Sri Lanka’s Cricket, like a ship without a rudder –

BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE

Sri Lanka’s cricket administration has taken a media beating after a horrendous tour to England where they were thrashed in all formats of the game and the cricket mad public are demanding that heads roll for the shambolic effort that has badly tarnished a once proud nation’s image.

The main target of the public rage is aimed at Chairman of selectors Sanath Jayasuriya, once a hero of an era of the country’s cricketing dominance yet unparalleled by the island nation, but now regarded as the thick skinned dictator leading to the ruin of the game.

Jayasuriya’s insistence in promoting friends and sons of his political affiliations who are barely good enough to fill a club cricket role into the national team, has justifiably caused an outcry and a demand for his sacking together with his chosen cronies in the selection committee who were recently picked by the Sports Ministry to resurrect the game’s flagging fortunes. “Even politicians get flogged at the elections when they get their policies wrong so the onus shifts to the Sports Minister to rectify a decision that appears flawed and crying out for redress”, said a disgruntled Sri Lankan fan.

Much of the public outcry and comes from Sri Lanka fans around the globe and here in Australia, the sentiment is echoed louder than ever.

Politics has, and will always play a role in Sub-continental countries where performance is not always the necessary criteria for promoting talent. That said, the recent decline in the standard of Sri Lanka cricket made it extremely urgent that the country’s administrators tapped into the right resources to resurrect their flagging fortunes.

The recall of Jayasuriya who was dumped from a similar role not so long ago, begs the question as to why someone thought he is good enough again to fulfill a job he was found wanting.

After England, Sri Lanka’s task becomes more daunting with the arrival of Steve Smith’s Aussies who are bent on destroying the Sub-continental hoodoo that has plagued teams from other parts of the world. And judging by their dismal performances in England Sri Lankan fans can only hope that familiar weather and home ground advantage will count for something as they try to salvage some pride.

It will be equally as important to get the right combinations for the different formats against a currently rampant Australian side who are number one in Tests and one-dayers and are basking in the glory of a tri-series win in the Caribbean against South Africa and the West Indies recently.

With Sri Lanka plummeting to seventh in the Test rankings, sixth in the one day format and a disappointing eighth in T20 cricket there is no way but up for them unless they desire to remain among the cellar dwellers.

It is clearly evident that Sri Lanka’s bowling is hamstrung with the loss of key pacemen, Dhammika Prasad and Dushmantha Chameera who cried off with injuries on the English tour. Out of the limited resources available, only seasoned spinner Rangana Herath has some substance and this directly transfers the onus on to their batsmen to deliver whatever fight they can muster. They will discover where they are against one of the best bowling attacks in the world in the Aussies shortly.

Timely form from Dinesh Chandimal and Dhanushka Gunatilaka has shown that their batting can flourish with Milinda Siriwardene, Dimuth Karunaratne and all-rounder Dasun Shanaka the others who need consistency to keep Sri Lanka competitive.

Skipper Angelo Matthews needs to assert himself as a leader much like his illustrious predecessors, Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara and Tillekaratna Dilshan and to do this he must gain the respect and encouragement from his teammates as right now it does not appear to be the case.

Coach Graham Ford has a role to play in this as he attempts to get some consistency from the inexperienced and senior members of the squad.

BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE