14 Monday 29th November, 2010 s a week, although not everyone ers to get it ready for the ODI 50-overs from the A squad and the standby players Post World Cup 2011, there are Test will agree, this past one slogs than a Test as crucial as has been for the three Australian ODIs. series in England, against Pakistan, most Ahas been a disaster. And this one. Frankly, Sri Lanka were fortunate to likely in the UAE, followed by an don’t blame it all on the rain. Third, warnings made in these files come fourth. They almost lost to Nepal Australian visit and then a tour of South First, Yahaluweni,as a on November 1 about the team being sent and what this explains is how out of Africa. Is the new coaching team likely to venue Premadasa Stadium to the Asian Games was set for an touch were such selections. rely on spin to win matches and have fast presently represents what unqualified disaster were shown to be It is going to need more than a five bowlers around just to take the shine off the ancient Greeks would closer to the truth than those who select- minute quick fix to sort out this mess in the ball? suggest is giving a dystopian ed this squad are prepared to admit. an effort to justify the side that was If so, whoever is responsible for this view of the game. It was Headlines “Mixed signals with this selected for the tournament. It was out- short-sighted strategy needs to take a exposed for what it is, a no-name brand squad for Asia Games . played by teams of lesser experience and serious look at the long-term repercus- shabby building site. .” and “Lost in translation” were used along with the selectors in this case, SLC sions. Going to South Africa in a year’s With 82 days left to as part of the caveat of what to expect. need to admit they were wrong in their time with the current policy has any February 19, it sug- It was not a case of being clairvoyant, selection policy. number of questionmarks as the present gests that it is woe- but being brutally frank about the Frankly, the team sent comes across set of fast bowlers are as useful as a fully behind sched- selections for the event. as one where there was no genuine policy. water pistol aim at a raging fire. As with ule. Written at the time are the follow- It was all about so many fancy names on the debacle with the Asia Games such Also, viewers ing comments. “The problem is the a teamsheet that have since become a strategy will haunt Sri Lanka in a big outside the island Ashantha De Mel coterie had lost touch laughing stock of Asia cricket. way and shows that somewhere those in were bemused at with reality and was struggling to find a Fourth, is the matter raised in these charge have lost the plot. what they saw of formula. Now there has been a sudden files last week, about the decision to Lastly, Sangakkara was looking for the ground in prepa- throwback to this style of thinking with mothball Lasith Malinga for the World more than brownie points at the rain ration. It was certain- the squad for the Asian Games tourna- Cup and ask serious questions in support scarred second Test. He was seeking solid ly no place to hold a Test, despite Sri Lanka Cricket’s excuses and rea- sons for doing so. Sri Lanka are slowly losing the plot . Second, as Sri Lana’s captain Kumar Sangakkara psychological leverage over the West explained, you cannot judge Indies amid the depressing backdrop of a a playing surface from this shambolic building site. one-off Test. There are too He was in an aggressive gambling many imponderables, which mood to play all the bruising mind games was always going to be the he could and pressurise whatever was case, despite the SLC efforts available out of the decision referral sys- to justify using it for this tem. What plan he had in mind was all one game before the limited What a too obvious from the facile declaration: to overs series. undermine the Caribbean tourists in the Sangakkara had every third Test at Pallekele, Kandy starting on justification to complain Wednesday. about playing on an untested His declaring the Sri Lanka second pitch before the Test. Why, even innings 201 runs ahead of the West Indies your social Sunday League player was as insouciance as any act he is likely could tell you how the judgement to perform at this level. It is highly made by Sangakkara aka “Cap’n debacle improbable he will do this in the next Cavalier” in his analysis of the Test series Sri Lanka play, against Premadasa pitch is what officials need ment. Several players who of Aravinda De Silva’s lament of the England in England as part of the post to understand. should have been pensioned country’s fast bowlers and the coaching World Cup future tours programme. This is how will it play after 2.30 in an off are being given a final programme which seems to be more After the mauling by the West Indies afternoon with the white ball, and behave farewell handshake. And interested in developing fast bowlers for in the first Test at Galle, Sangakkara when the lights come on? That is the amid all this, Malinga Bandara the ODI 50 overs and T20 games and not wanted to wrench back the initiative as nub of the argument and he has every finally gets a back- Tests. the series heads for Kandy for the final right to pose such questions. Despite handed acknowl- Look closely enough, you showdown. With the series level, there is the rain and what play there was edgement. The Chesterfield Files find four sets of new ball still the possibility of another rain- available, the pitch said nothing. “As the shape of this bowlers in as many as five drenched game at Pallekele, which will “You cannot gauge what a squad is for the T20 tour- Tests and this suggests an become the 104th Test venue and the one-day match is going to be nament, certain excuses can unsettled situation. A lot of eighth on the island. like from a Test match,” be made for selection poli- experimenting is going on What will be of interest is to see what Sangakkara said. cies, yet despite being on and it is more to do with the Sri Lanka’s selectors come up with in “We have to see how the standby for the Australian World Cup and T20 than it is terms of the bowling attack. So far there pitch behaves under lights. tour, why are Farveez about Tests. What we have have been two sets of fast bowlers, and How it will play as more Maharoof, Thilina seen so far is a disaster and it while one of them, Suranga Lakmal, who and more matches are Kandamby and Thushara will continue this way until replaced Dammika Prasad from the Galle played. How it behaves Mirando not in the Asia the current fast bowling Test, was given a metaphorical pat on the with the white ball.” Games side? And what is the coaching system is capable of back by his captain. Yet he is a bowler It is one thing to purpose of two wicketkeep- by Trevor Chesterfield putting fit men into the who needs to show more than enthusiasm restructure a play- ers, with Tillakaratne attack, and those who can to take wickets. ing surface, but Sampath, it is suggested a deliver impressive spells, as It is the old story of learning to bowl without a mystery selection. did Chaminda Vaas. to a length and in Sri Lanka few fast genuine “With none of the Asia Games squad Sri Lanka’s bowling has revolved bowlers have managed to achieve that act pre-Test on the selectors radar watch for the around the Muttiah Muralitharan factor effectively since Vaas retired. trial with World Cup, it gives the impression they for so long they have forgotten what it From a belligerent manhandling of games have been selected to make up numbers means to have a consistent fast bowling the bowling in Galle with a triple century Kumar Sangakkara . is the board giving him the support they should? being at the tournament.” attack to give Sangakkara confidence. A to a meek surrender in the second played, it There were no comments to the ques- team needs 20 wickets to win a Test, since innings at Premadasa, there will be ques- is useless. This is why, several weeks ago, class stadium, hopefully not the soulless tion of how did the selectors view this Murali retired, Sri Lanka have failed to tions as well about Chris Gayle’s ability it was suggested in these files that to play concrete bowl it was before refurbish- tournament and what had been their achieve even that target. What are the so- to withstand the pressures he will face in the Test at Premadasa at this stage would ment began. Work on the project, howev- thinking behind those in the 30 plus has- called marvellous coaches running the the third Test starting on Wednesday. pose problems. er, has taken far too long. Rather to have been bracket being included when it system doing to find replacements? Eventually Premadasa it will be a allowed it a few more days and the work- would have been ideal to select a team Precious little it seems.