Are Sri Lanka’s Cricketing Woes Compounded Through Mismanagement, Lack of Application And Team Selection ?
Posted on July 5th, 2016
Top Spin By Suni
July 6th 2016
It must be a sorry state of affairs when a team such as Sri Lanka appears to be full of woes and under performing today much to the chagrin and heartaches of adoring fans and there appears to be many deciding factors contributing to this demise.
A team that only the last time around against England virtually demoralised and defeated them resoundingly where England have struck back and sent the Lankans packing in all forms of the game with a single T -20 remaining where the outcome at best could be a forgone conclusion although an unexpected Sri Lankan win is not impossible.
It seems almost beyond speculation to attribute Sri Lanka’s poor form to various factors, of which the foremost undoubtedly appears to be lack of application, poor performance which seems to point directly to management responsible for team selection where key players have been excluded for various reasons ranging from personal to lack of experience (seemingly heavily dependent on an ingrained pomposity to moot on the part of certain selectors whose authoritarian attitude leaves much to be desired) and of course the inevitable injury factor but all in all the current England tour and ominously the forthcoming Australian tour does not hold much expectation for success on current form for the Lankans unless of course by some stroke of good fortune circumstances change for the better.
Alas ! the dependence on the likes of Murali, Vaas, de Silva, Ranatunga, Sangakkara and Jayawardena et al are things of the past as Sri Lanka rebuilds but seems to have an apathetic approach to team selection where brilliant young players like Milinda Siriwardena and others equally more deserving than some of the passengers in the side, have been sidelined and there are whispers that there is more to it than meets the common eye and that administrative bungling is the real culprit, some of it straying into personal vendettas and incarcerations based thereon which is shameful if proven true.
Also citing the inclusion of the likes of Maharoof despite his token performance, a mediocre performer regardless of domestic plaudits given the wealth of talent available as alternatives and Upul Tharanga forced to bat lower in the order when he is a brilliant opening bat more often than not, decisions that could only be attributed to bad insight by greenhorn selectors who probably need their marching orders.
Given that in recent times, players have actually retired from the game (perhaps in disgust) despite being in decent nick and probably in their prime in some cases there is room to speculate that there must be something seriously wrong with Sri Lanka’s cricketing health and needs immediate attention as this is a team that was climbing in the rankings, were World Cup winners in more than one format of the game and had a reputaion of being formidable opponents where it only takes a bit of bungling on the part of a few individuals basking in the glory of an impressive past and empowered to make executive decision which are detrimental for the team and hence the sorry state of affairs the Sri Lankans find themselves in.
Something which needs immediate remedial action or else the Lankans could find themselves in an inextricable mire competing with minnows at the bottom of the playing chain in this sudden albeit avoidablr fall from glory.
True enough this England tour was in all probabilities planned to throw the Lankans off balance by the choice of venues unsuitable from many perspectives to them such as climate and playing conditions but then they aren’t the only team that have played in blustery English conditions and overcome the odds.
On a final note. watching the Lankans on the field today they seem to be an unfit bunch, some overweight and others whose body language points to the gym rather than basking in past glory and thickening their waistline through various excesses of over indulgence and it is not surprising that there are so many injuries that suggest the team is in serious need of a new approach towards fitness and concentration towards a better direction on getting there!
And with the Aussie tour looming hopefully another disaster is not in the making.
July 6th, 2016 at 1:55 am
It is “mismanagement”. Follow the money and you will see. Maharoof and Rambukwella should not be there.
Simply look at the bowling figures. Frontline fast bowlers bowled only 3 overs ! What is happening ? Ramukwella went 11 per over, Maharoof 9 together yielded 53 runs !
July 6th, 2016 at 7:33 am
The sick and disgusting spectre of patronage and favouritism seems to have crept into BCCSL again.
Apart from the injury hit players ( bowlers importantly) there are inclusions in the team that are surely implants that have taken the legitimate places of more deserving players.Sri Lanka Cricket needs to be purged of undesirable selectors and replaced with individuals of integrity and cricketing savvy!
July 6th, 2016 at 10:14 am
Sri Lanka has probably dug its own cricketing grave.
It this two tiers proposal is ratified then it is game over for Sri Lanka.
As things are we are totally devoid of cricketing talent. perhaps the ONLY find of this tour is Kusal Mendis. But one sparrow does not make a spring.
To put it succinctly, we do not have any reliable batsmen. We do not have any bowler of international standard. Our fielding is PUTRID. No fielder can hit the stumps from many distance. Pradeep missed the stumps from 4 meters with the three stumps glaring at him in the face. That would have won us the first ODI.
The catches dropped cry to the heavens for vengeance
From NO.8 downwards no player can hold a bat!
Calling our team a TEST team is the worst of JOKES.
AS for the administration, it is corrupt to the core. The mere sight of harem owner Sanath Jayasuriya is sickening and makes one feel vomitish. He should not be there on sheer moral grounds, leave aside the rest.
I think it is time the population takes things in hand and gives this disgraceful set up the ‘Indian’ treatment. That means going on rampages, stoning and breaking everything belonging to them.
Mario Perera
Kadawata
July 6th, 2016 at 4:31 pm
Players too are to be blamed, the only player ,given the chance who grabbed it with both hands is Mendis.See Siriwardana & Dasun showed some glimpses but did not carry the can when it mattered. Though look a political selection, liked Rambukwella at least tried to take on the spinners, other players, even the seniors look intimidated by England.That was a main factor. It may be born to influential background.We need street wise persons to lead, as someone commented in a cricket column, Arjuna was one coming from such political base who was able to make fight on the field.If Rambukwella has talent, he should be given more chances rather than put down as these guys like Arjuna are the ones who could fight a corner in this competitive business of world cricket.
July 6th, 2016 at 4:59 pm
I think selectors were forced to add Muslim players by politicians. I see no reason for Mahroof and Suraj Randiv to be called in suddenly to ruin the team. Maharoof is already a very bad fielder and allowed 3 runs before the six was hit to tie the 1st match when only 2 runs are possible. That made hard hitter Liam the chance of strike.
Siriwardane out of touch for a long time now. Dasun’s participation was disturbed by ridiculous team selection and foolish choice of bowling time by the captain. Captain lacks lateral thinking. He doesn’t know how to use bowlers, clearly but he probably has been given individuals by force.
July 6th, 2016 at 6:55 pm
Mario, I’m sure you don’t expect Indian acts in Sri Lanka in handling cricketers.
Although Arjuna, Aravinda, Murali and Sanath are all alleged to be involved in activities involving morality, that is no ground to keep them away from administration. Actually I see Sanath as an extremely useful consultant in addition to administration to develop players of his calibre.
Team England played very well possibly consulted by a former Sri Lankan captain and a player who played long after his use-by date, on how to face Sri Lanka. It is a bit unfair to blame our cricketers and others. As per an article in The Island, the captain had decided not to have practice before the final Test as the first two were lost.
Recycling old players who are not classy or record breaking like Tharanga and Maharoof makes no sense at all. They were good a long time ago but have no future today. There is enough talent in schools and clubs and this must be tapped.
Overall the cricket administration although democratically elected, has many flaws. Some may not have the best intentions to say the least.
Kusal Mendis is a rare find. I’m sure there are many like him.
Overall, the cricket team and administrators are from the wider Lankan society. The hopelessness in the general Lankan society cannot be prevented from seeping into cricket.
July 7th, 2016 at 1:49 am
Maharoof was average long time ago and now. He is there because of Globalists.