S Thawfeeq: Consistency Brings About Renaissance In SL Cricket (20 May 1996)

20 May 1996

Consistency brings about renaissance in SL cricket

By Sa`adi Thawfeeq

Winning the World Cup brought Sri Lanka international recognition which was long overdue, not because we got the cold shoulder from other nations, but for the lack of consistency in our cricket.

>From the 1995-96 season what the players and administrators would have learnt is that to be classed in the top bracket one has to show consistency. That was lacking in our cricket in the past and it only started showing from the tour of New Zealand in early 1995.

The arrival of Davenall Whatmore on a two-year contract from June 1 1995, brought about a professional outlook to the national team. It so happened that Whatmore`s arrival coincided with the team`s extraordinary run of success culminating with winning the World Cup.

Whatmore no doubt worked on the minds of the players and raised the levels of physical fitness so much that going through a tough tour of Australia or the rigorous schedule such as the Wills World Cup, became secondary, and the players were able to enjoy their cricket which was ultimately reflected on the field.

Whatmore struck a fine accord with manager Mendis and captain Ranatunga and along with vice-captain Aravinda de Silva, masterminded the downfall of the opponents.

Alex Kountouri`s advent from Australia added a new dimension to physiotherapy to the team`s injuries. They were probably the only team to go through the entire Wills World Cup without any injury to any of its 14 players.

Following the heady success of the World Cup, Sri Lanka were strongly tipped to win the Singer Cup in Singapore, but after Sanath Jayasuriya had provided one of his, now conventional, blazing starts, the rest of the batting which had been so evident during the World Cup, failed dismally to provide Pakistan with the title.

One outstanding aspect of Sri Lanka`s one-day victories towards the latter stages of the season, was the phenomenal batting exploits of Jayasuriya, who in Singapore engraved his name on five world batting records which are bound to remain in the books for some time.

What was so contrasting from the previous season in Jayasuriya`s batting was that from the Wills World Cup tournament onwards, he gathered his runs at an exceptional pace using the first 15 overs to maximum advantage. Otherwise, in figures, his performance was almost the same as the previous year. He made 864 runs (avg. 30.85) from 28 matches compared to 744 runs (avg. 29.44) from 25 matches in 1994-5. In each of these seasons he made one century and five fifties.

Although skipper Arjuna Ranatunga once again headed the one-day batting averages (655 runs, avg. 38.52), his deputy Aravinda de Silva accumulated the largest amount of runs with 940 (avg. 36.15) from 28 matches. Both these experienced wielders of the willow crossed the 5,000-run mark during the World Cup tournament.

A good portion of De Silva`s runs (448) were made in the World Cup, a tournament which he used as a centre stage to display his unique all-round talents. Both his centuries (including Sri Lanka`s highest in the one-day game - 145 v Kenya at Kandy) were made in the World Cup, and two of his four fifties too came in the same competition. Apart from his batting exploits, De Silva also excelled with the ball - his 18 wickets costing 28.27 and held 12 catches.

With the exception of Romesh Kaluwitharana, the top six in the batting order all aggregated over 500 runs, while Asanka Gurusinha was the only batsman of the `six` who failed to score a century.

De Silva, Jayasuriya and Hashan Tillekeratne, were the only players to appear in all 28 one-day matches played by the country during 1995-6.

Tillekeratne once more proved just how reliable he is in both types of games. Apart from collecting 647 runs (avg. 35.94) in the one-day version, he had a better performance in the Tests, aggregating 526 (avg. 47.81) with two centuries and an equal number of fifties.

Tillekeratne, along with Asanka Gurusinha, Chandika Hathurusingha, Chaminda Vaas and Pramodya Wickremasinghe appeared in all six Tests played against Pakistan and Australia during the season. Opening bat Hathurusingha on his recall to the Sri Lanka team provided stolid resistance especially in Pakistan, to become the second highest accumulator of runs behind Tillekeratne in the longer game with 420 runs (avg. 35.00). But despite crossing the fifty-mark on three occasions he was still left searching for his maiden Test century.

Arjuna Ranatunga and Gurusinha`s performances were average, but rather disappointing were De Silva and Mahanama, who for the second consecutive season have failed to show the same consistency as they do in the one-day game.

Once again Chaminda Vaas emerged as Sri Lanka`s main strike bowler both in Tests and one-day games. He topped the Test bowling averages with 22 wickets (avg. 28.40) and finished second in the one-day bowling with 30 wickets (avg. 23.13) - figures of a class bowler. The only disadvantage for Vaas is that he lacks a proper partner to share the new ball.

Pramodya Wickremasinghe continues to be on the downward trend, while Ravindra Pushpakumara is taking time to blossom out into the fast bowler everyone is hoping he will become one day. In the meantime Vaas continues to shoulder the heavy burden.

Despite the unfortunate controversy surrounding his bowling action, Muralitharan was the pick of the spinners. Although not bowling with the same effect of two season`s before, the wiry off-spinner improved on his strike rate from the previous season by as much as 44 balls (120 balls per wicket in 1994-5 to 76 balls per wicket in 1995-6). Like Vaas, Muralitharan also lacks the support of a leg-spinner or a left-arm spinner from the other end.

However, in the overs-limit game Muralitharan has excellent support from Kumara Dharmasena, Jayasuriya and De Silva. His 27 wickets gives him the third best wicket-aggregate after Dharmasena (32) and Vaas (30).

Although his bowling falls far short of Test standards, Dharmasena has emerged as an utility all-rounder in the one-day team, which has virtually shut the door on another fine all-rounder Ruwan Kalpage, unless by some unforeseen circumstances.

It was heartening to see fast bowlers Manjula Munasinghe and Erik Upashantha and all-rounder Upul Chandana and batsman Marvan Atapatttu being given opportunities to prove themselves in the oneday sphere. The changes at least reflect the thinking behind the national selectors, the need to experiment with young blood as most of the senior players are nearing the retirement stage.

At long last Sri Lanka seems to have settled down to picking just one wicket-keeper and sticking by him for both Tests and one-day games. Kaluwitharana has fitted the bill beautifully to displace Chamara Dunusinghe from the `keepers berth to appear in all 28 one-day matches and in three of the six Tests. After being promoted to open the innings with Jayasuriya in the one-day games in Australia, Kaluwitharana has rediscovered new-found confidence which has resulted in a vast improvement in his wicket-keeping.

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