Matches go ahead with top management overseas :

For whose benefit is the Super Provincial limited-over tournament conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) being played?

The tournament was hurriedly arranged replacing the 4-day first-class provincial tournament that was scheduled with SLC making the announcement that it would be used as a forerunner to selection for the ICC Champions trophy to be held in England in June.

But while the Super Provincial limited-over matches are going ahead it is learnt that the Head Coach Graham Ford, Cricket Manager Asanka Gurusinha and Chairman of Selectors Sanath Jayasuriya are all currently overseas. So the question arises how seriously are, these matches being viewed with three top people who will play a prominent part in team selections not around.

The Bangladesh debacle appears to have thrown the SLC administration into a deeper muddle with contradictory announcements being made on a regular basis. It gives a casual observer the sense that a whole bunch of self proclaimed highly paid surgeons are groping in the dark. Even the best surgeon in the world needs to first diagnose what ailment a patient is carrying before performing remedial surgery. Here’s why one is pushed towards that assumption.

When Asanka Gurusinha was touted as the remedy for all ills afflicting our national side it was stated at a press conference that the chairman of the selection committee shall basically be reporting to him with Gurusinha performing the role of “tour selector”. A few days later it is announced that Gurusinha has been drafted into the selection committee under Jayasuriya in the capacity of chairman. Then we hear whispers that Graham Ford is thoroughly unhappy about Gurusinha encroaching into his territory and is about to throw in the towel and exit.

So, can somebody at SLC please state with clarity what each of these highly paid individuals job descriptions are and the reporting structure is?

In the absence of having clearly defined roles in areas of responsibility in the management team Sri Lanka can forget about making a turnaround at the Champions Trophy. As with any institution “team work” at the helm is a pre-requisite towards breeding success. Then there needs to be a level playing field and an environment where there is mutual respect among the players in the dressing room. The simple formula that can be prescribed is a complete merit based selection policy with clearly defined roles for each player.

There are also lots of announcements being made about the resources made available and the preparations in place leading up to the campaign. But, are these administrators missing the woods for the trees?

There has been much comment from ex-cricketers about the lack of a talent breeding domestic structure, the lack of proper training infrastructure etc. However, let us not forget for a moment that this country has featured in five World Cup finals without any of these facilities.

There are several other countries that boast of all conceivable resources and more who have not progressed beyond the semi-finals at a World Cup campaign. Does this say something about the sheer cricketing talent this little country of ours is blessed with?

So, actually where does the missing piece lie? It is most probably in selections and player identification.

Right royal embarrassment and disaster was averted during the recently concluded series against Bangladesh when an off-spinner was hurriedly drafted in after the anomaly was given wide publicity in the media. If not for this last minute inclusion the results no doubt would have been untenable than leveling the series across all three formats.

Then we also witnessed fast bowlers who were originally picked being confined to the bench with late inclusions getting picked in the playing eleven ahead of the original squad members.

This raises further questions on “player identification”. A close look at the teams selected for the hurriedly arranged Provincial limited-over tournament does not give one much confidence as players who should be front runners for a slot in the Champions Trophy campaign were either kept on the bench or were sidelined as standbys.

In spite of such blatant shortcomings the sports hierarchy and SLC has kept faith with the present selection committee by extending its tenure by a further year. So, the onus is now on Jayasuriya and Co to deliver on the faith vested on him by first and foremost picking the most suitable captain that can lend leadership towards victory, pick the right batsmen with clearly defined roles to perform in the batting order, and more critically pick the all important bowling line up that can deliver on the current power play structure.

They simply need to be “specialists” capable of picking up wickets in the middle overs not half-baked all-rounders as was the case during the Bangladesh series.

However, it is baffling how the top management intends identifying and picking the right players with the Head Coach, Cricket Manager and Chairman of Selectors all on overseas leave whilst the hurriedly arranged, widely publicized Provincial tournament is going on.

It is interesting to see if the ICC will be fooled into giving SLC a postponement of the April 25 deadline to name the 15 member squad like they did on several occasions during the World T20 tournament in India in 2016.

It is pertinent to mention that the squad that was approved by the Minister of Sports and declared to the ICC was changed just before the team boarded the flight to India.

It is absolutely imperative that the selectors pick the right players and the right combination creating an environment of mutual respect in the dressing room. Otherwise, even training in the North Pole in preparation for the English summer is not going to yield the desired results.