As a keen follower of cricket, I waited anxiously to watch the Schoolboy Cricketers proceedings on TV, especially as my son plays for an outstation school in the 1st XI team.
While listening to speeches of our leading cricketers of the past I was shocked to see past Test cricketers airing out different versions about school cricket. Mahela Jayawardene was of the opinion that the incumbent administration of Sri Lanka Cricket is doing nothing to develop school cricket and indirectly castigated those in the administration that the root cause is lying with them.
Mahela, also made it known that he prefers to be silent on the cause of deterioration of school cricket for obvious reasons.
On the contrary Sidath Wettimuny, a legend of high repute in cricket was straight forward in announcing that there was nothing absolutely wrong in school cricket and went on to say that schoolboys have not been shining stars during the last few years, the reasons are that the players should come up with consistent performances and continue the good work once they enter club tournaments.
It made me think that Mahela is having a grudge with school cricket or the Cricket Board for poor performances of national players losing quite a number of International matches in the recent past.
While pondering why it is so, now that Sri Lanka Cricket have not left no stone unturned to resolve the cricket failure and have brought in Internationally recognized Hathurusingha as the Head Coach, I’m at a loss to understand why former stalwarts of cricket like Mahela and Sidath can’t meet up with Sri Lanka Cricket authorities and contribute in an advisory capacity along with legends Aravinda, Murali, Arjuna, Sanath, Tissera, Sanga, to name a few, without recourse to criticize the SLC president and the administration wherever they get on a platform. It is absurd to find fault with them as it is the performances of the players whether batsmen, bowlers or fielders who are directly responsible in the winning or losing of a match.
Let’s hope the New Year 2018 will bring a winning spree with Hathurusingha directing the coaching and leading the backup staff of cricket.Wish the administrators and others who could contribute to cricket a happy and successful New Year.
- Jerry Samaranayaka