his bowing has been made a sumptuous meal of by the Kiwi batsmen and he has been a poor performer as an allrounder.

The bowling is penetrative to a point. And when they have the opponents to use boxing parlance on the ropes and only to deliver the knockout blow, they let the opponents recover and deliver the knockout blow on the hunter.

From the fast bowlers to the spinners there is no one who could get over five wickets in a game and who could turn out into being a match winner.

Not fully recovered

The only bowler who could scare and hit hard ‘slinger’ Lasith Malinga has still not recovered fully from ankle surgery and although he is training, but lightly, there is no guarantee that he would be fully fit to unleash his missiles.

If Malinga is ruled unfit, it will be a calamity as there is no other bowler who could scare the opposing batsmen and lure them to their destruction. The physio is doing everything possible in his effort to get Malinga to the bowling crease. But there is no quick cure after surgery. Nature has to take its time.

Captain Angelo Mathews must be an annoyed man because his bowlers do not tend to bowl to their fields. They set their fields on one side and bowl on the other side. This was clearly evident in the games against the Kiwis. Owing to this shortcoming the bowlers went for big runs.

The other worry is the fielding - catching and ground leaves much room for improvement. Excellent fielding is what matters in limited-over cricket. If the Lankan fielders falter in this aspect, then they better kiss goodbye to their chances of getting anywhere near sniffing distance of the World Cup 2015.

But everything is not lost. The coaches must put their shoulders to the wheel and do everything possible and If they can get the players to perform the way we know they can, then they can still hope to bring the World Cup home.

By the way enjoy life now. It has an expiry date on it.

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