'A' team to put pressure on seniors?
 

by Sa'adi Thawfeeq

The recently concluded 'A' series against England and Pakistan has given Sri Lanka an opportunity of forging the gap that exists between fringe players and those representing the country at the highest level.

For a long time Sri Lanka have not been able to get together a competent enough second side to push the senior side for places. However with the conclusion of the series against England and Pakistan and with the forthcoming visits here by the 'A' teams from West Indies, South Africa and New Zealand scheduled for the year, the chances of Sri Lanka having a strong second team is brighter than it was expected to be.

"At the end of the New Zealand leg of the tour we should have a core of nine or ten players who would be ready to replace anyone in the national team," said Sri Lanka 'A' coach Stan Nel. "In the past there hasn't been pressure brought on the national players to hold onto their places because there hasn't been anyone performing at the level. We've come to a situation where we've got probably 4-5 options in the 'A' team performing regularly that will keep the national players on their toes."

"Unfortunately, a fact of life in international cricket is that you have to perform at a level below the national team to get into the national side and sometimes you will have to wait for your opportunity," he said.

Nel continued: "From this series we got (Michael) Van Dort and (Russel) Arnold who showed good form with the bat during the one-day series. We got (Malinga) Bandara and (Prasanna) Jayawardene who performed throughout the Test and one-day series. That gives the national team four options.

By the end of the South Africa and New Zealand series we will probably have six or seven options. It will be fantastic for the national side. "It will create pressure for national players to perform at a higher level and maintain their places and also make the 'A' team second structure stronger in keeping these players performing.

When there is an opportunity they will be able to take it with good form behind them and they will perform better."

Nel was of the opinion that 'A' team players should not go straight into the national side, but should perform consistently over a period of time before they are given a place.

Nel said the tours by England and Pakistan gave our 'A' players a glimpse of the standard required to play to get to the next level.

"Pakistan had some quality Test players who had played in their national side in Hasan Raza and Mohammad Asif who played in the Sydney Test against Australia. England had players like Solanki, Bell and so on, all quality national players. Playing against them gives a player an idea of what it is going to be at national level," said Nel.

"Bandara has performed outstandingly throughout the whole series in both forms. He has been out of the 'A' squad for 4 1/2 years and he got his place back. He really appreciates his spot and he is one of the guys I firmly believe who desperately wants to represent his country again.

PJ (Prasanna Jayawardene) is the other one. He has performed outstandingly in the series. He did not have many opportunities with the national team but he stood up and performed creditably. He is a truly professional cricketer. He will go a long way towards earning his place back in the national team," he said.

The same scenario

Nel said the players had been told that if they performed they will be selected to play for the national team. After the tour of England last year four players were selected for the Asia Cup. "Some of them would have got selected for the one-day series in India but unfortunately it has been postponed.

The upcoming tour here by West Indies 'A' will see the same scenario. The guys who perform well in the series will be considered for the national team against the full West Indies side which will follow," he said. Nel believes there are a couple of gaps in Sri Lanka cricket at national level particularly with the wicket-keeper/batsman.

"We've got Kumar Sangakkara and Prasanna Jayawardene going well. If there is an injury to one of them we really haven't got anybody to step up into either one of those roles. We will have to look at a younger player," said Nel.

He said for the upcoming series against West Indies 'A' there will be changes made to the squad that took on England and Pakistan. "At the end of a series you've got to make a judgement. Form an opinion and be prepared to take decision on players." "Some guys have been identified as having potential but at the same time some of them have played now in three to four 'A' tours and really haven't stood out or done anything of note.

They are basically playing because they seem to be potential players. At some stage potential has got to be converted into performance. We've had a good look at some of the players and maybe now it is time to drop some of them and bring younger players in and give them the opportunity," said Nel.

Three from under 19 team

"I have three under 19 players whom I have got my eye on and all are good players. They had some involvement with the 'A' team either playing practice matches or training with us. Upul Tharanga is a very good left-hander and no 3. batsman.

There is Gihan de Silva who is a 'keeper-batsman who has performed well. Then there is a very good opening batsman who has captained the academy and under 19 team in Harsha Vithana who I think shows all the qualities of being a good first class and international cricketer," he said.

Nel said that it was upto the national selectors to a make a final choice but added: "I would certainly like to see these three young guys from the academy come into the 'A' side. The rest of the squad will have to be picked basically on the performances of the current completed series.

We need to make some changes. It makes it healthy and environmental. It gives a message to everyone that they have to perform consistently, otherwise they are not going to hold their place in the 'A' squad."

Some of the areas that needed work to be done on is the top order batting. "It certainly needs to be looked at. We need to have a long hard look at who is playing club criket and who has got experience to play at the national level and play a couple of those players." On Jehan Mubarak's captaincy, Nel said: " I've had him as captain on two tours.

In England he performed extraordinarily well. He captained and made runs. But in this series he had a bad run with the bat. To be honest I don't think his captaincy was that bad. He made a lot of good decisions and held the side together in tough times. Other than his batting he has done a reasonably good job."