A disaster

IF the loss of the One-day Internationals to India 6-1 was a shame, then the surrendering of the Two Test matches was a disaster.

That is how best these spineless efforts by the Sri Lanka team could be described.

Like I said earlier, if a match cannot be won then every endeavour must be made to save it. The way the team gifted the two Tests, without a semblance of a fight was unacceptable and unforgiving.

This Indian tour has given us an indication as to where our game stands. At the moment our cricket is in no man's land. Our potential cupboard is completely bare.

What those who matter have been doing without looking and searching for replacements is a sad indictment on the game. Not so long ago the game was looking up, but not now.

Those who matter must immediately launch out on a crash programme and unearth talent, and outstanding talent at that, if not I am afraid we would only be honouring our engagements and not fronting up to our opponents as worthy contestants.

Our two losses to India in the Tests was because we had no batsmen with good and consistent technique to face up to world class spin bowling and keep our wickets intact.

Leg spinner Anil Kumble and off spinner Harbhajan Singh made our batsmen look novices and completely out of depth. Atapattu, Jayawardena, Dilshan and Sangakkara at times showed fight and good technique, but they could not be consistent or continue for long periods.

The best way to play spin bowling is to leave the crease and get to the pitch of the ball before executing, or playing back and watching which way the ball is spinning before going for strokes.

Some of our batsmen were putting bat to harmless deliveries that were spinning away from them and offering catches to the fielders howering around.

When talking of how to play good spin bowling, players who would do it with great ease and elegance who come to mind are Mahadevan Sathasivam, C. I. Gunesekera, Michael Tissera, Anura Tennekoon and Roy Dias.

A pertinent question to ask our administrators is: Where are batsmen of the class mentioned. It is a sad indictment on those who govern the game.

Obviously we are not working hard enough and planning for the future. Where are the players who would have to take the places of our frontliners once they decide to quit?

There is very little that an Interim Committee can do to restore our lost image in the game. It is vital and urgent that we get back and hand over the game to Sri Lanka Cricket.

Jayasuriya back

While the dropping of Sanath Jayasuriya from the Test team to India continues to rage, it is confusing to note that he has been named in the 16 to New Zealand subject to fitness.

Jayasuriya has shown that he has fully recovered, by bashing opposing bowlers and scoring heavily in the current Premier one-day tourney. So his inclusion, with the subject to fitness clause, is intriguing.

The selectors and Jayasuriya must now 'bury the hatchet' and get down to thinking seriously to restore our dwindling and lost image in the game. In-fighting would only go to make a laughing stock of the game.

Also it is a pity to note that the selectors have again decided to ignore one of the best allrounders in the game Upul Chandana and leave him out of the tour to New Zealand.

One-day cricket requires that you have your best fielders among other players. Chandana is one who can lift the standard of our fielding that is so very important in this style of game.

True the selectors can only include a certain number of players to make up a squad. We hope they would seriously consider him for the triangular tourney in Australia which follows after the Kiwi tour.

Why did Arjuna and Sidat quit?

Sri Lanka cricket was struck by a vicious bouncer with the sudden quitting of former Sri Lanka skipper Arjuna Ranatunga and stylish opening batsman Sidat Wettimuny from the cricket committee.

Now can our cricket afford to lose such illustrious cricketers and administrators who are irreplaceable?

Obviously there must be more than what meets the eye and it is time that those who matter moved in the matter and get these two wonderful cricketers back into the administration.