S Thawfeeq: Success was due to one big cricketing family (12 Sep 1998)

12 September 1998

Success was due to one big cricketing family

by Sa'adi Thawfeeq

By now everyone will know the deeds of our cricketers in the home of cricket, England. But, what they little know of are the little things that happen off the field, which contribute largely to the end result.

When a new management took charge of the team, after the South African tour, they didn't want their plans to clash with those that were in existence.

What manager Ranjit Fernando and coach Roy Dias, did first was to talk to the team physio Alex Kountouri and draw up a program where special emphasis was laid on fielding which had dropped alarmingly from what it was some time ago.

It was decided that Alex should do the physical exercises and the fielding session was done after the stretching. Alex would again take over for the running. So fitness and fielding took priority and it continued through the England tour.

Going hand in hand with physical fitness was the food intake. Alex had a diet on the players' food. He told them to avoid fried and fatty foods by saying: "We are training so hard, why eat something which is wrong".

Alex controlled their choice of foods at breakfast and during the match. The players went out in the evenings for their dinner, but were careful of what they ate.

Watching the eating habits of the players, Dias said: "To see the cricketers eating the correct food was unbelievable. It was the first time I've seen such discipline on food".

Arjuna Ranatunga was used as an example of what good and proper eating can do. The Sri Lankan skipper had shed around 10 kilos and coach Dias reckons the way Ranatunga is batting, that he is playing his best cricket now. Even the Englishmen who know Ranatunga as a rolypoly figure when he was last there in 1988, were surprised at his physique.

The team management then had discussions with Ranatunga and the senior players, and decided that players who were not involved in a match should have a net everyday, during the day or after play. For players who were involved in the game it was optional.

As the squad had 18 players the team always had net bowlers, so that anyone could have a knock at anytime, either outdoors or indoors, if it was available.

The commitment of the team was such that if the coach was involved in the game, a senior cricketer like Ranatunga would take a few players to the nets and practice with them.

Every decision taken during the tour was a collective one by the management and the players, so that everyone knew what was happening.

If Sri Lanka was fielding, The Management kept about two players to do the fielding and took the rest to the nets. If Sri Lanka were batting, players who were not involved in the match took the water. It was so nicely done, that everyone did their bit. No one grumbled. Even senior cricketers like Muthiah Muralitharan performed the duties of twelfth man during the Hampshire match.

The atmosphere that was created during the tour was so hard to believe. Every one was trying to help each other. Senior cricketers Ranatunga and vice-captain Aravinda de Silva gave a lot of advice to young players like Mahela Jayawardene and Russel Arnold.

De Silva was the only player in the team who had first hand county experience having played one full season with Kent, and his advice was sought quite often by Ranatunga. His knowledge on the conditions and the wickets proved invaluable.

The team also benefitted seeking advice from some of the leading curators who were able to say how the ball would behave when the wind blew from East to West and things like that. All the information the team got proved useful to their success.

Sri Lankans became so popular because they were willing to learn. Superstars like Malcolm Marshall, Barry Richards, Intikhab Alam and Ian Botham etc, all offered words of advice to the players and were willing to help Sri Lanka cricket, which was very touching.

The itinerary of the players was so tight, they hardly had any time for entertainment. They left for the grounds after breakfast at around 8.45 or 9 a.m. and returned to the hotel at 7.30 p.m. They have time enough to do a change and then sit for dinner.

"It was cricket, cricket all along. The boys worked hard and the results proved it," said coach Dias.

When the team was shot out for 54 by Glamorgan and they lost the three day game inside two, it was like a shock to all of them. Poor umpiring decisions contributed towards that score. But everyone knew they had to improve and do the correct thing. There was no excuse. By training hard they were able to improve.

Players who normally didn't like to have a net before a game, ultimately wanted one. They knew they had to get used to it because the captain and vice captain were always behind them.

If anyone thought the Sri Lankan team were exultant and went overboard when they beat England in the Emirates triangular final and then in the one-off Test, they were mistaken.

The first thing the players did after they returned to the dressing room with the stumps as souvenirs tucked under their arms was to offer a silent prayer. They do so on all days before they go out to bat or field. But on this day, the whole team got together and prayed silently for about two minutes after the match, before breaking into sing the national anthem.

Then Alex started the celebrations by popping open a bottle of champagne. But the players hardly drink. Except for an occasional glass of wine or beer they don't take any hard liquor because as professional cricketers they know what's good and what's bad for them.

After the one-day victory some of the players were entertained by their friends in London, while some dined at the High Commissioner's residence. There was no time for the players to celebrate their Test victory, because some of them had to rush back to the hotel and pack as they were due to fly off the next day. The celebrations proper will have to be held in Colombo on a later date.

After the Test, the entire English team came to the Sri Lanka dressing room to congratulate and wish the players, which in itself reflected the spirit in which the two sides played, with the exception of the remark made against Muralitharan by England coach David Lloyd.

Muralitharan is one person who really enjoys his cricket. Before the Test he was insistent he plays in the three-day game against Hampshire because according to him he wanted to get used to the red ball, having played with the white one in the triangular. However, The Management discussed with him and decided to rest him, lest he got injured prior to the Test match.

The success of the team could partly be attributed to the presence of the players' wives being on tour. They found having an evening out with them (and the children) was far more relaxing to take their mind off cricket having spent nearly 12 hours of it during the day. Their presence may have played a big part in the team success and also in their husbands performances. It would have made them proud to be at the scene of victory.

To beat England in England in both types of cricket - one-day and Test would be a proud moment for any coach. Dias didn't hide his feelings when he said: "When I took this job everyone said this is going to be a tough assignment and blah, blah. But I had the backing of The Management, Alex, and all the senior players, especially Arjuna who will always have a chat with me. It was really nice because it helped me a lot. I had been with them only for three months and my proudest moment was when they won the one-day final and then the Test".

The bonhomie among the players was such that Hashan Tillekeratne's words to Dias summed up the atmosphere within the Sri Lankan team.

"This is something like the Zimbabwe tour 12 years ago because everyone was trying to help each other to get the best result," Tillekeratne said recalling the tour to Zimbabwe by the Sri Lanka 'A' side captained by Dias.

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