da leao： After a post-World Cup lull, when the team stagnated under an interimmanagement, Sri Lanka’s road to the 2007 World Cup starts in earnest on Nov18, their first game with a new coach, physio and fitness trainer
Wisden CricInfo Staff14-Nov-2003After a post-World Cup lull, when the team stagnated under an interimmanagement, Sri Lanka’s road to the 2007 World Cup starts in earnest on Nov18, their first game with a new coach, physio and fitness trainer.But it’s a new beginning for an old team. The names are familiar; many havebeen around for a decade, although that’s more the result of their earlyblooding rather than a bias towards the elderly. No one could justifiably bewritten off as over-the-hill just yet.© CricInfoStill it’s significant that Sri Lanka’s new beginning starts with such anoticeable lack of new talent. Nuwan Kulasekera, a young fast bowler withallrounder potential who is spoken of highly, is the one freshman as theselectors decided to recall two old hands: Russel Arnold and Nuwan Zoysa.Where the team to remain intact until the 2007 World Cup – admittedlyunlikely – then the average age would have crept up to 33. It would not be ageriatric team but some players would be on the decline.It’s ironic that England, a country where the selectors have a reputationfor conservatism, bring to Sri Lanka a one-day squad that is filled withambitious but inexperienced 20-year-olds.A quick comparison between the two likely teams for the first day/nightmatch at Dambulla shows a remarkable difference in experience: Sri Lankawill boast a total cap count of 1718 one-day internationals compared toEngland’s paltry 357.© ReutersMarcus Trescothick, England’s most capped player with 74 matches, would bethe third most inexperienced player in Sri Lanka’s team. Michael Vaughan,the captain, would still be in charge of carrying suitcases were he SriLankan.But Sri Lanka’s selectors are not averse to picking young players; they arejust finding it difficult to find youngsters of suitable quality. They arealso mindful of throwing teenagers straight into international cricket, ahigh-risk strategy that has ruined more careers that it has made during thelast few years.The youngsters that have caught the selectors eye have been packed off toIndia with the A team for a six-week tour. The tour forms part of a newintensive A schedule designed to bridge the yawning gap between domestic andinternational cricket – results are expected next year.In the meantime, the selectors are fully justified in sticking with thetried and tested. They have picked the best side possible for an importantseries, a series that ends a four-month break and kick-starts a busy newyear. A winning start is necessary after a post-World Cup slump.Indeed, despite a 2-1 win the Caribbean in June, confidence remains fragileafter five losses in their last 10 matches and a disastrous home tri-seriesin May when they were outplayed by New Zealand and Pakistan. England,meanwhile, arrive on a roll – nine wins in 13 matches since being knockedout of the World Cup.© CricInfoThere are possible changes to be made to the team during the coming months -Romesh Kaluwitharana’s future is not assured, for example, and Tillakaratneis under pressure for his middle order slot – but first the new managementteam must settle down.John Dyson, the new Australian coach, faces the toughest task over thecoming weeks as he tries to win the respect of the players. His lack offirst-class coaching experience increases the onus on him to prove he’s upto the job. If he fails to do so he will quickly be sidelined – coaches arenot kings in Sri Lanka.CJ Clark, the interim replacement for Alex Kontouri and current A teamphysiotherapist, has already won the respect of the players, as has ShaneDuff, the new fitness trainer, but Paul Klarenaar, the national teamphysiotherapist, is under pressure – not surprising considering the enormousrespect the players had for his predecessor.After a few weeks of familiarisation, the management will get their firsttaste of the real dynamics within the team. Only then will they be able tofully integrate into the set-up, and until then they should have nocomplaints that it is the senior men who will be running the side.Fortunately, with roles already defined and so much experience packed intothe squad, the team will largely run on autopilot. The mood is upbeat and,although there are fears over the quality of pitches, a winning start to anew beginning is expected.