|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 1 June 2003 |
 |
|
 |
Sports |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Sri Lankans hope hustings will change fortune of cricket team by SRIAN OBEYESEKERE Expertise talent and resources. These vital development related factors have come into focus as never before as the hustings of the governing arm of the country's cricket looms. The rushing waters of such an event when members of the cricket clubs gather on June 6 to vote as to who should run the affairs of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) are so intricately woven as to turn the light so demandingly this time around. For not in a long time have the cricket clubs seen the daylight of what had been a customary annual event in the managerial affairs of the game in the country. That it comes after a hiatus of four years in itself, reflects the thirst. Indeed, the clubs have been rearing to go, for better things. A high noon in the build-up to the hustings where two heavyweights get into the ring lampoons centrally on the fortunes of the Sri Lankan cricket team must certainly generate the election fever. It is the crux, as a nation looks at cricket's horizon to new things at a juncture its team is in a back pedalling state, the one-day team having for the first time in history got kicked out of the final of a home triangular. Certainly, Sri Lanka taking a back seat at the Alfalah Triangular in a final fought out between New Zealand and Pakistan look to take a big slice of focus at the hustings. It has been since the build-up to the World Cup from last year that the country's cricket had taken a nose dive for the worse. In the setbacks, team selections have figured prominently with a majority of the country's cricketing public voicing their disapproval at the way the selectors set about things. That despite Sri Lanka hogging the limelight as one of the semi-finalists. In focus were what was viewed as rookie selections while some one-day specialists lingered behind. In effect, the bottom line was that despite making the first four in deciding the world champions, yet for all Sri Lanka had not done its homework in getting its best eleven on to the field. Since, the selectors have changed, the advent of former star batsman, Aravinda de Silva into the fray of picking latent after quitting what could arguably be seen as the most spoken of Sri Lankan cricketer for his exploits with the bat. De Silva's new role has been an attraction for an expectant cricketing public of new fortunes. But in a road which looks wide and long for a start where miracles cannot be delivered overnight, still for all the lacklustre performances of the one-day team in failing to qualify for the finals has left a bad taste. It is aggravated considering the fact that we were beaten badly in both matches by a relatively new look Pakistan outfit, to which in contrast the home team carried much more weight experience-wise. The Lankan misadventure, when all has been crumbling leading to changes in the captaincy and coach therefore must necessarily take top billing with the BCCSL's annual general meeting nearing. It is particularly so for the fact that the interim committees which ran cricket for the last four years will be making way. Rumblings centre around the two topmost contestants and when one happens to be one who has distinguished himself as one of the country's most illustrious captains ever, and the other carries the credentials as one of the most eligible administrators known to deliver the goods must come to bear in the interest of the game. Indeed, the last lap to the hustings has whipped up some kind of interest even if one were to put the contest down to a one-horse race for Thilanga Sumathipala who fields a team with Arjuna Ranatunga entering the fray as the lone contestant for the presidency of the BCCSL. But significantly, both have struck a similar chord in the campaigns theming on the dismal state of the running of affairs which they have singled out as the root cause for the rock bottoming of the team. It is here that their manifestoes have bordered on the harnessing of talent, the channelling of money, development of infrastructure and still more importantly, the structuring of domestic cricket. But a striking similarity has been that both Ranatunga and Sumathipala have dwelt at length with the need to raise the standard of school cricket as one of the most urgent priorities to put the house in order. Sumathipala sees a firmly developed school structure would be the answer rather than an academy in keeping in line with the local set up in contrast to some other countries which develop latent talent through academies. Ranatunga has dwelt on a neglected school level which needs attention at the grass roots level. While the election fever rises for its importance to a much starved club house segment which counts the days when the big day would dawn, where the Cricket Board would come to life in its big show at its best, it is such important areas as the schools on which such fever which will in the long run need to be galvanised in translating words into action. Certainly, it comes at a juncture Lankan cricket for all the setbacks and shortcomings is still more importantly in a phase of transition. Perhaps best reflected by the fact that after the World Cup long time captain, Sanath Jayasuriya's resignation leaving the selectors in a sort of dilemma from which by necessity the option of separate captains was arrived at. Still worse, it is at the cross roads of a team dependant on an interim coach after the sacking of Dav Whatmore. This by itself is a resultant setback to team building where particularly the house in the one-day team is not in order. The recent home triangular has clearly shown up a fragility in the batting department while the best cannot be said of the fielding department where we saw many catches go-a-begging. The opening slots must most certainly be cause for concern after a change in the batting order with wicket-keeper batsman, Romesh Kaluwitharana once again being elevated to pair with Jayasuriya. While Jayasuriya's low run marked a continuation of the left hander's woes, Kaluwitharana's failure to come to grips at that level further confounded things leading to a weak middle order which the selectors have been grappling to overcome for sometime. While an out of form Mahela Jayawardene, has been struggling to get back on stage which was somewhat reflected in his last innings in the tournament when he made a fighting 38 in a nevertheless losing battle against the Pakistani bowlers, the dumping of Russel Arnold after a similarly poor World Cup has also left that area rather threadbare although the re-emergence of Tillekeratne Dilshan on a back to the wall 46 against New Zealand could be some consolation for the selectors. With the cricket shifting from home to the Caribbean in the West Indies, once again the thrust will be on former captain. Duleep Mendis on whom the onus of coach, has been placed to drill into vibrancy his charges. It will be a big ask with Mendis having to focus all his cricketing experience and skills in preparing two teams. Coaching the Test team for two tests against the West Indies will be followed by getting his wings over the one-day team where Mendis would have to work with different sets of players. While the one time goliath of Lankan cricket deserves a pat on the back for fitting into whatever role he has been called to serve in from selector to manager of the team, to cricket develoipment committees, to coach now, the inability of the authorities to have found a much sought for foreign replacement for Whatmore has left much to be desired with so many coaches from several countries turning down offers. In all, the emphasis for a foreign coach which has seen Sumathipala promise to find one in one month in his coming to office, another salient factor is the stance taken by Ranatunga who has placed his money on a local coach on the grounds that Sri Lanka has a wealth of experience reflected by such former stars like Roy Dias and Rumesh Ratnayake coaching other countries when such expertise could be best utilised back home. All this to the election tables? |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
