Critiquing Cricket

June 6, 2014 · 2:40 am

Thinking Ahead towards World Cup 2015: Sri Lanka’s ODI Fifteen

Andrew Fernando courtesy of ESPNcricinfo, with title “Fine-tuning for Sri Lanka to peak at World Cup”

Sri Lanka have the batting raw materials to launch a fine World Cup campaign but a little polishing may make a considerable difference in eight months’ time. 20 wins from 23 limited-overs matches. When Sri Lanka lost the ODI series to Pakistan in December last year, few may have envisioned such a rich start to 2014.

The win percentage of 87 may be somewhat blown out by results against a misfiring Bangladesh and two more victories against Associate sides, but Sri Lanka have wrestled through the tougher challenges as well. The spoils of the series win against England – significant because it came in early summer – will now join the regional and global titles already on display at Maitland Place.

There can only be minor complaints about Sri Lanka’s ODI side, but in the months approaching a World Cup, even the grains of sand that can set entire limited-overs machine out of kilter, deserve thorough examination. Sri Lanka owe it to their soon-to-be-departing seniors to have the best possible combination figured out, and their strategy fine-tuned, before heading into the event. Their fire has carried them through global tournaments before, but too often it has not been enough to topple surging, collected opponents near the tournament’s climax. Continue reading →

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Filed under Andrew Fidel Fernando, Angelo Mathews, cricketing rules, Mahela Jayawardene, performance, player selections, sanath jayasuriya, Sangakkara, Sri Lanka Cricket, tower of strength, unusual statistics, world cup squad

June 6, 2014 · 2:33 am

Indian MUD for Australia’s Heartland

Brydon Coverdale courtesy of ESPNcricinfo where the title reads “Australia want their own Indian soil”

Cricket Australia has come up with a novel plan to improve the team’s performance on Indian soil: import some of their own. Their 4-0 thrashing in India last year continued a recent trend of failures in sub-continental conditions and since they last toured Bangladesh in 2006, Australia have played 13 Tests in Asia for only one win, when they defeated Sri Lanka in Galle in 2011.

Their home clean-sweep in the Ashes helped propel Michael Clarke‘s men back up to No.1 in the Test rankings but staying there will require finding ways to win away from home. To that end, Cricket Australia intends to import soil from India and install Asian-style practice pitches at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane, perhaps in the middle of a greyhound track nearby. Continue reading →

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June 4, 2014 · 2:00 pm

Some Home Truths for the English Cricket Team

George Dobell in ESPNcricinfo

It would be nice, too, if England simply stopped talking about the spirit of cricket. It is not relevant when their batsmen decline to walk. It is not relevant when their batsmen, in fighting for a draw, change their gloves and ask for drinks in order to use up time. It is not relevant when their bowlers sledge or try to persuade the umpire to change a ball that is not swinging. And it is not relevant when they lure coaches from opposition teams weeks before they face them in a series.

All such issues are seen – right or wrong – as part and parcel of the professional game. So to talk of spirit only when they lose leaves them looking weak, graceless and hypocritical. Only by confronting their failings and not grasping for excuses will they start to improve. Continue reading →

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Filed under English cricket, performance, politics and cricket, reconciliation through sport, sportsmanship, Sri Lanka Cricket, unusual people

June 4, 2014 · 6:33 am

Cricket Boom in USA driven by Migrants

Courtesy of The Hindu where the title reads “Immigrants fuel U. S. cricket boom”

Cricket is enjoying a surge of popularity in America, with the debut of a national league this spring and higher demand to build pitches across the country. Areas such as New York City, California’s Silicon Valley, Washington D.C., Dallas and Chicago have become cricket hotbeds, fuelled by an influx of mostly South Asian immigrants, some of whom arrived as part of the high-tech boom. In the immigrant-rich New York area, cricket has become so popular that lotteries are being held for the chance to play in pitches at some parks. New York City schools still have the only varsity cricket league in the country, but it has doubled in size in just seven years, with 30 teams now competing for the title. Continue reading →

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June 4, 2014 · 6:01 am

Bradman supported Mankad’s action. Why, oh why, are the English whining!

Mahinda Wijesinghe

So, the England players and supporters, led by their captain, Alastair Cook, are bellyaching and whingeing about Senanayake running out Buttler at the non-striker’s end. Naturally, the crowd too joined in, and at the end of the game Cook appeared to say some nasty things to Matthews.

The bottom line is, who began this illegitimate incident that forced Senanayake’s hand? In other words, if Buttler did not provoke Senanayake by attempting to take a foul start there would not have been any incident. ICC playing regulation, amended in 2011, and applicable to this series states: “the bowler is permitted, before releasing the ball and provided he has not completed his usual delivery swing, to attempt to run out the non-striker.”

As teen-aged cricketers at school our (unpaid) coaches used to clearly advise us, that while being at the non-striker’s end, to watch the bowler’s arm and move only after the bowler has released the ball. Seems Cook and Buttler have not been advised on this matter despite reaching international levels. A very sad state of affairs when one considers the captain of the country that gave this game to the world is in the dark. Continue reading →

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June 4, 2014 · 5:51 am

Shaminda Eranga’s unique feat … unplanned

Eranga — Pic by AFP

Who’s the only bowler to take a wicket in his first over in all three forms of international cricket? asked Dennis de Silva from Sri Lanka
The answer to this tricky one is the Sri Lankan fast bowler Shaminda Eranga, who started his international career by taking the wicket of Australia’s Brad Haddin with his second ball in one-day internationals, in Hambantota in August 2011. A month later Eranga struck with his first ball in a Test, also against Australia, having Shane Watson caught at point at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. And in August 2012, in Pallekele, Eranga bowled India’s Gautam Gambhir with his fourth ball in a T20 international.

Who is Don Henadeera? nd where does he live? See http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/749075.html for answer to second question … and a whole series of unique questions

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June 4, 2014 · 5:46 am

The BUTTLER did it !! Josh Buttler must cop it

See SKYSPORTS http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/9336793/buttler-has-himself-to-blame

Sri Lankan cricketers and SLC stand firm and remain focused

Andrew Fernando in ESPNcricinfo where the title reads “Emboldened Sri Lanka keep their cool”

As the Edgbaston crowd’s displeasure eddied around the ground late in England’s innings, Sri Lanka were still, at the centre of the whirlpool. Spectators had been incensed by Sachithra Senanayake‘s run out of Jos Buttler – a Mankad which, upon the umpire’s inquiry, Angelo Mathews did not hesitate to uphold. The England innings was already creaking at 199 for 7, but as the boos rang around the ground, Sri Lanka did not delay delivering the final blows. With 220 to chase, this would be their game to lose.

It was a brief passage of play, but one which illustrated an unwavering focus that has become a theme of this Sri Lanka team’s cricket, particularly in 2014. They had had one horror day at Sharjah in January, but quickly shed the trauma of that defeat to trounce Bangladesh across all formats. An unbeaten Asia Cup campaign came as the annual contracts tussle with the board began to bubble up. That saga erupted before the World T20, which was won with contracts unsigned, and administrators engaged in disputes with senior players. Mahela Jayawardene, the man who was most visibly shaken by the heated exchanges with SLC, was the team’s lead scorer in that campaign.

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June 4, 2014 · 5:16 am

Senanayake’s mankading of Buttler clarified and defended by British reporters

George Dobell: “Senanayake catches Buttler dozing” …. http://www.espncricinfo.com/england-v-sri-lanka-2014/content/story/750041.html[/

Umpire Gough gives Buttler out

There was little doubt what the Birmingham crowd thought to the run-out of Jos Buttler. Boos rang out around Edgbaston every time Sachithra Senanayake touched the ball following his decision to end Buttler’s innings. Already utilising an action that some in England – a conservative country in cricketing terms – believe to be dubious, Senanayake will now forever be cast in the role of villain after running out the home side’s golden boy in a rare instance of ‘Mankading’ in the international game.

Buttler, the non-striking batsman, had backed up too far. He was out of his crease. Senanayake, the bowler, had warned him in the previous over. He warned him, clearly and in sight of the umpires, that if Buttler continued to back up out of his crease, he would remove the bails and complete the run out. Continue reading →

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