Friday 5th August, 2011

Fast crisis not far away, warns coach

BY REX CLEMENTINE

Sri Lanka’s Head Coach Rumesh say that because of and what we can do under pressure and when Ratnayake warned that the country we have got to play with they can try they are in a match situation if some- could suffer a crisis in the things out. But at school level if that’s a thing similar arises, they have tried department if remedial measures aren’t norm that a spinner opens all the time. previously what to be done in that kind taken soon. As Sri Lanka prepared to Then it’s worrying,” Ratnayake said. of situation. It’s nothing new, but sim- take on Australia in a series of two T- “The board is looking at it and ple things modified for people to be 20s, five ODIs and three Tests, the for- wants to bring in a rule that a fast enthusiastic, “ Ratnayake explained. mer fast bowler said he was satisfied bowler has to bowl a certain amount of “I was very surprised when DIlshan with the current crop of fast bowlers, overs. We will have to do something to said something like that. For them to but was worried about the future. bring back the interest in fast bowlers have done so well and come to two David “We have a dearth of fast bowling before they reach of 18 or 19.” World Cup finals, I am sure they have Hussey talent. I was speaking to Champaka It was when Ratnayake was head of done something really special. You (Ramanayake) and he reckons that the Fast Bowling Unit that several shouldn’t run anybody down. I am sure although we are satisfied with what we young pacemen emerged and among those coaches would have done some- have on the top, there’s some vacuum in them was Dilhara Fernando. Although thing special to achieve those results.” the middle level and we need to address Fernando has represented the country “I get lot of support from other that,” Ratnayake, who undertook to for over ten years now, he has never coaches we have. It’s not me doing it. coach the national side for this series been consistent. Last month he It’s the Marvans (Atapattu), Champakas told ‘The Island’. returned home half way through the (Ramanayake), Ruwans (Kalpage) and Adaptability “It’s easy to say that we have a good tour of England after getting injured Piyals (Wijetunga) who support me. set at the moment. But what are we with a huge question mark on his They are very very important. It’s a col- going to do to reduce the vacuum? We future. “I personally don’t give up on a lective thing.” a key: Hussey might have to look into the school sys- fast bowler. I have seen guys who had There have been calls for Ratnayake tem, club structure and all. I really did- been written off coming back. I was to take up the coaching job in a full BY ED JACKSON n’t’ go into it and do a study as such, quite surprised that he has not succeed- time basis, but he said he needs to prove but it would be interesting to see why it ed in eradicating some of the issues he himself with results to entertain any Of all of Australia’s limited overs has happened. Speaking to a few, I hear has had. It kept on going for the past Rumesh Ratnayake such ideas. “It’s lovely to hear nice cricketers the one whose game seems most suited to the Sri Lanka style of that there are no fast bowlers in the ten years. The potential he had was things, but what I would like is to turn play is . scene. To me it’s an issue,” Ratnayake immense.” match scenario the other day. Even dur- that into results. Can we turn that into More of an accumulator than added. Ratnayake has come in for high ing our time we used to go to the nets consistent results. That’s my aim for blaster when it comes to the bat, In domestic , some clubs reg- praise by Tillakaratne Dilshan and have a hit. It’s something new, but the team and my philospy. What I want Hussey has established himself as a ularly started off the attack by intro- for his coaching methods, but the coach it brings your skills out in a competitive the players is to try to be the best they useful member of Australia’s ducing a spinner with the new ball and said that he had done nothing extraor- environment. It is to see how you fair in can. The senior players in the side have and one-day squads with his intelligent the trend seems to have spread to the dinary other than returning to basics. competition. It opens up the mind of created a very healthy culture and it’s a and high-energy style of play. school structure as well. “Clubs you can “I have got the boys to work on a the player to think that these are things very easy task for me.” It’s a formula familiar to most Sri Lankan fans from their own players and the familiarity will become uncan- ny if he also delivers a few of his off- Top order batsmen fire to spinning darts down with the ball in Saturday’s T20 clash with the hosts at Lee happy T20 is now Kandy. help Sri Lanka ‘A’ make 389 The man himself believes he and Sri Lanka ‘A’ did well to in this match, but great spells his Australian team-mates will have to surpass England ‘Lions’ first by bowlers J.W Dernbatch, adapt quickly to emerge victorious against one of the world’s best limited innings score of 299 by making J.A.R Harris and S.C Meaker, overs side on their own patch. 389 on the third day of their who took three wickets apiece, serious for Aussies “They’re definitely home-favoured unofficial Test match at helped bowl out the visitors. Colombo, Sri Lanka: wickets,” Hussey told AAP. Scarborough yesterday. At the time of going to Veteran paceman Brett Lee may “A lot of spin involved, I guess the Sri Lanka, continuing from press, England ‘Lions’ in their be one of the elder statesmen of players just have to get their heads their overnight score of 27 for second innings were 42 for no Australia’s cricket side these around playing in the different condi- no , built their innings loss after 15 overs. days but he’s a wholehearted tions. around several useful partner- Chief scores- fan of the newest form of the “Facing many overs of spin and ships with the first being laid England ‘Lions’ 299 and 34 game. working out the zones to either clear by openers Lahiru Thirimanne for no loss in 14 overs. Set to line-up for Australia the pickets or to run hard and get twos in Saturday’s opening Twenty20 (22) and Malinda Warnapura Sri Lanka first innings 27 and threes. I think that’s the key in the against Sri Lanka in Kandy, the limited overs form. (34) who together put on 60 for no loss continued 389 all 34-year-old quick believes the “(Also) being as fit as you possibly runs between them. out In 102.3 overs (K.Silva 89, game’s shortest version has The second useful partner- D.Karunaratne 43, found its place with players and can. Charging for maybe four twos in ship came through the efforts M.Warnapura 34, fans back home. the over to get the eight runs there and of skipper Kaushal Silva (89) L.Thirimanne 22, Nothing highlighted maybe a boundary to finish off the and (43) B.Rajapaksha 76, S.Senanayake Twenty20’s early struggle for over is a pretty good effort. “I think you’ll see the T20s par will who raised 72 valuable runs 38, K.Alvitigala 36, J.W legitimacy than Australia’s first be the 145-150 range rather than a 190 between them. Banuka Dernbatch 3 for 104, J.A.R international match against which you might see in Australia.” Rajapaksha made 76. Harris 3 for 97, S.C Meaker 3 New Zealand in 2005. Players donned 1980s-style But the challenge of tackling Sri Sri Lanka’s top order fired for 37) uniforms, facial hair and hair- Lanka has got Hussey excited, particu- styles in a match seen more as a larly after several weeks of build-up. bit of a laugh than a competi- Australian pace ace Brett Lee, with fans during a practice session “The vibe’s good. Rather excited. I Sponsors swoop for Li tive fixture between two nation- in Colombo, prior to the team’s departure to Kandy. know all the boys are rapt and ready to al teams. “It’s a very important format And Lee feels the format is get the series underway and actually French Open cham- lucrative Chinese market. But six years down the track of the game. It used to be, read- only going to get stronger start playing some games,” he said. pion Li Na is on course Her agent, Max and Lee and his Twenty20 team- ing through the press and prob- despite recent troubles includ- “We had the training camp in to become the richest Eisenbud, said it was mates’ departure for Sri Lanka ably from us as well in ‘04-05, a ing the Champions League T20 and now we want to just get woman in sport as com- ‘’hard to set a price’’ after had to compete for column inch- bit of a hit and giggle which it competition losing its naming amongst it. Enough of the training, panies fight to cash in Li became the first es with the launch of this sum- probably was back then because rights sponsor, Indian telco enough of the talk and just start play- on her popularity in Chinese to win a grand mer’s revamped Big Bash nobody knew how to take it on Airtel, on Wednesday. ing some cricket. China. slam tournament. League competition, where fran- or what to do. “It’s about understanding “I can’t wait to get out there and Li, 29, has played At present, Li’s earn- chise-style operations will com- “No-one knew that if you’ve your game, knowing where it actually play in Kandy.” only four matches since ings are second only to pete domestically in Australia gone for less than 32 runs off can be taken to,” he said. The Australian team travelled on Li Na for the first time. her victory at Roland Maria Sharapova, the your four overs you’ve had an “Now that people are watch- Wednesday to the inland city of Kandy “Certainly the players think Garros in June. However, she Russian she beat in the semi- extremely good game. People ing Twenty20 cricket, it’s excit- where they will train for two days that and I think the public are has signed at least $US42 mil- finals in Paris, but they are like- saw you getting hit for 18-20 off ing. Kids come down after before Saturday’s opening T20. now starting to realise that it is lion ($A38.5 million) of sponsor- ly to swap positions if she can your four overs and thought you school, parents come down after A second and final T20 will be ship deals this year with the continue to triumph in major the third format of the game,” were a bit expensive but as time work, they don’t have to sit in Lee told AAP before the start of played on Monday with the first of five likes of Mercedes-Benz, Rolex tournaments. goes on, 30 is pretty good. If you the hot sun, they can watch it at one-day matches to be played at the and Haagen-Dazs, which believe (C) The Telegraph Group, the two-match T20 series in Sri go for 40, even then it’s still night, it’s got music - it’s the Lanka. same venue next Wednesday. she could be the key to the London, 2011 pretty good.” stuff spectators love.” (AAP)

Friday 5th August, 2011