Sports

The “Caltex” league title will be open, possibly, till the last match of the second round. The league will continue to attract spectator interest. CR would have preferred a win and thereby virtually be certain of the title. It did not happen the way they expected. The main contenders now are Kandy and CR. Kandy having beaten CR in last weeks match has kept their hopes alive.

To the CR it was once again a situation being unable to eat the cake at hand. It will be time to take stock and be ready to take the fight to Kandy with the advantage of home ground with them in the second round.

The match while keeping all present as well as TV viewers in suspense will now keep the anticipation on for the next three weeks too.

The majority, at the ground, who were supporters of the home club, would have breathed a sigh of relief as Weerakkody put over the penalty to take the lead 15 to 14 with three minutes left. Still it is not the end and there is more to fight, if Kandy is to retain the league trophy.

On the other hand CR needs to forget the loss and come out fighting. They have the men and ammunition. With the potential power in their hands the need is to score and not fire as has been done in the firing range. When you see the line staring ahead you must know that the need is to cross it. It needs more reliance and instinct to know what move to make. This is where the emotion takes over the rational mind developed by logical moves done to perfection at practice. If they can address as to what went wrong and face the second round then the league title can still be theirs.

Players from both sides seemed to battle while holding something back. This would have been the result of the fear one had of the other. Such stress has to be used to roll over the opposition than to defend and keep them away from your half. Wining will be the result of greater aggression and cannot be achieved being defensive. The psychological mindset to roll over the opponents seemed to take a back seat.

Despite the many opportunities in the first half the Colombo club threw away the chances of having a bigger lead. The wrong options and erratic passing from the base made it more difficult to keep possession whole moving forward. Kandy too seemed to be plagued with bad passing with Mallikaararchi at centre not playing up to standards expected of him.

It could not be understood why CR did not attempt a kick at goal from the many penalties received from proximity to the goal line and close to the upright. The moves that were resorted to were with such clock work similarity that the outcome was predictable. Scoring opportunities were thus missed. Why was it that some other option was not worked out when the same was tried out, as if by compulsion? On the other hand Kandy in its first opportunity showed through Weerakkody the advantage of thinking out of the box. This resulted in the first try for Kandy. That is what makes a player stand out ahead of the rest and also make available points on the board. There will be many an answer to the recurrent mistakes and as to who was responsible for same. Among them will be the eternal pain: The Referee.

The mileage and attraction will keep the game exciting for the sponsor as the spectator interest is maintained. This will attract the funds needed to keep the game alive. Yet there will be questions that need to be answered as we prepare for the Asiad. CR and Kandy being the top teams in the league boast of a number of National Players. By virtue of the abundance of talent, they will supply the numbers for the national team. The question to think over is the inability of the best players to convert moves into scores. The question of quality is to my mind a problem despite the game being closely contested with many moves down the park. It is not just attack but the excellence of finishing that will pile up the score. Bad handling and incorrect options put paid to more being added to the tally. This should be a worry not only to the two clubs but to the National hierarchy. As we approach the Asiad it is necessary to develop a winning combination. That would consist of a team that can convert ground gained by finishing the move. Faulty finishing and decision making must need attention.