Opinion:

Sri Lanka needs to perform well against South Africa

By Gunasiri WANIGARATHNE

CRICKET: Sri Lankan National Cricket team's suffering of Test and ODI Series defeats in quick succession to England, Australia and now Pakistan creates a gaping emptiness that would open up in front of the players and cricket lovers alike. With morale folding like a tent in the midst of uncertainly both players and selectors cannot be enthused from buoyant optimism about the forthcoming tour of South Africa followed by a Tri-Nation tournament in Australia and a home Test series against England.

In this period of down laden despair and pessimism, Sri Lankan Cricket will have to perform miraculously well to turn from despair to delight in South Africa in order to climb up the international rankings.

But the most pertinent question of the four, everybody is asking "Has Sri Lanka got an allround team? Following the retirement of our greats, it appears our production series have dried up, a synonymous phenomena without Cricket Boards, selectors and team managers etc. where old boys brigade tend to turn up over and over at frequent intervals with the passage of time.

At the highest level, Sri Lanka need personalities with guile and capabilities performing audaciously to develop and promote the game of cricket in all corners of Sri Lanka rather than consolidating cricket in omnipotent Colombo clubs.

The percentage of children participating in school cricket from outstation schools should increase by leaps and bounds, promoting good coaching facilities, donating cricket equipment. Sri Lanka Cricket should take the lead and bridge the gap between rhetoric and reality. Further outstation cricket clubs should be encouraged to absorb the budding school cricketers to gain experience at a higher level. It is a credit to Revatha Vidyalaya coaching staff in producing Seekluge Prasanna, with the school literally playing no competitive cricket in Galle district.

Is it not ironic that Romesh Buddhika from Mahinda College became Outstation Schoolboy Cricketer 2010 and later distant himself from Galle to play senior cricket in Ragama. On the same topic, Priyantha B. Wijeratne also from Mahinda College who became the Outstation Schoolboy Cricketer (Sunday Observer) in it's inaugural year, played for Galle Cricket Club, who later went on to win the Daily News Trophy.

It is of little significance of having a cricket arena in Hambantota if SLC fails to produce cricketers of national standards, coming through the Hambantota school system.

During a brief visit to the now almost defunct Galle CC, shifted to the sidelines with the advent of a International Stadium, I was evoked with mixed complex emotions of anger, apathy, dismay to witness a Test playing square, a pool of water in state of neglect. Soon afterwards, the ICC penalised a sub standard Galle Test pitch following the Australian Test. A pathetic puerile presentation by the curator.

Sri Lankan Premier Limited Over Tournament just commenced and its Tier 'A' and Tier 'B' one can only see the by real representation of outstations cricket - mere two teams Chilaw Marians and Kurunegala YCC out of 22 teams. It seems with the disastrous introduction of an International Stadium to Galle, the Southern Province Cricket being almost wiped out, an antithesis to the days of glorious Galle Cricket. I'm sure there are, then ambassadors who acclaimed hierarchy at the expense of disruption and decimalisation of Galle Cricket.

The SLC in debt to the tune of US 23 million dollars, the empty coffers cannot promote Outstation Cricket, let alone pay the players and staff. But the question remains on the findings of the PSC over the allegations of corruption and malpractices of the previous Interim Committee. What action was taken and where are all these millions? Any accounts of the IC members frozen or once again the findings covered up and laid to rest in the ever-lasting oblivion.

It may sound coincidental that SLC elections are looming close by and will be a laughing stock, if any of the previous IC members nominated themselves by desperate means. If this occurs, I am certain there will be a player revolt in order to maintain fair play within the SLC board rooms and push Sri Lankan Cricket from crisis to catastrophe.

In fact there are rumours that Central Bank Governor could be next SLC President.

The crux of the matter at present is to resurrect the game and in order to put ourselves in the world stage, have to perform both home and away and win, only then we can attract good sponsorship.

Let us create a system where we appoint a politics free SLC Board, with a vote of affiliated member clubs (without rigging). Ensure and sustain the maintenance of sound financial governance to promote and develop this beautiful game in all corners of Sri Lanka.