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Comment by Elmo Rodrigopulle

Accepted that the Sri Lankans entered the World Cup Super Sixes. But let's face it. Do we deserve it? From me it is no.

We say this because our victories, down the line other than for the dumping of Bangladesh and Canada have not been convincing and won with authority. Richie Benaud the former Australian captain believes that cricket is 90 per cent luck and 10 per cent skill. And there is no doubt that luck has played for us so far.

This is being written on the eve of the game against India and after the awesome Aussies have put our cricket in its corrective perspective by easily bashing us by 96 runs. Initially the squad given to captain Sanath Jayasuriya is not a balanced one. It lacks depth in most aspects. We have picked five pacemen, three are playing and two are most times tourists.

The question in most quarters is: why weren't Romesh Kaluwitharne and Upul Chandana picked? No answers giving reasons, however good would be plausible and acceptable. The Australians brought us down to earth with a brilliant all-round effort. If one delves into their team, it will be seen how well balanced they are in every department, even without their champion leg-spinner Shane Warne.

Their batting runs down to number 10, fielding excellent and the bowling spot on to exploit any type of wicket. Their strength is because they have been preparing in earnest and dedication. They underlined this against us and hopelessly exposed us. Also our mindset does not seem to be functioning smoothly and intelligently. We say this because we still don't seem to know what to do in situations. In the game against Bangladesh, Dilhara Fernando after his delivery collided with a Bangladesh batsman who was going for a quick single. Both went down. Fernando got up and immediately tried to thrown down the wicket. Now had he succeeded, the umpire would have ruled the batsman out. What embarrassment it would have caused, we need not say.

Also Fernando is so used to no-balling that even when he attempts to break a chair bowling at it in an advertisement, he no-balls.

Then in the game against South Africa, Aravinda de Silva was needlessly run out. This is because he was hellbent on running the third, which Jayasuriya felt was not there. De Silva instead of watching his partner,just kept dashing down like a wound-up toy.

These two incidents show that the functioning of the mindsets were poor. That reflects on questionable coaching. Coaches can't teach national players their strokeplay. But can certainly and very importantly talk situations to them.

The Sri Lankan running between the wickets is also definitely very poor. The several run-outs prove this.

Then the latest fad to hit the game where players seem to favour dark glasses went against us in the game against the Aussies. Ricky Ponting should have been easily run out midway in his century innings. He was given a reprieve by wicket keeper Kumar Sangakkara who missed running him out because he lost sight of the wickets. It was humorous. Later on Sangakkara shed the dark glasses realising his mistake.

Cricket is played in sunshine.

Then one can't understand the slotting of Hashan Tillekeratne when an early wicket falls.In a situation like that what is required is for a batsman able to score briskly being sent, not only to make up for the early loss, but to also keep the all important runs flowing. But this isn't happening by sending the left hander. He is only upping the dot balls.

Poor technique

The South Africans lost out because Herschelle Gibbs, Gary Kirsten and Jacques Kallis showed poor batting techniques. Gibbs and Kirsten went sweeping exposing their stumps to the bowler. The rule when sweeping is not to expose your wicket to the bowler.

Kallis played the wrong line, also exposing his wicket.

Having exposed the Lankans shortcomings, and if the all important luck smiles on them, they can still bring home the World Cup.

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