Sri Lanka cricket in a crisis

After defeats in Test series to England in the UK and Australia in Sri Lanka, the country's cricket is no doubt in a crisis.

Unless a concerted effort is made by all concerned with the game to bring it back to its glory days, the game will continue to languish in the "also played land". That will be a calamity and the future will look bleak.

If the game is not soon improved and brought back to its former glory where winning matches and trophies became a habit, the players, the game and the administration will lose its appeal and more importantly sponsors will fight shy of joining in to be part of a losing streak. It's no surprise, therefore , that the game is headed for a crisis. A new cricket committee has been put in place and they will have to don pads and galvanise their collective wisdom and energies and get the best out of the team.

Sri Lanka's next tour

Sri Lanka's next tour will be to Sharjah for three Test matches and limited over games against a fast improving Pakistan team. The team will leave with a new coach in former Australian opening batsman Geoff Marsh as head coach. One can't expect the moon and the stars from Marsh.

It is up to the other coaches - Marvan Atapattu, Ruwan Kalpage, Champaka Ramanayake and Mario Villavarayen to do their bit and show the players how to resurrect themselves and beat the Pakistanis, especially in all Three Tests. That will be the first and most important priority.

In cricketing parlance, Marsh will be using this tour to get his eye in as to what the game here is all about. Once he gets a feel into what ails the game, he will be able to take it from there and endeavour to put the game back on rails. He will need to be given full autonomy to make and implement the decisons of his choice.

Land of no return

If the Lankans were to succumb to the Pakistanis, they will be in the land of no return. They are playing in neutral territory and there is no reason why they should not emerge victorious and not come out second best.

The Sri Lankan selectors headed by Duleep Mendis after wracking their brains have given skipper Tillakeratne Dilshan the best available squad. As usual however good a team is picked the selectors will always have their critics who will pick holes in their selections. Selectors know that that is a way of life.

As for us what was inexplicable in the selections was the leaving out of Thilan Samaraweera and Seekkuge Prasanna. Samaraweera apparently missed out because Dilshan decided to drop down the batting order, after his run of poor scores while opening the batting.

In the frontline

We still say that Dilshan should be in the frontline and leading from the front by opening the batting. These same sentiments were expressed by former Australian allrounder and Sri Lanka coach Tom Moody when doing Ten Sports commentary in the final Test at the SSC.

When Dilshan batted at number 5, he would have been out for a 'duck' had Shaun Marsh fielding at mid on been a bit more alert, dived forward and taken the catch. Dilshan making use of that life waded into the bowling and made a quick 83.

But that is besides the point. Had the catch been taken, Dilshan would have reverted to opening and Samaraweera would have been on the plane to Sharjah. That's why cricket is called a funny game.

It was unfair the dropping of leg spinning all rounder Seekkuge Prasanna. A debutant in the Pallekelle Test against Australia, he bowled fairly well and what he required was consistency to become a better and threatening bowler. But he has been denied that and we hope he will also not fall by the wayside like did Malinga Bandara and Jeewan Mendis.

Spectacular Event

As usual the 'Sunday Observer- Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel 'Schoolboy Cricketer Show 2011' was a spectacular event, like in years gone by.

While congratulating the winners of the 'Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year'

Bhanuka Rajapaksa of Royal College and 'Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer Ramith Rambukwella also of Royal, the most treasured and memorable title was won by St. Benedict's College, Kotahena by being adjudged the Best Behaved Team. The International Cricket Council tags this award as the "Spirit of Cricket'. Congratulations to Bro. Director Granville Perera, Captain Waruna Fernando, Coach Chaminda Silva and Prefect of Games Vivian Saverimuthapulle a Bens captain of 1974 for showing the Bens how and winning this coveted award.

Cricketing revival

Bens cricketing revival began in 1957 under Lovellyn Rayen when the College emerged Unofficial Cricket Champs. The writer too was a member of that team. Then in 1964 Sunil Fernando's team emerged champions beating all teams and with his brother Ranjit winning the 'Times Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year' award. The awarding of this title to the Bens skipper Waruna Fernando by Chairman and Managing Director of Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. Bandula Padmakumara which appeared on page 1 of the 'Daily News' on Wednesday made a pretty picture and the caption was appropriately titled .... It is not the winning or the losing that matters, but how one played the game. The Bens have sure played the game and in the spirit and deserve this honour.

'Thambi' in town

In town on a short holiday from Melbourne, Australia with his wife Edith is Winston W. Thambimuttu a top class sportsman whose forte was athletics.

An Old Peterite, 'Thambi' as he was fondly called, indulged in many sports, but it was in athletics that he shone. He was a Ceylon record holder in the 400 metre hurdles and 4 x 400 relay team while running in the colours of the Ceylonese Track and Field Club. He was a member of the McLarens team that became basketball champions in 1967 which team had two Sri Lanka stalwarts in Percy Perera and Sam Lovell.

'Thambi' also made McLarens Mercantile athletic champions creating a Mercantile and Ceylon record in the 400-metre hurdles.

At St. Peter's College, he played cricket, excelled at athletics and was a good basketballer too. He also played basketball for Old Bens in the 1960s. After serving McLarens for 10 years he migrated to Australia with his family in 1973.

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