TIME UP FOR JEROME JAYARATNE-BRING BACK CHANDIKA HATHURASINHA
Posted on December 29th, 2015
By M D P DISSANAYAKE
Jerome Jayaratne was appointed as new Interim Coach of Sri Lankan Cricket, to replace Marvan Atapattu. Jerome Jayaratne’s credentials cannot be compared favourably with Marvan Atapattu. To his credit, it is a well known fact that Marvan did not command the full support and respect of some of the seniors, who have since retired. These seniors, made Marvan’s job more difficult.
If the Sri Lanka Cricket needed time to recruit a suitable candidate, they should have continued with Marvan instead of placing Jerome in a difficult and a cumbersome role. Jerome is no match to Marvan or to any of the previous Coaches of Sri Lanka Cricket.
When a Sri Lankan product of Chandika Hathurasinha was available, Sri Lanka Cricket did not not avail an opportunity for him. Similarly, when Dave Whatmore was available, he too was not considered by the Sri Lanka Cricket.
Cricket is not played anymore in Sri Lanka and India in the spirit of the game, instead it is a money spinner. Now, Sumathimapala, Arjuna, Dharmadasa and several famous and not so famous personalities are clamouring for the capture of Sri Lanka Cricket management.
None of these personalities truely love the game. They are businessmen and fortune hunters. When Arjuna was in the opposition, he was fighting to remove his own brother Nishanatha from the Sri Lanka Cricket Secretary’s role. Now, Arjuna is in a great partnership with Nishantha.
T20 World Cup is not very far. We will be looking at the bottom of the ladder unless steps are taken immediately to rectify. Bangladesh Tiger’s are now in a commanding position and could pose serious threat to some of the high ranking teams, including Australia and India. Australian team was secretly happy that the recent tournament with Bangladesh was cancelled due to ” alleged security reasons”. Drubbing by Bangladesh Tigers on Sri Lankan Lions is also a distinct possibility, judging by the current trends.
We have to pursuade either Dave Whatmore or Chandika Hathurasinghe to team up with Sri Lanka on a long term basis.