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Comment by Elmo Rodrigopulle

Good that Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya's resignation was not accepted. We feel that Jayasuriya should not have done what he did. But it was obvious that as Captain Jayasuriya was not allowed to have his way. We need not reiterate that it is the captain who cops the blame when the side loses. A captain must be allowed the team he wants. He is not there to lead a team to the dictates of others.

A major part of the blame for the South African debacle should go to the selectors. It was their inability to pick a well balanced team that caused all the problems.

True the Lankans went as far as entering the semi-finals and it must be applauded. But the way they went about getting there was far from convincing. Stories are now being told that everything was not tickety boo within the team. There apparently had been a lot of in-fighting which went to negate a better showing.

Also it will be interesting to know as to whose idea it was to go for the nett run rate, when winning was all that mattered. The guy or guys who insisted on this must be exposed. Whenever Sri Lanka loses the refrain is that it is a wake up call and that we will bounce back. The poor showing in South Africa was now a wake up call for the authorities that matter for them to bounce back.

We don't need to tell the think tanks that run our cricket what needs to be done to resurrect our game from the morass it has fallen into. Those who have been appointed to run the game are supposed to know everything and the ills that plague our game and the panacea for its ills.

They must be willing, pad up face the bouncers that will be continued to be bowled at them and take action, even if they are drastic and hurting to bring the game to its former glory.

One aspect that the authorities must probe into and put matters right is that of coaching. A lot of stories are doing the rounds. Some may be true and yet others false. But this aspect certainly needs a probe and the truth revealed to keep things clean. We are not trying to belittle the good work done by coach Dav Whatmore. But questions were asked when he was provided with a batting and bowling coach not so long ago.

Trevor Chappel too was here as fielding coach. So cricketers and cricket fans kept asking quite rightly as to what coach Whatmore was doing. Many are convinced that Sri Lanka needs a new coach. They reason that we were not positive and aggressive in South Africa and that shortcoming went to deprive us of figuring in the final and probably winning it.

Run avalanche buries India

After left-handers Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden opened the floodgates, right-handers Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn let loose a run avalanche to help bury the Indians by a huge margin of 125 runs in the World Cup final at the Wanderers, South Africa.

The kangaroos who went through the tournament unbeaten, richly deserved this success. Undoubtedly they were the envy of all participating teams. They were strongly equipped in all departments of the game and nobody could begrudge the success that came their way.

Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly and his team must rue the decision to send the Aussies in after winning the toss. Pundits will always predict how a wicket will play after looking at its surface.

As for us a wicket is like a dolled up woman - deceptive. Not until the game really gets going can one predict how the wicket is playing. As the game progressed it was obvious that the Indians had been deceived. Apparently there was a bit of early life in the wicket as it always does owing to the moisture. But the Indian speed guns Zaheer Khan, Javagal Srinath and Asish Nehra did not pitch right and allowed the four Australian batsmen to enjoy a feast on their waywardness.

Gilchrist, Hayden, Ponting and Martyn completely demoralised and devastated the Indian 8-man bowling attack, piling on the agony and accumulating runs with consummate ease. The Aussies provided a one-day batting exhibition. The ball was sent more often over the boundary. Gilchrist and Hayden put the batting on top gear. Then Ponting and Martyn stepped on the accelerator to send the run machine blasting runs all over the park.

When Gilchrist was going, the Lankans watching the agony being heaped on the Indian bowlers were saying that it was good that Gilchrist walked off in the Lankan game. Had he not done so the Lankans would have suffered the same agony. Ponting played what can be best described as a Captain's innings. When in the mood he is a treat to watch. Once on top, he stays that way to the end with the bowlers looking helpless. Martyn who came back after recovering from a cracked index finger, supported his skipper well and he too played an innings of great skill with aplomb.

Up against a massive 360 to win, there was no way the Indians were going to get there unless Man of the tournament Sachin Tendulkar was going to oblige with a very big hundred. But once he failed, the Aussie attack force of McGrath, Lee and Bichel got on target to demolish the Indians, although Sehwag stood tall to show some fight.

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