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cricket The game was played in the correct spirit and for the right reasons. Sporting declarations were made giving an opportunity for opponents to indulge in the run-chase. What has happened today is the other way around. Batsmen plod on till the cows come home. The result, a big draw in the end. Sporting declarations are a thing of the past. There are many factors to this effect. Competitive cricket and poor management of school cricket by the Schools Cricket Section is one. Further there are too many paper qualified coaches, who lack practical knowledge to impart skills. Present day school masters are not interested in the game or they lack the know-how. Or else they do not have the courage to speak out their minds when outside parties interfere into the administration of the game. Today the game starts at 10.00 a.m. but has failed to attract fans. Teams are more concerned in going for a first innings points. Has the game shown any improvement? Are there any outstanding players, who could make their way to the national squad unlike in the past? There were a lot of players who could walk into a national team as schoolboys then. Even the big matches are a big yawn. The 112 made by Vijaya Malalasekera for Royal (with 18 fours) is still talked about. So was David Ponniah's debut 100 for S. Thomas' and many others added much spark and fire to the game and kept fans happy. Apparently some school-masters handling school cricket are more concerned about tuition classes, plus the schoolboys who are more concerned with their books than enjoy a game of cricket. Imagine at present times schools playing 18 matches - Nalanda (third term 5 games), first term 13 matches. This includes the limited overs game against Ananda. It's a drain on the resources of the school's budget. A head of a leading school in the metropolis had this to say when contacted by The Sunday Times: "Cricket is a financial burden to other sports. Hardly any funds are earned via cricket. But of course in rugby the entire expenses could be got from one rugby match". Another source said that reputed schools are giving an opportunity to the lesser known schools a chance of playing. Coming all the way to Colombo to play a match has not helped them. There is no financial support by the old boys, unlike the affluent schools. Some of the players are malnourished and hardly could stand the strain. What sort of support is being rendered to them by the controlling body for the rural youth? The batsmen revelled in the Nalanda-Thomian game. There were hardly any spectators barring the participants. It was a meaningless declaration. Nalanda made 304 for 6, the visitors made 340 for 9 before they declared in the mandatory overs, followed by rain and bad light. A
lame excuse It has nothing to do with the players being burnt out but they lack the technique to bat on bouncy pitches and apparently they are given an opportunity of enjoying a 'Carry on Series' by the selectors, who have no idea of a plan for the future betterment of the game. There are youth players abundant on the wings, who could step in but are deprived of that opportunity as done in other cricket playing nations. Take the present West Indies team, for the first time they suffered a whitewash against Sri Lanka here - losing the tests 3-0. The youth players in the Caribbean were not thrown to the wilderness after the tour, but were allowed to continue handled by a knowledgeable selection panel headed by legendary Viv. Richards. Today they are a different team - thanks to proper handling. It's not the one-day cricket that's going to produce players of steel, but in the established game. Playing at home it should have been an ideal barometer to give the youngsters an opportunity to get that much- needed exposure on their own backyard. Is this a ruse by the hierarchy to save from the ignominy of suffering defeats. It happened in Pakistan in their home series against Sri Lanka in 1999-2000. The management headed by Lt. Gen. Tauquir Zia, a firm disciplinarian maintains standards whether big or small. Once he was quoted to have said: "We are prepared to lose to Sri Lanka by infusing young blood with an eye for the future. No one was indispensable". The Pakistanis did lose the one-day series 3-0 and the first two tests, too, with a set of youth and experience. But Gen. Zia never sulked over setbacks. They bounced back in the Karachi Test to win the game and make it 2-1. Younis Khan made a debut test 100. Today he is a front-line batsman in the side thanks to the management's vision. What's happening here s playing safe and no idea of planning for the future which is the root for most of the problems. Players were burnt out - after the strenuous tour of S. Africa - (Six weeks). Then two-day rest and a flight to Australia for the triangular. Even coach Dav Whatmore harped on this. Dav said it could damage team confidence ahead of the World Cup. The players are a tired no doubt and jet lagged too. They have no family re-union and they need to rest their limbs with a comfortable siesta. Even players with abundant mental toughness could melt under pressure, when they go to S. Africa again for the World Cup that, too to wield the willow on bouncy pitches. The CB was quite aware of this - well in advance. Calling off the Pakistani tour to safeguard the interests of the burnt out players in June and July is a lame excuse - thereby depriving the youth players an opportunity of playing in the top league. When will the youngsters get another chance to indulge in their home soil? A good example - the Indian team led by Ganguly sans big 'ones, but packed with youth players, the likes of Virendra Schweg, Kaif, Harbajan Singh, Nehra etc., lost the first two tests to Sri Lanka here. But they won the final test to make it 2-1. The ploy worked. Today they are in the forefront serving Indian cricket well. It again reminds me of Lord Baden Powell' s words: "Be Prepared'. What has the Lankan Cricket Board done with the view to promote this gentleman's game rather that getting involved in a power struggle? (BW) Sajith
leads Kandy SC |
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