Contracts and Contradictions

There is a problem in Sri lankan Cricket.Well which one u might ask cause there are so many?(if u do actually ask.. well done you,because people just doesn't seem to care that SLC is nearly bankrupt)Well the problem im focusing today is central contracts.

The central contracts gives players who are in the top category around 100,000 US$ per annum with stipends.There are 5 other categories lowest which promises 22,000 US$.

Lasith Malinga,the most effective bowler in Sri lanka has is in Category 1, however he does not get paid the whole 100,000US$ due to the fact that he has retired from test cricket and gets only 40,000US$.

However all this money is merely numbers because SLC have not honoured contract payments from last year while owing months of back pay.

While SLC is in this dire predicament,The sports minister gives an interview for Sunday Times which include insights such as

We have taken the cue from Malinga. In future, if sportspersons who are performing at national level fail to sign their central contracts with their specific sports bodies we will slap a two-year ban on them 

uh..won't that make him not perform at the national level ?..anyway go on..

For instance, in the contract it is stipulated that a cricketer must be in the country at least two weeks prior to a tour. But, most of the cricketers who were engaged in the IPL returned to the island only a few days before the Pakistan tour. Yet, the SLC officials have not taken any action against anyone. As I understand, most of them still even have not signed their central contracts. That’s bad.

Firstly,no shit its bad.secondly he sounds like he just learned about this THIS SEASON! remember last year?England?IPL?Sangakkara and Mahela coming late?you had issues but they went away didnt they.And thirdly(and we are serious)welcome to modern cricket scheduling Mr Aluthgamage! If you have problem take it up with the ICC and vote for the IPL "window" have less matches against India to cover up financials problems.

Bans will not act as a deterrent for players.They will simply see it as freeing up of the calendar where they can join any T-20 league around the world and be richer for it.Why would Players trust the board when which is nearly bankrupt?Two year ban would make sure we will never get them back.Compromise and concessions are not only necessary they are vital.

Anyway this problems looks a mini drama already has an scripted ending.I doubt there would be any player banning or fines.Sports Minister thinks he calls the shots on players but he doesn't.The shots are called higher up.The same "higher ups" who left the SLC 70 million US$ in debt and doesn't want us talking about it.

Selections and a new beginning

Hello All...

Now as you may remember me saying in my first blog that I am an unreliable writer who will not blog if he does not have anything much to say. That proved to be true. I also said Mahela being captain wouldn't necessarily grant us victory if we don’t get our selections right and the 2nd test proved that, so as far as I’m concerned I’m on fire! :-p

Ego aside I’m not sure what is the right the right team either, should Prasad and Lakmal be pursued? After the 2nd match at P.Sara it has become clear that neither is very good. Also why is Shaminda Eranga being ignored he had an impressive test debut against the Australians. Now I’m not exactly suggesting that a bad selection alone lost us that match but is Thrimanna an opener? Are we going to wait and hope that Dilshan finds form and sense? Kumar Sangakkara had his worst tour for a while but we can’t really read into that as he was practically a make shift opener most of last year as well as this series. And lastly I wonder whether we need to rethink on what spinner should assist Herath in Test matches.Personally Randiv looks like the real deal,even though he went for a few..maybe a couple of more test matches would help him.

Also Pakistan looks like their finally getting cricket back in their country with an ODI tour of Bangladesh. International cricket needs Pakistan not only as a cricketing team but also at as a nation.

P.s-Appreciate it if you guys could comment on what should be the team's composition should be.

Cheers :)

Dear Leader

They say there is a dearth of leaders in this country.Its the reason for the people to support a president who fucks around with their lives.Just the fact that there's nobody better.Well,We finally got one..In cricket, but nevertheless,Mahela Jayawardene is the perfect captain,In fact i'll go one beyond that,He is the captain every team should have.

He attacks with his field.Close in fielders slip's in the the middle overs,Its all or nothing captaincy.Can make us concede 320 in 40 overs(if the bowling is shit)can make us defend 238.That's what makes his captaincy fascinating.Makes you wonder sometimes what he was doing when he was watching Dilshan going for his stock move of bringing on himself to bowl whenever the team is in trouble(and when it is going well too..he just liked to do stuff ...bless him :-))
Seeing on the field,He looks a captain.Sangakara talked cool but was pretty generic as a captain.Dilshan was too involved and lost it too much too often.With Mahela he's always thinking always having a word yet still cool enough to detach himself.You get an insight into his captaincy through this video(and his "former"opinion on mankading :-p)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kihVFlR3bG8&feature=share

Epic Captain!

The prodigal son.

Hello peeps!

I was gonna hold myself back from blogging till it got to the Commonwealth Bank trophy but I thought I post this before that. 

A Friend of mine recently tweeted "A 19yr old Pakistani cricketer accused f match fixing was released after 3 months in prison. 5yr ban. Is his, a doomed career?"

This got me wondering on the fate of one of the most gifted bowlers of our generation. Pakistan is doing pretty good right now(well technically as i type this they are 53/7 so im guessing they haven't completely cured their collapsible habits but rather managed it through group therapy into irrelevant dead rubbers… presumably)But their most talented bowler just got out of his prison sentence and is banned for 5 years.

I personally don’t think its fair on him. He was an 18 year old at the time from a rural background it’s impossible for us to expect him to be mature and discerning. In a factionalized Pakistani team culture few would be brave enough to stand up to the captain’s orders. The  fact that he pleaded guilty in the spot fixing trial and accepted responsibility at the ICC arbitration at Doha that he has at least understood the gravity of his crime. 

If

the Ban holds he’ll be back in 2017 at the age of 25...I hope there will be a Pakistani team that would be willing to take him back with a management that protects young players and also a world which is ready and willing to forgive a young man’s mistake.Cz damn this kid can bowl!

Retirements and Replacements

“I have done it all for my country. When they wanted me to keep wickets in a Test Match, I did that. When they wanted me to open in a Test Match, I did that. Then when they wanted me to go back to number six, I did that. When everyone resigned and when they asked me whether I could captain, I did that. I don't care about losing the captaincy. I have done it all for my country. T.M dilshan"

The following was said by Dilshan after  Sri Lanka's victory in Kimberley in the 4th ODI.In a way the lines epitomize who Dilshan is.The ultimate utility player,Bowler,Batsmen,Wicket keeper,Point fielder he has done it all.

It is unfortunate he was not successful as a captain but it should be noted that he is at his best when he is uncluttered by responsibility.Also he took captaincy at a time nobody wanted it.

However his skill as a player did not make him an astute captain.His decision to bowl first at Cape Town can be considered as baffling(to put it mildly)and it gave away a golden opportunity to level the series.Therefore I guess the right decision is made in giving Mahela the captiancy even though it is not exactly a move towards the future.

With the appointment of Mahela also comes the appointment of the new Sri lankan cricket Coach Graham Ford.This one decision that struck me as extremely harsh.Firstly I feel that it is ironic for a man to be judged on performances by a board which is grossly incompetent and dishonest. Also there word out in the field is that Marsh works as hard as anyone in the team in getting the players ready for the match.The talk of him worrying more about his son Shaun playing for Australia  is just absolute pettiness.It is extremely unfair to the man that only was in charge for 2 series to judged so.Also its interesting to ponder on the fact that Graham Ford had declined the role when it was first offered and now his team the Dolphins have yet to win a game in the super sport series and lie at the bottom of the table but hey everybody goes through bad patches right?

On a Atapattuian Debut

Hello Internets.


This is the first post of my first blog.The blog  will be mostly about(as you may have guessed from the title)cricket,and Sri lankan cricket in particular.


There are several reasons why I thought of starting a blog about cricket,but they all have the root cause of boredom attached.So yeah..was bored.


Usually as things go with me this blog will probably have a very short life span,during which it will possibly try to fill the reader with opinions full of cynicism.Like giving Mahela the captaincy wont change squat unless we get our selections right,Sacithra Senanayaka's action is gonna be reported..again Etc also its going to have a bit of nostalgia such as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPmKxh0fvgg&feature=player_embedded :-)

Also to make this blog last a while at least I promise to blog only when I have feel I really got something and not to fill it with shit that will makes less sense than usual.:)


So here's to my first blog and Hope it works out.:-) Your  feed back is most appreciated in the form of comments of all kind :-)


Cheers! 




P.S-For those who did not get the title its a reference to Marvan Atapattu's Debut which was a duck..and the next 5 innings yielded just 1 and it took him 7 years since his debut to reach his first hundred and yet he ended up having an average of nearly 40.While I hope I find success faster.I get inspiration from the dude to get better at what ever im doing :-)