14 Saturday 24th March, 2012 What’s with the mental approach of our national cricketers? BY BRO. NIMAL GURUSINGHE, Dilshan? your way. FSC Even Angelo Mathews, Upul But it is very essential to show Tharanga and Dinesh Chandimal your colours when things are When we play any game it is are very talented players. When tough and gloomy. A mentally fit very important to have skills and our country has such a strong team will handle the situation talents. If not you cannot play batting line-up, it is difficult to very calmly and deliver the the game properly. When we look believe that we cannot chase a goods. I feel that the Sri Lanka at our national cricketers they small total. cricketers are not at all mentally are skillful. When we see the way If the players are mentally not fit to face difficult situations. they bat and bowl we do not fit and if their mental approach Therefore, they lose important observe anything wrong in their is not up to the mark, batsmen matches. batting technique and in bowling tend to throw their wickets away As an ardent cricket fan, I action. In our country we have at crucial moments. Also, they do have noticed that the mental very good coaches in schools who not know how to handle pressure. aspect of our so-called world train our budding cricketers Then they surrender to their class players are not up to the methodically. Even at club level, opponents and gift the match to mark. They cannot concentrate there are excellent coaches who them. It has happened to the Sri and play long innings and are train our lads. When it comes to Lanka team, often. unable to bowl their hearts out to MAS Intimates Unichela ‘B’ skipper Manjula Fernando National level, our selectors It is the duty of our cricket win matches and the fielding is (R) receives the ‘Il-Gelato’ Ice Cream Cup from the chief choose the cream of those play- board to address this aspect and very poor. guest, Lita Musical, Manager, Customer Relations and ers to represent the country. help our cricketers to overcome When your mind is not set to Quality Control, Ceccato Colombo (Pvt) Ltd, (L). Others In the Sri Lanka team, we this problem. play serious cricket you cannot in the picture from left to right: Roshan Iddamalgoda, have some world class players. When a player is mentally fit give one hundred percent to your General Secretary/MCA, Janaka Perera, Manager No one can question their talent. and tough he will fight until the team. This is a very serious mat- So how come a team of that last ball is bowled. As we all ter. Our cricket board must Administration, Ceccato Colombo (Pvt) Ltd., Mahesh know, cricket is a mental game. address this factor and find a Wijewardane, President MCA and Sujeewa De Silva, nature sometimes cannot chase a target of 230 runs, when we have Players should have the guts to solution to this problem. If not, Secretary, Tournament Committee, MCA. players like Mahela Jayawardana face any situation, bravely. There our winning the next World Cup Kumara Sangakkara and T. M. are days when everything goes will only be a pipe dream. Creamy Cup for MAS Intimates Unichela ‘B’ Gayle impasse remains The Ceccato Colombo (Pvt) Ltd. sponsored, ‘Il-gelato’ Ice Cream Cup, MCA ‘B’ Division 50-Overs League Tournament was concluded last Saturday with the final with West Indies board played at the Colts Grounds. MAS Intimates Unichela ‘B’ (2011 runners-up) lifted Chris Gayle appears set to of the tour, with another the brand new ‘Il-Gelato’ Ice Cream Cup, beating The captain of Janashakthi Insurance PLC, Gihan miss all of Australia’s tour of the meeting unlikely to take Janashakthi Insurance PLC by four wickets in the De Silva (R) receives the trophy from the Caribbean. place. final. President/MCA, Mahesh Wijewardana (L). A meeting with West Indies The Windies have Cricket Board officials has failed made one change to to bring about a positive resolu- their squad, tion. with Gayle had reportedly been set Adrian SA 136-2 in rain delayed day 1, 3rd Test to end his feud with the board, Barath which has kept the explosive replac- South Africa’s WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Hashim Amla made 63 batsman out of international ing open- Hashim Amla and Alviro Petersen a patient, unbeaten 44 to lift South Africa to 136- cricket since last year’s World er Kieran walks, caught out 2 as rain and bad light shortened the opening day of the third crick- Cup. Powell. for 63 by New et test against New Zealand. But it’s believed a difference of Barath Petersen bravely navigated all of the 42 overs bowled in three- Zealand’s Kruger opinion over whether Gayle missed selec- hours of play possible on Friday between a rain-delayed start and should be allowed to honour his tion for the first van Wyk off the stumps hastened by fading light. Indian Premier League contract three ODIs due bowling of Mark He put together a 93-run partnership with Amla for the second instead of representing the West to injury but Gillespie. (AP wicket to play South Africa into a commanding position after it Indies caused Monday’s talks in proved his fit- Photo/SNPA, had been sent in to bat on a green and bouncy pitch and had St Vincent to break down. ness with a Ross lost captain Graeme Smith for 5. The 32-year-old wasn’t in the century J.P. Duminy was 23 not out, supporting Petersen, squad named by West Indies for Trin- when bad light stopped play an hour before scheduled selectors for the final two one-day idad stumps. internationals against Australia and in St Lucia and it appears he will Tobago against Guyana last Chris Gayle SCOREBOARD remain on the outer for the rest weekend. (AAP) South Africa, 1st Innings Graeme Smith c van Wyk b Bracewell 5 Alviro Petersen not out 44 Vettel, Schumacher back Bahrain Hashim Amla c van Wyk b Gillespie 63 J.P. Duminy not out 23 Extras (1w) 1 Grand Prix TOTAL (For two wickets) 136 Overs: 42 SEPANG, Malaysia (AP) — relaxed about going there,” the sport’s officials “decide it’s Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-106 Formula One world champions adding that “for them it’s a very safe then we shouldn’t worry” Still to bat: A.B. de Villiers, Jacques Sebastian Vettel and Michael important event, and they just and he was “quite confident Rudolph, Mark Boucher, Dale Steyn, Schumacher have backed the want to make everybody we’ll be all right.” Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel, decision to go ahead with next happy.” One activist group had writ- Marchant de Lange month’s grand prix in Bahrain He said “you will find in ten to F1 chief Bernie Bowling: Chris Martin 9-3-21-0, Doug Bracewell despite ongoing political strife other places the possibility to Ecclestone saying they will tar- 11-1-30-1, Mark Gillespie 9-1-37-1 (1w), Daniel and threats against the race. think about similar things, but get the event. Last year’s Vettori 11-3-28-0, Dean Brownlie 2-0-20-0 Mercedes driver Schumacher we don’t.” Bahrain GP was cancelled. said Thursday he is “pretty Red Bull driver Vettel said if.