What can we do to improve our standard of cricket?

After the last World Cup, were on the losing side in every series. Our Cricket Board has to work hard to put the national side on the winning track. However the task is not going to be easy. No doubt, we have talent in abundance and there are many youngsters knocking on the door of the national team. If we plan out meticulously and execute that strategy, then we can form a formidable side that can be a threat to any team, anywhere.

No doubt we lost the South Africa tour in both Test and One Day series. But there are some plus points from this tour. For the first time in the history of Sri Lanka cricket, we won a Test match in South Africa. Every Sri Lankan must be proud of this great achievement. Also, we won the last two One Day Internationals. This shows our ability and skills.

Therefore, I suggest the following points for our country to be a great cricket nation.

(1) Our national team should be kept united all the time. It is the responsibility of the coach and the manager to see to this aspect.

(2) Once a month there should be a meeting for the players with the Cricket Board. The Board President, selectors, coach and manager have to be present at the meeting. All grievances of players should be thrashed out during this assembly.

(3) Players have to be motivated all the time. The Cricket Board has to employ experts for this arduous task. When players are motivated they are mentally fit to give off their best to the team.

(4)When selecting players they should be selected according to merit. No player should be kept on the team because of his past performances. If he wants a place in the national team, then he has to deliver the goods.

(5) Every player should be told that he has to cooperate with the coach and the captain. He should not be allowed to dictate terms to them.(6) When signing contracts players must be prepared to play any form of games. They should not be given a chance only to play Tests, One Days or T20s. If they are allowed to play according to their wishes they will never with love for their country. Their performances will be according to their whims and fancies.

(7) When appointing a captain he should be able to play at least 12 years of cricket for the national team. If you keep on changing captains every now and then, we cannot build a solid side. From 2007 to 2012 our country has appointed four captains.

(8) All finances the Cricket Board gets have to be utilized to improve the standard of Sri Lanka cricket. If these funds are wasted on white elephants it is a crime and ‘king cricket’ will suffer.

(9) All on the Cricket Board – selectors, committee and the national team, have to be patriots. If they love money more than the game they will ruin our cricket and we will never be able to form an invincible cricket team.

(10) In a country like ours we have to prepare fast, bouncy, swinging pitches. This will help our players to prepare well when we go to foreign countries to play, especially to Australia and South Africa. We have to bring grass and soil from those countries and prepare pitches.