Sri Lankan school cricket gets a boost

The interim committee of Sri Lanka Cricket has taken some radical steps to uplift the standard of Sri Lanka cricket from its present predicament.

Foremost, they have identified that schools is where the development should begin if Sri Lanka cricket is to regain its lost prestige. In this aspect they have set aside Rs. 15million as annual expenditure. "Schools are the nursery to Sri Lanka cricket. We really have to restructure the school tournament system," said K Mathivanan, member of the interim committee who has been entrusted with the development of the game at all levels. "By doing we should be able to once again produce cricketers who can walk into the national side.

"The standard of cricket is so low that today none of the school cricketers can walk into not only the national side but even a club Premier team with the exception of one or two," observed Mathivanan who has been a live wire of Colombo Colts CC for the past ten years. "I have been in this system for the last three and a half months only. When I was out of it 2-3 years back I realised that standards were dropping drastically but I was not in any position to do anything except for my club of which I am president. Given the opportunity to be a member of the interim committee in charge of development of cricket I am trying to give back something."

Mathivanan said the results of the plans they have drawn up would take at least two to three years to realise. "We can't produce any miracles but when school cricket standards grow up automatically everything else will go up. That is our main objective."

As a first step SLC has taken the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) under its wing by providing them with space inside the SLC headquarters. Earlier the SLSCA was housed at the Racecourse at Reid Avenue. "We have discussed with SLSC what type of tournament we like them to run," Mathivanan said. "We are also going to meet the Minister of Education because schools come under them. We also have no control over them unless the Ministry of Education sends a circular to change the tournament structure.

"We have decided to stop schools from playing one-day limited over cricket which has been agreed by SLSC. The under 13 and under 15 tournaments will be played like an innings match based on declarations with a different points system. There about 350 schools involved."

Mathivanan said that the schools had also agreed to send their coaches to attend workshops conducted by SLC. Schools, which have no turf wicket facilities, will be provided with astro turf. Seventeen schools have been identified for this purpose.

According to Mathivanan who made a recent study of astro turf pitches in Adelaide, astro turf is the next best thing to original turf pitches. "We are trying to discourage all schools to do away with matting which I don't think helps the cricketers in terms of technique, " Mathivanan said. "With astro turf you get even bounce and pace. All district matches in Australia and the Australian academy practice and play their matches on astro turf."

The setting up of a high tech academy is another project, which is high on the interim committee's agenda. The location is the R Premadasa Stadium where presently the Max Academy is functioning. It will be shortly converted into a high tech academy.

"For at least one year we will need the services of a foreign coach to set things up initially," Mathivanan said. "I don't know if the SLC will agree but there is no harm done in getting down a person like Rodney Marsh for a year. It is still worth to invest some money on him. You can see how England has been transformed into a better team because Marsh set up their academy at Loughborough. At the moment he has some assignment with the ICC in Dubai."

Mathivanan said that if steps had been taken to form a spin bowling academy three years ago Sri Lanka would have benefited immensely by it. "There was a lot of talk about a spin bowling academy for the last three years but nothing has happened," he said. "It is surprising for a country like Sri Lanka that had produced so many great spinners in the past that we cannot find a spin bowling coach. We had to seek the assistance of Australia to set up a spin bowling academy. People must be laughing at us. But at least we have made a start somewhere."

Ashley Mallett, former Australian offspinner, is currently in Sri Lanka setting up a spin bowling academy. He is working closely Ruwan Kalpage, former with former Sri Lanka offspinner, who has been appointed by SLC to run the academy.

Another area where SLC is finding it difficult to fill is that of a batting coach for teams below the A level. Owen Mottau, former Sri Lanka batting coach, was approached but his private commitments don't allow him to undertake the job full time.

"The strange thing is that apart from Anura Tennekoon there is nobody to undertake the job," Mathivanan said. "At his age Anura is unable to travel around the country, but he has undertaken to look after the A team batting." Tennekoon is also the manager of Sri Lanka A team. "When we advertised for the post of batting coach only two applied for the post."

Mathivanan said that one of the reasons for Sri Lanka producing poor quality batting pitches was because of the poor clay content that was being used here. He said that clay he had brought from Adelaide and clay supplied locally were tested at the Geological Department and it was found to be 40% difference in clay content.

"Whereas the clay brought from Adelaide had 85-90% clay content, there was just 40% clay content on the local clay," he said. "This is the clay we have been using all the time for preparation of our pitches. We spoke to the Geological Department and they wanted Rs 180,000 to do a test survey and find a place where we could get the clay with 80% content. They are giving the clay to us and we will then give it to the clubs. From next season wickets we will basically have good wickets.

"All the time the problem had been the clay because the binding power is not there and wickets don't last for four or five days. But it is not only clay that goes into making a true pitch but also the watering and rolling also plays a part. It is one of the reasons why we have been having poor pitches in the past."

Mathivanan also said that a pitch committee would also be appointed next season especially for the Premier trophy matches. He said two assistant curators would also be appointed to assist SLC director of pitches Anuruddha Polonowita.