Post Mortem Selectors --wise after the event

After the Third Test between Sri Lanka and Australia which ended in victory for Australia by five wickets after tea on the fourth day,many reasons have been adduced for Sri Lanka’s wrong team selection.

Critics reckon that it was the above that led to the defeat, which otherwise could have helped the team register its first ever Test victory on Australia soil. We are not challenging the critics reasoning.

But we would like to remind critics that the easiest thing to do is be wise after the event and then let fly. The Sri Lanka selectors on tour have been taken to task and roundly criticized. . We would like to tag these critics – Post Mortem Selectors.

Known to favour spin bowling

Over the years the Sydney Cricket Ground wicket had been known to favour spin and not pace. That is how the wicket had been known to play. But for the Third Test, the wicket had grass on it, which was an indication that it would help the fast men.

Speculation in the local media here, was that off spin bowler Glenn Maxwell would join off spinner Nathan Lyon and make his debut. But after having a look at the wicket on the eve of the Test and noticing grass on it, the Australian selectors jumped the gun and declared the team, indicating that they would be firing pace at the Lankans.

Going on the Aussie team selection, the Sri Lankan selectors on tour naturally and were justified in going with pace and not including an extra spinner in place of one of our medium pace bowlers.

Read the wicket wrong

But as the game progressed it was obvious that both teams had read the wicket wrong and made wrong team selections. That is why it is said that how a wicket would play could be gauged or predicted only once the game goes on and not before it.

Critics adduce that had Sri Lanka made another 100 runs in the first innings and had an extra spinner, victory would have been theirs.Critics should remember that in any sport there are no ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’.

The Sri Lankan arrived here confident that they could beat the Aussies and register the first ever elusive triumph in Australia. That they could not achieve that was poetic justice.That was how the script was written and that is how it stayed.

Tennis extravaganza

With the summer cricket nearing its end, Australia is gearing up for the tennis extravaganza the Australian Open which started yesterday at the Melbourne Tennis arena.

For the next two weeks cricket will take back a back seat as tennis fever hits Australia with the world’s top racquet players taking to the courts to show their prowess.

Of the top tennis stars missing will be Spaniard Rafel Nadal. Nadal would have been a big draw here, but has been forced out of this Grand Slam event suffering injury.

All dressed up

The Australian Open tennis arena has all been dressed up, the weather is expected to stay fine and allow two weeks of scintillating tennis and not many want to predict who the men’s or women’s singles winners will be.

Among the players tuning up for action and tilts at the titles are US star Venus Williams who is expected to orbit and put other women tennis players on the sidelines with her devastating magic with the racquet.

Crowd favourite Novak Djokovic and Aussie hopeful Lleyton Hewitt are among the string of high-profile players showing promising form. Hewitt will have the support of his home crowd.

Unruly fans

Tennis fans numbering nearly 65,000 are expected to flood the arena for the two week spectacle. Police unveiled their latest plans to rein in unruly fans. Spectators who behave abusively or are drunk and disorderly face eviction and on-the-spot fines of more than $700. With the Australian Open being a world-class event, the Police have planned to avoid any untoward incidents and help tennis fans have and enjoy a good time soaking in the exciting action.

Punters have turned to Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams to add the 2013 Australian Open crown to their respective CVs. There have been an avalanche of money for the two favourites and plenty of punters are still snapping up the $4.10 on the double.

Impressive form

Djokovic, who opened at $2.40, is into $2.10 on the back of his impressive recent form and the with drawl of Rafel Nadal due to injury. The biggest firmer has been Serena Williams who has had he price slashed from $3.50 into $1.95.

Australia’s Bernard Tomic has firmed from $51 to $41 after beating Djokovic at the Hopman Cup, while veteran Lleyton Hewitt is at $251. Australia’s main women’s hope, Sam Stosur, has drifted after her poor form.

Stosur was into $12, but on the back of some recent shock losses, and question marks over how she performs at Melbourne Park, she has drifted to $21. It can be a graveyard for punters, as every year several players lose at seemingly unbacable odds.

The great Bill O’Reilly

Apropos my column appearing on January 8, two of my readers Rabi Setukavalar and Neil Fernando inform me that O’Reilly did not tour England with Don Bradman’s team to England in 1948.

I wrote that from memory. I am told that he may have toured England probably in 1946. O’Reilly who was a top class leg spin/googly bowler after retiring from the game was writing and commenting fearlessly for the ‘Sydney Morning Herald’ when I met him. Thanks Rabi and Neil.

[email protected]