I hate to talk about individuals, but sometimes we have to breach that ethic when something looks so clearly evident and straightforward. This post is not favouring anyone or opposing the current captain as a player. To be frank, it is just to say that his captaincy looks so very dumb.
Yesterday SL lost with a heavy margin to Bangladesh. Although they were the favourites and a SL win would be a surprise at that moment, the scale of loss was too bad for even this weak team. It opens scary speculations about the team and its captaincy. It shows symptoms of chronic diseases that may not be cured in the short period before WC.
Despite the individual brilliance of Malinga, the rest looked like a flock of deer in the headlight. It wasn't the best opposition, just Bangladesh, and they were suffering from an injury and many collapses. I don't think the game was lost in any missed catches. I think they lacked a plan for the game entirely. And the captain was just hoping that something will bring the victory - something like a weather event or divine help or something.
I think the lowest point of the game was what happened after Tamim came for the second time to bat with the injury. He wouldn't have survived any delivery onto the stumps. But the only one he played was bowled to his body [WTF? injure him more?] and then SL captain never thought that other batsman should not be given the last ball single. That is street cricket, backyard cricket, or even no cricket but common sense. And that gives the best statement about SL captain.
That captaincy explains why SL loses. Have talent but no plan no thinking, just waiting for something to happen. And that also explains why SL does well in tests but fail in shorter formats. Simply because they play good strategies as evident in West Indies test series, where Mathews is not the captain. When he did last in tests we almost lost to Zimbabwe. Anyone would have been better, Chandimal, Lakmal, Tharanga, Thissara [Thissara was pretty good in captaining]. The batting failure also shows signs of lack of any plan, as they just played their shots and lost wickets.
Also, it was a crazy selection. For the lack of a batsman, they played a bowler. While having a player like Dickwella aside they played an extra bowler. Then to patch the hole they created in batting they played Dhanajaya too early and lost him. The only gain we had in SA series was the settling of no 6,7,8 with Dhananjaya Thissara and Dasun. It is very important to keep them intact, because, when Chandimal recovers they will surely be batting at those positions. If they want to fill Chandimal they should have played someone else. But keeping those 6,7,8 positions intact. For me, this tour's expectation would be how SL's 6,7,8 play in collapses [which will surely be there]. They should not have broken that just to accommodate this game.
Anyways, one more loss may kick them out in whichever stage. At least let's hope they'll do basics right. And among them, for me, is to relieve Angelo Mathews from this unnecessary burden of leading the side.
Nevertheless, I started suspecting the potential of the coach too. This cannot happen w/o his guidance.
Yesterday SL lost with a heavy margin to Bangladesh. Although they were the favourites and a SL win would be a surprise at that moment, the scale of loss was too bad for even this weak team. It opens scary speculations about the team and its captaincy. It shows symptoms of chronic diseases that may not be cured in the short period before WC.
Despite the individual brilliance of Malinga, the rest looked like a flock of deer in the headlight. It wasn't the best opposition, just Bangladesh, and they were suffering from an injury and many collapses. I don't think the game was lost in any missed catches. I think they lacked a plan for the game entirely. And the captain was just hoping that something will bring the victory - something like a weather event or divine help or something.
I think the lowest point of the game was what happened after Tamim came for the second time to bat with the injury. He wouldn't have survived any delivery onto the stumps. But the only one he played was bowled to his body [WTF? injure him more?] and then SL captain never thought that other batsman should not be given the last ball single. That is street cricket, backyard cricket, or even no cricket but common sense. And that gives the best statement about SL captain.
That captaincy explains why SL loses. Have talent but no plan no thinking, just waiting for something to happen. And that also explains why SL does well in tests but fail in shorter formats. Simply because they play good strategies as evident in West Indies test series, where Mathews is not the captain. When he did last in tests we almost lost to Zimbabwe. Anyone would have been better, Chandimal, Lakmal, Tharanga, Thissara [Thissara was pretty good in captaining]. The batting failure also shows signs of lack of any plan, as they just played their shots and lost wickets.
Also, it was a crazy selection. For the lack of a batsman, they played a bowler. While having a player like Dickwella aside they played an extra bowler. Then to patch the hole they created in batting they played Dhanajaya too early and lost him. The only gain we had in SA series was the settling of no 6,7,8 with Dhananjaya Thissara and Dasun. It is very important to keep them intact, because, when Chandimal recovers they will surely be batting at those positions. If they want to fill Chandimal they should have played someone else. But keeping those 6,7,8 positions intact. For me, this tour's expectation would be how SL's 6,7,8 play in collapses [which will surely be there]. They should not have broken that just to accommodate this game.
Anyways, one more loss may kick them out in whichever stage. At least let's hope they'll do basics right. And among them, for me, is to relieve Angelo Mathews from this unnecessary burden of leading the side.
Nevertheless, I started suspecting the potential of the coach too. This cannot happen w/o his guidance.
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