Cricket lovely Cricket!

I’ve always had a passion for the game from the time I was like 3! I guess I can call myself a die-hard cricket fan. To see Sri Lanka victorious is always a glorious sight; it’s a pity that it’s a rarity these days. Can anyone explain what happened to the boys in the one-day series in India? 6-1? Was it over-confidence after incomprehensive victories over Bangladesh and a depleted West Indian side? Atapattu’s leadership lacking aggression? Or was it a dilemma in team selection? The reasoning is far beyond my comprehension.

Considering the game’s glorious uncertainties, I am never a prophet of doom. I always think positively when it comes to Sri Lankan cricket. I believe that victories could be found from virtually hopeless situations. My thinking was no different when our guys were 3-0 down after demoralizing defeats on the hands Rahul Dravid’s men. I kept thinking positively, and believed in Atapattu’s captaincy to make a match out of the next 4 outings, and go on to win the series 4-3. But alas, it wasn’t to be.

To my knowledge, the last time that we were in such a slump was during the time revolving around the 1999 World Cup. The team eventually got out of it, but to-date has failed to display the consistency demonstrated during the golden era of SL cricket – the 96/97 season. When will we find back our lost laurels in ODIs?

With the Indian Test Series ongoing and a heavy away schedule ahead (ODI series in New Zealand, Tri-nation in Australia, and Asia Cup in Pakistan) the boys need to get everything right to get back on track, and keep their hopes alive to bring back the World Cup in 2007. Maybe the guys lack application, or maybe what’s required is a change in attitude and most importantly radical decisions will have to be made. Whatever has to be done, its imperative to bring back the glory days of the Ranatunga- De Silva era, sooner rather than later.

Only time will tell…. Lets wait and see.