Complacent, jaded cricketers led to failure

Richard Dwight

It is the concerted view of many a follower of cricket, that there are far too much of cricket being played the world over, each year. These may take the three forms of cricket vis, T/20, one dayers and the Test matches.

These encounters on a reciprocal basis are mainly organised by the ICC on a very tight schedule, with hardly a break. To make it still worse, there are other organisations which arrange and conduct league competitions - with teams made of their own countrymen and, yet other players drawn from the different parts of the world, including Sri Lanka.

All this may be done, in the promotion of the game which has already been more than well established through the years. One cannot therefor get behind the fact, that the game is so frequently played (inclusive of test cricket) to serve as a medium to generate funds for the governing body, where the players too benefit.

The rapidity at which a series of cricket tours are organised, both at home and abroad without a sufficient break to recuperate, has had an adverse effect on not only the seniors, but on the newcomers as well. Money is not everything and players will do well to make good use of the period of rest to keep themselves physically fit and healthy, which is most important.

The Aussies, the English and the Proteas are to an extent selective, as to when and where they play. Sri Lanka too should assert itself against the ICC to make their wishes known concerning the schedule of International matches.

Sri Lanka playing far too many matches, has left quite a few players nursing injuries. Lasith Malinga revels bowling to erratic batsmen in the T/20s, but not in test matches, where batsmen know fully well what he is about and runs flow. We haven't seen Mathews for sometime and the only sensible bowler seems to be Kulasekera, who as a medium pacer, swings it out and in to get his wickets.

It is heartening to note that newcomers Chandimal, Thirimanne and Tharanga are making good scores which has made the front liners to take it easy with poor scores.

Our cricketers are jaded to be complacent that has led to failure.