Sanga talking out of turn

Elmo Rodrigopulle

Winning the 2011 World Cup to be played in the sub continent is what the selectors are working hard for. Then it is the duty of everyone from the players to the administration and all others to put their shoulders to the wheel and push for nothing but victory.

The selectors led by that dashing former batsman Aravinda de Silva, along with Ranjit Fernando, Amal Silva and Shabir Asgerally are putting their heads together wracking their brains working out their permutations and putting their players out in the centre, who they think will deliver when World Cup time comes around and keeping an eye on them.

Winning the World Cup is the longing of the sports loving President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the entire country. But from what seems to be happening in cricket circles, everything is not what it should be and if things are allowed to go on, winning the World Cup will only be a dream. From what we gather, the selectors are not at all happy and are perturbed that Captain Kumar Sangakkara is talking out of turn.

What has angered the selectors is that at a media conference, Sangakkara had made it know as to what his batting line up is going to be for the World Cup.

One selector was furious and was speaking for his colleagues when he asked- ‘Who does Sangakkara think he is to name his batting line up?. We have still not named the captain of the World Cup team. So who does Sangakkara think he is to name his batting line up for the World Cup.’

We can understand the fury of that selector. When Sports Minister C.B Ratnayake, appointed the new selectors, he did so with the prime purpose of winning the 2011 World Cup being the bottom line.

Sangakkara seems to be usurping the powers of the selectors by talking out of turn.

The selectors must not fear to act. They must do so with the best interest of all players knocking on the door to selection to be included in the final World Cup squad and not particular players.

The selectors must also take note that by naming names, the cricketers who are performing in the domestic scene so as to catch the eyes of the selectors would be disappointed and demoralised. And there’s so much of talent that the selectors have to pick from.

From what we could gather, Sangakkara will have a lot of explaining to do after the Micromax Triangular series which also includes India and New Zealand is over.

“Now that Sri Lanka has entered the final, we would not like to raise a hornets nest and upset the mindset of the players, who are determined to win the Micromax Cup, after the Asia Cup evaded them recently”, concluded this selector who was fuming.

Sri Lanka Cricket headed by D.S.de Silva must not remain onlookers, but must also act in the best interest of the selectors the players, the game and its future.