Can Sri Lanka form an invincible cricket team?

Bro. Nimal Gurusinghe, FSC

Officially our national game is Volleyball. But among the public, cricket has become the national and most popular game. If you ask a hundred people who is the Sri Lanka cricket captain, practically all will give the correct answer.

But if you question a hundred people who is the Sri Lanka Volleyball captain, many will not know the answer. So king cricket has become the most prestigious game in our country. Therefore we need a very strong and talented cricket team to match any other country and to keep our Sri Lanka flag flying. Here I am going to suggest how to form a solid team.

I am sure that all will agree that the Sri Lanka Cricket Interim Committee has to take a bold initiative. If they do not take the first step our suggestions will be in vain.

Hoping that the authorities are prepared to implement my suggestions I put forward the following.

The cricket Interim Committee should form a cricket academy in every Province. Then there will be nine academies in Sri Lanka. In each academy there should be an under 23 pool consisting of 25 players. They could practice and improve their talents right through the year. The CIC can appoint two coaches to each academy. Every year they could play an inter-academy tournament. The best players who are out of school, could be brought to these academies.

As I suggested in my earlier articles there could be two main pools in Colombo to select the national team and the 'A' team.

The very best players from Provincial academies could be sent to one of these pools. If you operate this system you will have the cream of the national pool and the A pool from which to select the best Sri Lankan cricket teams.

The players will have to work hard to reach the national pool. By doing so every player has to prove his worth to get a place either in the A team or the national team.

Then national players will know there is so much of young blood knocking at the door to enter the team. So they will work hard to improve their talents and deliver the goods. If not others will taken their place.

Every player knows there are no short cuts to enter the national team. Talent and hard work will bring any player to the Sri Lanka team. Also to remain there he has to show his worth right through. If not others will get into his shoes.

The two main pools could be handled by four coaches. Two for the national pool and the other two for the A pool. If you work out a plan this way then there will be no need of a selection committee. These four coaches can be the selection committee.These four coaches can be the selectors for the national team and the A team. If you want you could appoint another to advise them. Those coaches see them right though and they know the performance of the players.They are able to select a good and solid team.

As far as I am concerned I have not suggested something impractical.

It is left to our CIC to do the needful and put Sri Lanka cricket on the world map. If you harness young blood the way I have proposed, then Sri Lanka will have a very formidable side all the time.