NZ Black Caps’ stellar fielding

The art of Fielding is often relegated to a footnote when it comes to cricket. Yet it’s a noble art that over the ages defined outcomes and the true character of cricket teams. And so, it was altogether pleasing to see the New Zealand cricketers playing in the Micromax Trophy cricket triangular which also includes India and Sri Lanka at Dambula, are giving a wonderful exhibition of what fielding is all about. A brilliant fielding side is an enthralling sight to behold.

The Black Caps seem to have spent hours licking their fielding to be one, if not the best in the world. In the on going triangular they are giving an exhibition of what fielding is all about. Watching them on the field, the walking up with the bowler and then positioning themselves to pounce on the ball the moment it leaves the bat is wonderful.

The age-old axiom is that ‘catches win matches’. But a dropped catch, would not necessarily mean losing. But it can make winning all the more difficult. During our times coaches of the calibre of Bros Ladislaus and Condrad at junior level and Edward Kelaart and Bertie Wijesinghe at senior level would speak to us for hours and instill on us the values and importance of good fielding.

Our coaches would even dare field a player purely for his brilliant fielding, not concerned whether he could bat or bowl. That was the importance that they attached to fielding. A dropped catch, or a dropped catch of one’s own bowling or missing running out an opposing batsman was anathema to them and no excuses trotted out, however good would be accepted.

The Black Caps in their over anxiety could make a few errors. That is excusable. But that they are adding a new dimension to the art of fielding is what matters and all other teams playing in whatever level will do well to follow the example of the Black Caps, emulate then and endeavour to do even better.

Before the Black Caps arrived here, my friend in Wellington Asoka Atapattu in a telephone conversation with me spoke highly of the Black Caps preparation for the tour and asked me to closely watch the visitors doing their fielding act.

Atapattu was spot on and true to his word the Black Caps are putting on show a fielding display not seen here for a long time.

Incidentally Atapattu is a cricket fanatic. He played the game at junior level at St.Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya and it was Peterites loss when he had to migrate to New Zealand with his family and parents. Attapattu’s home in Churton Park, in Wellington is a veritable cricket library. He has a wonderful collection of over 700 cricket books that are collectors’ items and dreams.

Atapattu’s house is also open to all Sri Lankan and other teams visiting Wellington. With his charming wife Padmini they play wonderful hosts and many are the cricketers and media men who have enjoyed their superb hospitality. I am speaking from experience. He was hoping to come with New Zealand cricketers. But more important matters cropped up and he had to give the tour a miss.

The Kiwis have been an example and it is hoped that other teams will latch on to the Kiwis style of fielding, lay a lot of emphasis on turning out into being good fielding sides, so they will be worth watching and be eye catching.

The Sri Lankans need to take a leaf from the Kiwis fielding book. Not so long ago Sri Lanka staked claims to be the best fielding side in the world when former Aussie cricketer and brother of the famous Ian and Greg Chappell, Trevor was the team’s fielding coach. But once Trevor quit the fielding standards dropped and it’s been a struggle since.

When it comes to limited over cricket, fielding especially has to be tops.

The bottom line in the limited over game is the winning of the next World Cup 50-over tournament to be conducted in the sub continent in February/March 2011. A tournament of this nature requires that the fielding be of the highest standards with no allowances granted for poor fielding, especially dropped catches. So with a few more months to go for the cricket bash, teams would do well to spend hours licking into top shape their fielding.

The Sri Lankan cricketers will do well to always remember that they owe a duty by the public every time they take the field in whatever tournament played in the country.

The public who are cricket fanatics and who flock in their numbers to watch their heroes in action and to shout themselves hoarse urging and cheering to see their side win, must not be let down.

Every time the Lankans take the field they are not short for want of crowd support as was evident in their game against the Black Caps on Friday night at the Rangiri Dambulu Stadium. Some of them even motored to the venue from distant places to encourage the team and see them win.

The Lankan cricketers must then make it their business to put their best foot forward and play the winning formula.

At a time when financial considerations have entered into the equation of the outcomes from playing competitive cricket, it’s easy to lose sight of what the eager cricket fans are looking for. So the cricketers must have their instinct tuned into what the fans are looking for as they front up to opponents and repay the trust reposed in them.

The Sri Lankans must have that second to none feeling when taking the field. They must always remember that their opponents are also human and not think that they are larger than life. What they can do, we can do better should be the thinking when setting out on to the field. The inferiority complex should be shunned.

In winning their first game against the Black Caps in the on going Micromax cricket triangular in Dambula, the Sri Lankan cricketers showed poor thinking going by the manner in which they set about pocketing that all important bonus point which is very vital in tournaments of this nature.

The Kiwis obtained the bonus point against India. The Lankans too were presented the opportunity of securing a bonus point. They were nicely positioned to gather this point. But some poor thinking by the Lankan think tanks finally deprived them of securing this bonus point.

The sending in of Nuwan Kulasekera and Rangana Herath ahead of the quick scoring Chamara Kapugedera in their chase for that point was inexplicable. Had Kapugedera gone ahead of Kulasekera and Herath, he with his ability to smash any attack in world cricket would have been the ideal choice. But it was not so and with Kulasekera and Herath failing in their mission, the all important bonus point was lost. That was a costly loss that defied strategic thinking.