Muppets, jokers and gentlemen
July 11, 2015, 6:45 pm
Rex Clementine
Sri Lanka’s excellent run in Test cricket against Pakistan has finally come to an end. Since 2006, Sri Lanka had won three home series in a row against Pakistan and that brilliant run ended Tuesday after Pakistan’s record breaking run chase at Pallekele.
Skipper Angelo Mathews conceded that defeat will take some time to digest. His century under pressure had helped Sri Lanka to set a target of 377 and he was extremely confident of winning as no team had chased more than 352 in Sri Lanka to win a Test Match. Pakistan’s highest run chase to win a Test prior to Pallekele was 315.
Sri Lankans were stunned at the ease with which Pakistan chased down the target. It was nerveless batting, something unusual about Pakistan. It was a remarkable recovery as well after being 13 for two.
Sri Lanka’s bowling was flat. It lacked venom. Wicket taking deliveries were few and rare.
Sri Lanka’s strength is spin bowling. It has always been. But for Pallekele they were overawed by the greenish nature of the wicket and opted to play three seamers. Including Angelo Mathews they had four seamers. Coach Marvan Atapattu had mistaken Pallekele to Perth!
Generally, Marvan’s coaching has been defensive and overcautious. He is the kind of coach who wants to play it safe. His first option always would be draws. His selection choices bizarre!
Sanath Jayasuriya attracted much criticism during the recent ICC Cricket World Cup for team selections. But the untold story is that both Marvan and captain Angelo approved or insisted on most of these selections.
There were some bizarre requests. Thankfully the selectors resisted after pressure from the media. For example, when Dhammika Prasad was injured a couple of days before the World Cup campaign, the replacement Marvan and Angelo asked for was Dilhara Fernando, who hadn’t played an ODI since 2012.
Post Jayasuriya era, weird selections continue. Selectors get constantly criticized and get exposed. Marvan has managed to stay away from spotlight.
For the deciding third Test at Pallekele, as Sri Lanka packed the side with four seamers, they left out left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, Sri Lanka’s most successful bowler at present. Outrageous.
In the previous series between the teams, Herath was the main destroyer as Pakistan were beaten 2-0. Herath, often the unsung hero of Sri Lankan cricket, picked up 23 wickets in that two match series in 2014.
Pakistan came well prepared against Herath this time. It worked; Herath wasn’t as effective as he was in the previous series. But it wasn’t a case of Pakistan scoring four runs an over off Herath. He was still economical mounting up the pressure through dot balls which resulted in maiden overs and wickets falling at other end. Of course Herath’s wickets column wasn’t impressive.
However, are you going drop your match winning bowler after ‘failure’ in two Tests? Herath is Sri Lanka’s senior most cricketers at present. Actually, he is more senior than Kumar Sangakkara. But he unfortunately has been treated like a schoolboy. Imagine his frustration. The gentleman he is, Herath hasn’t made some people the laughing stock by calling them names like ‘muppets’ and ‘jokers’.
Over the 17 years he has represented Sri Lanka, Herath has gone through many setbacks and lows. Last week at Pallekele Marvan gave him the bitterest pill to swallow. It was an insult to a loyal servant of Sri Lankan cricket.Although Sri Lanka have dropped their premier bowler after just two ‘poor’ performances, it will never happen with batsmen.
Not just the established batsmen, but even a rookie. Batsmen will get copious opportunities, but if a bowler doesn’t take wickets in two games he will face the axe. This indeed is a sport heavily favoured towards batsmen.Since coming into the set up in 2011, Marvan has got a firm grip over the national team. Apart from being the Head Coach, he has been able to convince the administration to let him work with the atmosphere he is comfortable with. He wasn’t happy with the trainer; Sri Lanka Cricket changed the trainer. He wasn’t happy with the fast bowling coach, Sri Lanka Cricket downgraded Chaminda Vaas and then smoked him out.
It’s time that the spotlight turned on Marvan.
