Bumbling fumbling Sri Lanka crash out of Champions Trophy – Pathetic fielding costs a semi-final berth

BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE

Sri Lanka lurched like a drunken sailor at the Champions Trophy in England before being unceremoniously dumped before the semi-finals thanks to pathetic fielding against Pakistan in a crucial game that decided the final four spots.

Team manager Asanka Gurusinha’s assertion that only the best fielding team would make up the final composition for the tournament irrespective of batting or bowling strengths came back to haunt him when the team delivered him and the team management a slap in the face against Pakistan as they literally found a way to kick themselves out of the tournament due to butterfingered fielding.

Compounding the dropped catches was the poor ground fielding which at times made them look amateurish and begged the question whether they were good enough at international level. The coaching staff must be left pondering their future.

Injuries to skipper Angelo Matthews in the opening game against South Africa and the suspension of inform stand in skipper Upul Tharanga and then Kusal Perera’s hamstring tear against India definitely dented Sri Lanka’s chances.

With Pakistan sitting at a precarious 162 for 7 from 29.5 overs in the crucial game to decide the final four, it seemed that Sri Lanka had fought back sufficiently with the ball after their batting debacle which yielded a paltry 236 despite a solid start. Successive let offs thereafter by the fielders saw the Pakistanis turn things around to record a memorable win.

Thrashed by South Africa in their opening encounter, Sri Lanka bounced back to shock the competition and pre-tournament favourites India, when they chased down an imposing 321 for victory and looked ominous until they played the Pakistanis who must count themselves fortunate to ultimately go on and win the Champions Trophy. Two crucial dropped chances including a straightforward miss by Thisara Perera ensured that the game and perhaps the trophy slipped through Sri Lankan fingers as they were dispatched from the tournament.

A wrap up of Sri Lanka’s performance reveals lack of penetration by their bowlers apart from the game against Pakistan. They went for plenty in the other games including the warm up matches against Scotland, New Zealand and Australia.

Recent developments indicate that the appointment of former World Cup hero Asanka Gurusinghe from Australia as team Manager has created division in the support structure around the team which has ultimately resulted in a discontented South African coach Graham Ford dropping his bundle and heading back home.

Ford has two more years left on his contract and his input into Sri Lanka cricket has been immense despite having to negotiate difficult and sensitive issues diplomatically amidst meddling by Sri Lanka’s cricket administrators. His replacement will be a challenge unless there is an unknown undercurrent taking place behind the scenes to lure successful Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusinghe back to the Sri Lanka fold.

These interesting scenarios will unfold in the not too distant future.

Bangladesh have announced themselves as a force to be reckoned with in world cricket thanks to the astute methods of discarded Chandika Hathurusinghe who has announced himself as one of the best coaches in world cricket.

Their entry to the final four, albeit through some luck, as the luckless Aussies found the weather Gods against them in England resulting in two washed out games which saw them exit the tournament means that three Asian countries and England will battle it out for this edition of the Champions trophy.