Why do we have so much focus on fitness?

Sri Lanka’s fitness trainer Grant Ludon keeps a close eye as players complete the two kilometer run.

by Rex Clementine

When Sri Lanka announced Mickey Arthur as their Head Coach, it was just a matter of time that he confronted some players on their fitness. Along the way, he had dropped Dilruwan Perera, Prabath Jayasuriya, Avishka Fernando and Bhankua Rajapaksa. The first to speak against the stiff fitness regime is Rajapaksa and it can be assured that there are many others who are moaning about the two kilometer run that they are supposed to do in less than eight minutes and 30 seconds and the skin fold test.

It’s not just over as yet. The eight minute 30 seconds given for the two kilometer run is just average standard. It is supposed to get stiffer by next year where players are supposed to finish the run in less than eight minutes, like it is done in rest of the world.

Head Coach Arthur and Director of Cricket Tom Moody have got good reason to argue as well. If Sri Lanka’s fast bowling coach can finish two kilometers in less than seven minutes and 30 seconds at the age of 47, why not the players who are 20 years younger than him.

Opening batsman Avishka Fernando has learned it the hard way. One of the most promising young batsmen in international cricket, Fernando failed the skin fold test. As a result, he was sent home from Galle in January having joined the team for the two match Test series against England.

Then he failed the fitness test and was overlooked for the tours of West Indies and Bangladesh. Fernando has got his act together and has improved his fitness. He now finds himself back in the side for the tour of England. But he has missed out on a central contract. Quite harsh one may say but given the team’s poor fitness standards, there’s only one way players are going to learn.

Exciting times are ahead as we are going to see two attacking batsmen in Danushka Gunathilaka and Avishka Fernando opening the batting in England. Well, not if Gunathilaka fails a second fitness test. Both him and Dhananjaya de Silva need to finish the two kilometer run in less than eight minutes and 30 seconds if they need to be on that plane to England.

New fitness standards are going to help improve the game overall. You’ll see new energy levels on the field, better running between the wickets and more importantly batters being able to bat for long and bowlers having the stamina to go for longer spells.

Sidath Wettimuny during the Lord’s Test in 1984 had an opportunity to go onto become the first Sri Lankan to score a double hundred. It would have been quite an achievement as well as he would have become the first Sri Lankan to score a hundred, first Sri Lankan to 150 mark and then the double hundred. But he was dismissed for 190 on the third day of the Test match having batted for two full days. Wettimuny always says that if he had the fitness levels of the current players he would have achieved much more.