Random thoughts on local cricket
With Sri Lanka’s dramatic exit from the eleventh show-piece event, thoughts turn to the school cricket season. Another year of school cricket at Under-19 level and what has been achieved? The quantity is mind-boggling with many schools playing 17 to 18 matches. Yet how many cricketers who can walk into the National team have emerged?
Anurna Tennekoon in the mid sixties, Duleep Mendis, the Wettimunis in the seventies, Ranatunga and Aravinda De Silva in the eighties and Mahela Jayawardena in the next decade were all spoken of as players who will make their rank sooner rather than later. I leave out the incredible Kumar Sangakkara as, by his own admission, he was a late bloomer.
A look at the bowling presents a bleaker picture, Muralitharan, and possibly Chaminda Vaas accepted, not many bowlers have been able to take the next big leap. There are numerous bowlers who claim 100 wickets per season, but they are shown up when they take the next step.
The situation mirrors that in the national team take away the big three and we are left with Thirimanne, Chandimal, Karunaratne, Kusal Janith and Ashan Priyanjan. How many of these players can be said to have established themselves?
The bowling front is even more disappointing. In the seventies, there were up to four equally good off spinners and left-arm spinners vying for two spots in the national team. Contrast that with the situation that prevails now. Has a successor been found for Herath? Who is Sri Lanka’s next off-spinner?
A few decades ago, a bowler had to get bags of wickets over a five or six year period before he could get a look into the national team. Let me hasten to add that Tharindu Kaushal looks a decent prospect but imagine his great, good fortune in being pitch-forked with a world cup quarter-final a couple of days after being flown out as a replacement. While on the quarter-final, three players who were not part of the original fifteen played in it. Does this mean that there were some wrong choices in that final fifteen? Could everything be put down to the injuries suffered?
Coming back to personnel, the situation with regard to the pacemen is a lot better. Though not the finished product, Lakmal, Eranga, Pradeep, Prasad and even Dushmantha have possibilities. But injuries take their toll consistently. Shouldn’t injuries be managed better with such a large support staff in constant attendance?
While on the subject of the fitness of fast bowlers, it is relevant to quote the words of Alec Bedser, out of England’s finest fast medium bowlers, who bowled over after over in county cricket and carried on the work load when playing for his country. Asked how he managed all that Bedser said, “I get fit for bowling, by bowling”. Old fashioned maybe, but very practical.
As regards Senanayake what a lot of money, time and effort was spent on “clearing” and getting him fit for the World Cup. Yet he was found to be very expendable and a rookie was given the nod over him for that all important match against South Africa. After all the effort, did he suddenly become a run-of-the mill trundler who provided easy pickings for the hard hitters and blasters in the opposing line ups?