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Sowing the seeds
of improvement for Sri Lanka |
From the
Cricket Journal
As Tom Moody and co finally seem to get their
act together in Australia, I felt it the right
time to write about their gradual upward
movement in the improvement graph. I would tend
to think that a tour of Australia was the right
sort of tonic this team needed to get out of the
rot they were going through earlier in India and
later in New Zealand.
It is indeed satisfying to see Sri Lanka come
out of their blues in a positive fashion. What
really was impressive to see from the Lankans
was the attitude and character they showed
throughout the VB Series. In India, it was
really disturbing to see them repeat mistakes
over and over again. I mean Sangakkara getting
out mistiming the hook three times in 7 games
was not called for and was a true reflection of
the mental state of the Lankans - just to see
the tour through. Similarly in New Zealand,
where the conditions and the opposition surely
got the better of them. So, what is it that is
taking Sri Lanka to new and newer heights in
Australia ?
Firstly, the emphasis of the team management is
purely on improvement and nothing else. Sri
Lanka can learn a lot from this tour purely on
how to better their own standards previously
set. I am reminded of the Indian policy of
trying newer talents in the highest level, and
if anything Tom Moody has taken some leaf from
Greg Chappell's book to test the bench.
Youngsters like Akalanka Ganegama and Nuwan
Kulasekara were sheer unheard quantities, but
the very fact that their feat in the domestic
competitions have been recognized and
opportunities given subsequently shows the
confidence they have on their youth. This was
surely the kind of shake-up Sri Lanka cricket
needed if they wanted to get going and has
vindicated the amount of faith entrusted on them
by the authorities. Non-performers like Upul
Chandana and Avishka Gunawardena have been shown
the way out. And more importantly, there is one
eye on the future, which has given them a new
leash of spirit needed to bring about the
desired improvement.
There is clearly a sense of purpose within each
and every individual as he strides out onto the
field - something that clearly was lacking in
both India and New Zealand. The mindset towards
approaching the game has totally changed, and
for the good. And the familiarity with new rules
has alarmingly increased. The Lankans were
pretty much dull with their knowledge of the
Super-Sub and Powerplays, but with so much of
international cricket being played with these
rules, the bug has finally caught with them. Its
good to see the tact the Lankan stratagem is
using in applying these rules. Malinga Bandara
is being more than a handy super-sub and as
their knowledge of the rules are getting better,
so is the progress. Conditioning of the team
under these new rules might have come late, but
the positive is that the process has begun.
It may not be the experience of Jayasuriya that
they lacked in India, but the support factor.
Their tour to India was in a way a reflection of
an environment they weren't used to playing in.
But, as we know, Australia has been a haven for
Sri Lankan support. With expats pouring from the
island to Australia, one thing they can expect
is sheer support. Wherever they have been going,
thousands of Sri Lankans leaving their work at
bay have been coming to grounds to support them.
Nothing bigger than a large contingent of your
countrymen to back you during difficult times.
This has surely gelled with the Lankans whenever
they have been to Australia and perhaps why they
have been a major thorn in the Australian camp.
Although they have a fair bit of work to do to
"get there", the journey of improvement must
continue. Having beaten Australia in Sydney is
perhaps the biggest morale-booster, but the most
important thing will be to maintain this
performance consistency. Yes, it was a big
achievement considering the phase they were
going through, but they cant stop there. It will
be really interesting to see if that win acts as
a much-needed catalyst to revive the Sri Lankan
fortunes in International Cricket. I am
personally very optimistic about their future,
but for me, improvement is the key word to
success for Sri Lankan Cricket.
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