28th of April 2007 was a disastrous day for most Sri Lankans due to the overnight LTTE air craft bombing, moreover due to the loss of a cricket world cup that was believed, could have been won. Steve Buckner and Aleem Dar made the Lankans batsmen bat in absolute darkness; a blunder that is criticized to date. This time around, it is the players themselves that have left island nation cricket followers in darkness, due to the dismal performance.
Many believed Sri Lanka had a far more better chance of grabbing the converted title this time around as opposed to 2007, but one wonders whether it was because the men in dark blue had a better team or a weaker opposition. Sri Lankans, at least most of them have the habit of joyously clapping when giants whack the hell out of midgets and take it to the next step by boasting of the powerful strokes or the in swinging Yorkers not withstanding the spinning doosras. But what they fail to see is how inconsistent this giant becomes when dealing with one of its own size. Yet, the pure passion Lankans have to the game keeps them in a state of delusion hoping we could catapult out any side.
Like in the rest of subcontinent nations, cricket is not a mere sport, but a religion practiced every time of the day over meals, while traveling, at work, pursuing studies, to sum up; over every action one could possibly think of. They follow the games from ball one, subtle changes don’t miss their eye. Lack of interest among players and a stupid team, field or bowling change are spotted instantly. All of the above were noticed by the cricketoholics on the 2nd of April when the inflated Sri Lankan team took on the best team of the tournament.
One may argue that the mere fact that Lanka were taking on tournament favourites might have made the team hit the panic buttons, but really should the panic buttons have been hit when Sri Lanka were 31/1 after 10 overs or when India were 33/2 chasing a mammoth 275? I’d go with the first.
Parachuting, despite not being a popular hobby or sport in Sri Lanka, is no unfamiliar phenomena to most of us, as it is ever so common in the political arena. How can I forget the state and private offices too? However the latest parachuting didn’t take place when an opposition MP crossed over to the government, but when a player who was not good enough to be in the initial 15 was picked to be in the best 11 of a “CRICKET WORLD CUP FINAL”. The selectors and the skipper may come up with various theories to defend their move which backfired, but the average Joe, in Sri Lankan terms the average Sunil will keep asking why Mendis who was Sri Lanka’s best bowler in the tournament was over looked. Remember, in cricket what matters is not what happened 2 years ago, but yesterday, and yesterday Mendis was far more better than Randiv.
Throughout the tournament the selectors praised and showed confidence in a below par Silva, but come the big day, he is overlooked to bring in a worse candidate to the post. The logic behind it fails me every time I think of it, may be the selectors thought of saving a trump for the last battle. But where they went wrong is failing to understand that the younger Chamara was no ‘Trump’ but more like ‘Donald’ as in the duck. Also what they might have forgotten is that final trump generally works in warfare not cricket-fare, where ‘time in the middle’ is that matters the most.
When the shot is accurate it’s the gunman’s ability but when it is not, it’s the fault of the gun. Let me rephrase it, when the Yorker is spot on, ‘slinger is king’, but when he lacks focus and sprays the ball all around the wicket ‘ball is wet and blame it on the wind’. No cricketer can deliver everyday, a point that has been agreed even by my great grand pa, but Sri Lankans as a society, who has been guilty on numerous earlier occasions too, might want to be careful in jumping the gun of praise far too early, at least next time.
Drama doesn’t end with the loss, it continues when the skipper tenders in his resignation, leaving a team who runs around like headless chickens or gripless bats. He claims it’s a move for the betterment of the future, but here’s where you should draw a comparison between cricket and warfare; when a regiment loses a close battle if the general steps down and throws in a brand new general the casualties rise. The cost of the learning curve is far too much to bear. The eloquent skipper claims he had plans of stepping down 3 weeks prior to the tournament, then why not groom someone for battle while engaged in ‘The battle’. You might have made some master moves in the past, but Sanga, this time you ‘hit the bunga’.
And just as we thought ‘resignation spree’ has taken a break, there you go, the ‘mother-board’ who picked the wrong players and hit the wrong buttons also tendered in their resignations. Is it an indication of a fresh start or an impending cricket crisis? Only time will tell.
Icing on the cake came when the government this time around replaced the LTTE air attacks with submarine attacks; coming from down under and increasing the prices of fuel and gas in the eve of the final game of the cup that matters.
Many say politicians cannot be compared to none, others say cricketers cannot be either. Wait, hold on, how about comparing politicians with cricketers? I think it fits, after all both varieties have similar characteristics.
Hobby- Parachuting
Game- Blame game
Motivating factor- Money
One word definition- Unpredictable
Makes fools of- The public
Long live politicians! Long live cricket!
Perhaps we are being a little too harsh? I personally saw a final where the Sri Lankan team fought hard, where they gave it everything they had and just came out the weaker team at the end of the day.
ReplyDeleteI saw a captain who knew when it was the right time to step down; he had his chances on two finals from the T20 and the aforementioned and did not want to sit around to be replaced (arguable of course - but you cannot fault his intensions). He's not the only skipper who stepped down after the world cup either; both Smith (SA) and Vettori(NZ) chose the same option, passing the baton to someone else and those who did not! like Ricky Ponting were forced to exit.
I think it is also important to understand that even-though the team selection might be in question at the moment, if we lost with what "we now" think was the right team I'm pretty sure we would have said "why didn't they surprise them".. "why didn't we throw something at them that they did not expect".. "Radiv had a good record against India whereas Mendis did not"...blah blah.. Yes! they took a massive gamble, but sometimes you have to take these games to try and win big games against big teams. You need to make sure that a side that had played the Lankans at least 35 times in couple of years prior don't get what they expect - once again you cannot fault their intensions.
The bottom line of what I'm trying to say is that we probably should not rub our cricketers names in the mud after they have taken us so far; yes we lost.. but we lost a final!.. The second best team in the world!! We really need not let it be anything less; we have always enjoyed the idea of cricket as a sport, we have been commended as some of the best fans in the world.. however I fear that we are slipping in this regard and it would be a shame if were to join our extremist neighbors and fall into the same category. GO THE LANKANS I SAY!!... ALL THE WAY!!
To begin with, I really do appreciate your valuable comments. Thanks heaps for expressing them and taking the time to comment.
ReplyDeleteAt the very outset let me make it very clear that discouraging the cricket team or the fans is/was not my intention. I intend to make people think down different paths. If the article, in your opinion was too harsh, pardon me, I only intended to be critical.
Well yes, for the naked eye it clearly appeared as a fairly fought game where the better team won. But if you look closer at the tactical errors committed, it is fair for one to question the outcome and the process. I beg to differ on your opinion ‘they gave it everything they had’, simply because of some pretty ordinary bowling and to top it all appalling fielding; worse effort in the entire tournament.
‘A true leader will always be judged by the successor, who was trained by predecessor’, in that terms, I wonder whether it was a timely or selfish step down. I for one am a huge Sangakkara fan. I think he is one of the very few professional cricketers we’ve had for a long time. He is a composed skipper, undoubtedly we were blessed to have him around.
He is a well authored book, only if not for the ending. If he was a tad bit selfless as he demonstrates in his batting, that would have been the ideal scenario for Sri Lanka cricket.
Remember sometimes it’s the ending that matters.
Very true. The baton must be passed on. But passing it too early or too late could be fatal.
Fantastic view point. We must surprise the opponents especially in big games. That’s how the game must be played. But any team should not attempt to surprise the opponents at the cost of weakening the strength of the team. It’s a fact that Randiv HAD a better record against India almost 2 years ago, but Mendis had been the star performer for Sri Lanka throughout the tournament. Also in terms of variation, I think it’s hideous to play Murali and Randiv who are both off spinners. At the same time I fail to comprehend how a player who was not good enough to be included in the original 15 is fit to be included in the 11 playing the finals.
Risk must be taken, but risk must not be taken at any cost. In a battle what is remembered is not the delightful flash of the sword or the athletic and spontaneous move, but who stands at the conclusion.
You are highly mistaken, I have not slung mud at a single cricketer, but merely criticized their efforts. There is a clear difference. We as a country have always considered dissent intolerable. But it’s time boys become men.
Sri Lankan fans will continue to be the best in the world. I surely hope and pray for it alongside you. But I have an additional prayer, let them be educated fans, not emotional like our neighbours. In that spirit I conclude joining hands with you in wishing the team all the very best of luck. Cheers.
I was merely trying to provide another point of view and I'm really pleased to see that you have understood and respected what I have said.
ReplyDeleteThe selection choices are a very fair and valid argument; I agree that Mendis 'could' have possibly been a better option; regardless of his form against India he provides the level of variety and is always a good complement to Muri. He was also without a doubt the inform and ready player; he was there for the QF and SF and would have been mentally well set to play the final.
What really matters to me is not the argument over who should have played or about Sanga's choices to pass on the baton (not in this instance anyways). What really matters to me is their intensions in all of this; like you, I have always enjoyed the post-morterm of a cricket match; it is arguably one of the best things about the sport. It's just that I felt in your write up that you were too harsh on some of the players and the team in general; comparing them to politicians for example? was unnecessary in my point of view. Mistakes do happen and especially in a final against a team like India.. in Mumbai... where there's 35,000+ fans who can get so loud that they could not hear the coin toss; even the very best can crumble under the pressure.
Take for example the 96 world cup, we saw the aussies drop 3 catches!.. Warne bowl full tosses and other commit major blunders during the game.. this! from a team that is known for their discipline and their ruthlessness. It has also happened on countless other world cup finals to other teams; so let us give our team the benefit of the doubt; to "try" your best does not always mean that you will do your best in the eyes of everyone else.
I'm glad that you share my point of view about being educated fans and over extremists; this is what we must always maintain and strive for; It's shows that we are a 'smart' society with the ability endure and the wisdom to understand. Our Cricket team has always been important to all of us and I hope that win or lose, cricket will be loved and celebrated among the Sri Lanka's the world over. I hope that Sri Lanka will always be a great place for cricket and every time our team steps out they will have the support and cheer that we are renowned for!
Match was sold to Indians!! I really disappointed how SL team played at the finals!! I have seen many great losses but they fought back till the end but this????
ReplyDeleteSHIT!!!