Fielding will reach '96 World Cup standard, says Manager Mendis (10 April 1999)

10 April 1999

Fielding will reach '96 World Cup standard, says Manager Mendis

Sa'adi Thawfeeq

Reinstalled World Cup winning manager Duleep Mendis expressed confidence the Sri Lankan fielding would definitely reach the required standard by the time the world champions take on England in the opening match of the World Cup at Lord's on May 14.

"In the recently concluded triangular tournament in India, there were signs that things were getting towards the better. You can't change anything overnight, but you could see the players starting to enjoy the fielding," said Mendis, who as chairman of selectors helped with the cricketing side as well.

When questioned how much needs to be done to raise the standard of fielding to that of the '96 World Cup, Mendis said: "There is a fair bit we got to do. I am fairly confident that before the '99 World Cup tournament commences, we should reach the required standards".

"In the last few months we were all getting ready and the build up was towards the World Cup. So it is important that when we come to the World Cup we have 15 fresh players. All the niggling injuries to players should be got rid of. Otherwise, if you have one small injury to one of your key players then it becomes a problem and it affects the other departments of the game," he said.

During this period the selectors experimented with many youngsters, but unfortunately none fared to expectations to warrant selection other than Mahela Jayawardene and Erik Upashantha.

"We had to fall back on the players who we feel are still good enough to play in the World Cup. You cannot pick on a young player just for the sake of it. We could have done that in any other tournament, but not in an important one like the World Cup," said Mendis.

"The first and foremost thing is for the players to be confident. When they are confident they will attempt even the half chances. Definitely the required standard of fielding has dropped. It is upto the team management to improve the standard.

"The moment you start dropping catches the whole side gets demoralised and then they feel everything is impossible. Everything is a combination. When you don't excel in fielding and bowling, two departments of the game are gone. On top of that if you go into a tournament without some of your key players, you are demoralised," he said.

Mendis was also of the opinion the batsmen should buckle down to the job and think a bit more of getting the side out of trouble if they lose early wickets. "In the last World Cup, numbers three and four would get us out of a bad situation," he said.

When questioned whether the cause of the pathetic fielding could be attributed to unfitness and ageing of the team, Mendis replied: "I don't think the side on the whole has slowed down. Maybe one or two senior players may have, but it is not a major worry. Even if he gives about five to ten extra runs and if he is an important player, he can compensate for it by performing well in another department.

"I don't think the players are physically unfit. It maybe that they have played a lot of cricket and as a result, they are tired and have come to a stage they are not enjoying their fielding. The moment you don't enjoy one department of the game, the other department also suffers," said Mendis.

"During the time we won the World Cup, we never had a penetrative bowling attack, but we were able to contain sides to a certain degree with brilliant fielding. The half chances were gobbled up and we restricted sides. Twenty to thirty runs in a limited-over games made a big difference," he said.

Mendis said only certain players can be rested during a tournament while the others, only systematically, because the importance attached to tournaments. He however stated the Sri Lanka team had enough matches before the World Cup tournament proper and key players would be rested to keep them afresh for the important games.

Losing 15 out of 20 matches, he said would demoralise any side. But it was upto The Management to lift the spirits of the side and put them on the right track. "Certainly we will give the best shot we have to see that we come out with all guns blazing," he said.

Assisting Mendis will be the newly appointed cricket manager Somachandra de Silva, coach Roy Dias and physio Alex Kountouri.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)