Sri Lanka won two Test matches convincingly against Proteas and lost the ODI series. However, they managed to win the last two ODI’s and one T20 match. Now, some of our Cricket Board Members are happy and satisfied because we won the Test Series and last three limited over matches. Nonetheless, we need to analyze what happened from a critical point of view.
It was evident that the two Test matches were played on ‘spin friendly’ wickets and consequently, our spin bowlers bamboozled the South African batsmen and bundled them out for low scores. Can we consider winning these two Test matches an achievement? When we prepare slow spin pitches and win matches, where are we heading? Can we expect anything from our cricketers when they play on alien soil?
Any country that prepares pitches to suit their players so that they can carry all before them, is simply deceiving its players and preparing them ‘to eat humble pie’ when they go abroad. Sri Lanka has yet to win a Test match in either India or Austrlaia Even in limited over matches we have not performed well in other countries. In 1996 Sri Lanka won the World Cup in the Subcontinent. Then we travelled to England to play in the 1999 World Cup. At that time we had the most experienced team in the tournament. At least seven players from the 1996 winning side were in the team. But as all cricket fans know, Sri Lanka did not even progress to the second round of the tournament! Why? Our cricketers had not mastered the technique of playing on different pitches and dealing with unfamiliar conditions that they encountered. If that team could not perform well in England, can we expect anything from the present team?
So what should our Cricket Board do? They should prepare fast, bouncy and swinging pitches and give our players the opportunity of practising on them. Some might say that if you prepare pitches according to those conditions our players could be injured.
If this is the case, then the same thing could happen when our team goes abroad. Without making any excuses we have to face this reality. If people are not prepared to accept the truth then our players have ‘to face the music’ when they play abroad.
Some might argue, is it wrong to take home advantage of a situation and win matches? It is OK. However, we must at least play one match according to the opponents’ conditions. Then we can gauge how our players perform/show their class in such circumstances. This will help coaches to train the players perform/show their class in such circumstances. This will help coaches to train the players to face any situation bravely. If not, then Sri Lanka cricket will not have any hope for the future. At present we see how India is performing in England – not very well! India is one of the best teams in the world and if it is struggling then what can we expect for our National Team when it goes to play in next year’s World Cup?
It is high time that our Cricket Board opens its eyes and helps our cricketers to perform well in any part of the world. Our players are talented and they are ‘second to none’. Unfortunately, they are not exposed to facing different conditions and situations.
It is the responsibility of the Board to address this issue. If our players are helped they will do well in any part of the world. If the men in authority are not worried about this fact then Sri Lanka Cricket will have a very bleak future. It will be similar to ‘fixing the last nail in the coffin’!
Some of my fans may think that I’m a critic. Not at all! I love Sri Lanka and I want our team to do well and bring back the World cricket ‘Plum’ to our country in 2019.
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