Sri Lanka Cricket plays master stroke

Sri Lanka Cricket which is taking a savage beating these days, played the master stroke when it fearlessly took a decision not to allow their contracted players to play in domestic tournaments.

With eight months to go for the conducting of the World Cup 2011 in the sub continent, the SLC did right in agreeing to a request made by the selectors and the team management who had convinced the SLC that the next eight months is vital for team building for the mega event next year.

It was the right decision taken by three parties - SLC, Selectors and team management who in unison took this admirable decision that augurs well for the World Cup preparations and success.

Pushing hard

Every country is now focusing on winning the World Cup next year and Sri Lanka one of the hosts should not be caught napping. All shoulders should be put to the wheel and push hard for success.

The winning of the World Cup in addition to being a status symbol will also bring with it the mega bucks that the SLC is starved of at present. In addition the team will be in big demand if they were to emerge victorious.

Sri Lanka suffered a hiccup when it lost the Asia Cup to India at the 'beauty in the jungle' Rangiri Dambulu Stadium. That was because they lacked the all important will to win. It is hoped that, lessons would be learnt by that defeat and used for future success.

Pockets bulging

It is sad that the cricketers of today are more keen on having their pockets bulging, and Bank balances stacked rather than having the country and the game at heart and performing to their optimum best.

We are not against money being made. Once the cricketers give up the game they need money to fall back on and for their existence. But in making money, they must see that they don't betray the game for 30 pieces of silver.

The new selectors headed by former champion batsman Aravinda de Silva which also includes Ranjit Fernando, Shabir Asgerally and Amal Silva have made it clear that they are focused on getting up the ideal team that will win the World Cup.

Cricketing marksmen

So it is paramount that SLC gives the selectors and the team management all the artillery they need to get up a team of brilliant cricketing marksmen who will fire and fire with bulls-eye accuracy to bring the World Cup back.

How wonderful it would be if all critics silence their guns and instead of targeting individuals, join hands and work for the success of that distant dream - the winning of the World Cup 2011. That is the bottom line.

The players who make it to the World Cup squad must also be determined, dedicated and dynamic and perform at peak so that at the end of the World Cup Sri Lanka would be proudly be spoken of as WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS, like they did in 1995/96 when under 'Captain cool' Arjuna Ranatunga we won the Cup in Lahore, Pakistan.

World Cup the bottom line

With all cricket playing countries concentrating on winning the World Cup in the sub continent next year, the focus has been on playing a lot of limited over cricket so that when World Cup times comes around, they would have licked their teams into shape and formidable outfits.

At the time of writing, England and Australia have been slogging it out in a five-match one day series in England, with England outplaying the kangaroos and hoping that the victories gained will give them the confidence to retain the Ashes in the series to be played 'down under' later this year.

But the Ashes series is a different ball game and what cricket is all about compared to the 'come or go Chicago' style of one-day comedy cricket and the Kangaroos would be a different mean machine when the Ashes Test series is called play.

Triangular series

In keeping with the trend, Sri Lanka, India and New Zealand will contest a triangular series, beginning at the Rangiri Dambulu Stadium after a test series between India and Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka who won all their preliminary round matches in the Asia Cup and meekly surrendered to the Indians in the final, will have to pull up their socks and perform, if not they could again be a distant second.

That the Lankans lost the final to India after dominating the series was inexplicable. They could have retained the trophy, had they played with determination and set about getting the winning runs in a sensible manner.

Rise Phoenix like

Now that, that series has been dead and obsequies performed, it is pointless flogging a dead horse, but to ask the Lankan cricketers to rise Phoenix like and play the way they are capable of and winning this triangular series which should give them the necessary confidence to build their World Cup campaign.

India will arrive oozing with confidence and determined to pocket this triangular series too. They have the players who can deliver. They are a well knit, superb all round side led intelligently and cleverly by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

While Sri Lanka choked in the Asia Cup final, India came out with guns blazing to shoot down their opponents and fly away with the trophy justifying the confidence their selectors placed in them. The Indians who are now familiar with the wickets and conditions in Dambulla, will once again play the required cricket and endeavour to come out tops and give muscle to their bid of winning the World Cup.

Winning the bottom line

The hit squad that the Indians have brought with them have it in them to perform who or whatever the opponents, wickets and conditions have to offer. They have based their game on winning, because winning is what sport is all about.

The Indians have been further strengthened with the inclusion of the dashing Yuvraj Singh, stylish batsman Suresh Raina and devastating pacemen in Ishant Sharma and Shantakumaran Sreesanth.

New Zealand will miss their regular skipper, all rounder Daniel Vettori and the hard hitting wicket keeper batsman Brendon McCullum. A batsman of class Ross Taylor will be the captain and coach, former pinch hitting left hander Mark Greatbatch is confident that they can be a formidable force and tease the Lankans and Indians and even win the triangular. Over then to the Rangiri Dambulu Stadium and cricket lu'verly cricket as the Calypso master blasters call it.