Sports
From mastermind to never mind

Rex Clementine in Bombay
When former captain Mahela Jayawardene was handed the reins of running cricket, everyone agreed that it was the right call. He was coming with some unprecedented success having guided Mumbai Indians to multiple titles in the IPL.
MJ was keen on working with the Under-19 side first, smart move you thought because that was exactly the blueprint Rahul Dravid had followed. Dravid had prepared the nucleus at youth level and by the time he became India coach, all the young players whom he had groomed at junior level were knocking on the doors of the senior side. Dravid has taken the Indian team to a different level while MJ has been an utter failure with Sri Lanka. What went wrong?
MJ undoubtedly is one of the brightest brains in our cricket. Arjuna Ranatunga once said that while captaining SSC, when he thinks of a move to dismiss a batsman, by the end of an over, MJ had come up with a better plan.
As Sri Lanka captain he was a godsend, always a step ahead. He had some brilliant players at his disposal, and he was smart enough to make most of them.
As coach though, why he got it wrong was because he relied too heavily on confidants. Key positions in cricket were handed to friends and on club loyalty. Most key positions of the national team be it the captaincies, post of Team Manager, Chairman of Selectors or ‘A’ team coach, no one beyond SSC were considered.
When Ashantha de Mel’s term as Chairman of Selectors ended, the names of several competent former cricketers were mentioned but MJ was hellbent on having incumbent Pramodya Wickremesinghe. MJ perhaps intended to control the selection process through one of his confidants.
But results have been disastrous. They launched a youth policy for white ball cricket alienating half a dozen seniors. Their fitness regime promising better results was used selectively. Initially, players who failed fitness tests were made ineligible for selection. But when certain players failed fitness tests, they played by a different set of rules. A bull in a China Shop is less troublesome than our Chief Selector.
Along with MJ, the selectors, Batting Coach, Bowling Coach, Fielding Coach and Physiotherapist the whole lot have to go.
Last year we faced an injury crisis in Australia. It is impossible to think that how a smart cooky like MJ failed to address the issue. The end result was that we were left with more injuries for this World Cup. How Lahiru Kumara breaks down after playing two games is inexplicable.
The MJ of good old days was a firm believer that there should be no political interference when it comes to team selections. But now he is a changed man. Just before the team departed for the World Cup, the selectors had called Dasun Shanaka to step down. It all changed dramatically in 24 hours and Dasun was back in the saddle. MJ did nothing. He kept quiet. He is a matured man and has now chosen to fight his battles carefully. How strange.
MJ was a vocal critic of our domestic structure and time and again he harped on the point that the number of teams competing in domestic cricket needs to be reduced. A system has been introduced to relegate teams and make First Class competitive again. But there has been some interferences. MJ sees no evil. He is a reformed man.
Much was expected of MJ when he took over. Instead of being ruthless and straight forward, like he used to be, he has compromised. That was his downfall.
Under his watch, discipline in the team has eroded drastically. What happened during the tour of Australia is a case of point. Instead of those players being punished and kept at arm’s length, in a bid to introduce a good culture to the team, they have been tolerated.
As for the board, they are under pressure for some time now. Not only has the performances of the national team hit new lows under their watch, but they also seem just not care and are unwilling to introduce remedies. They seem to think that press is their biggest enemy, and they are being supported by corrupt politicians and crooked lawyers. Cricket sadly has suffered. Unless we shake up the system and find remedies, our cricket is going to go the West Indies way.
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Allen, Seifert and bowlers combine to hand NZ 2-0 lead in rain-shortened contest

New Zealand’s powerful powerplay performances with both ball and bat comfortably dispatched Pakistan in the second T20I in Dunedin to give the hosts a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Jacob Duffy, Ben Sears and Ish Sodhi pinned Pakistan early to cripple their batting effort, forcing the visitors to make only 135 in the 15-overs-a-side contest, after which openers Tim Seifert (45 off 22 balls) and Finn Allen (38 from 16) killed the chase off early, adding 66 in just 28 deliveries.
Salman Agha’s 46, and economical spells from Khushdil Shah and Haris Rauf, were the positives from the Pakistan camp. But, overall, they were outplayed by the hosts, although the gulf between the two sides was lesser than in the first T20I. The teams now move to Auckland, with the visitors one defeat away from losing the series.
After New Zealand stand-in captain Michael Bracewell opted to bowl, Duffy’s rising delivery had opener Hasan Nawaz miscuing a shot to backward point in the first over itself. Sears then dismissed an aggressive Mohammad Haris for 11 when he slashed the bowler to deep third.
Agha, Pakistan’s captain, then counterattacked to give the visitors’ innings some impetus, but Bracewell’s introduction of Sodhi crippled them. Irfan Khan’s leading edge off Sodhi saw him holing out at backward point, and two balls later, Khushdil was walking back after being trapped in front of the stumps by the wristspinner.
Agha’s 28-ball 46 threatened New Zealand in the middle overs, but when he fell in the tenth over to Sears in his second spell, Pakistan lost steam. However, Shadab Khan’s 14-ball 26, and Shaheen Shah Afridi’s 14-ball 22, added some late impetus to lift the visitors to 135 for 9 in 15 overs. James Neesham, playing his first T20I in nine months, finished with 2 for 26, both wickets coming in the 13th over.
“The guys bowling into the wind bowled particularly well,” Bracewell said after the game. “I think when the wicket’s been under covers for a day or so and offering extra bounce, our bowlers used the surface well. We were pretty happy with the score at half-time.”
On one of the fastest scoring T20I grounds, a required run rate of nine per over wasn’t daunting. But Afridi’s maiden over to Seifert meant Pakistan started well.
Playing in Dunedin for the first time since his record-breaking innings of 16 sixes against Pakistan in January 2024, Allen kickstarted the chase by launching three sixes off Mohammad Ali’s back-of-a-length deliveries in the second over. Seifert went one better in the third, smashing Afridi for four sixes in the arc between extra cover and deep square leg. With seven sixes in the first three overs – the second-most in that phase of any T20I (where ball-by-ball data is available) – the openers looked in a hurry to finish the game.
Seifert fell in the fifth over even as he looked set for a rapid half-century, as he miscued Ali’s slower ball to mid-on. But his 22-ball 45 had made the chase elementary. Allen then smashed left-arm seamer Jahandad Khan for consecutive sixes in the seventh over before falling lbw next ball. His 16-ball 38 left New Zealand at 88 for 2 in seven overs, needing just another 48 from as many balls.
“After the first over [maiden], thought it was a tricky chase, but then Finn and I combined well,” Seifert, the Player of the Match, who returned to the T20I squad ahead of this series, said after the game. “As a Kiwi, playing for the nation is great, and it’s fun to be back with the boys. You’re playing with the world’s best players, and it helps you to know your game. As a player, you’re definitely learning and getting better.”
The start allowed New Zealand’s middle order to take their time, although Mark Chapman and Neesham fell for single-digit scores. Rauf, playing instead of spinner Abrar Ahmed, picked off Daryll Mitchell and Neesham in quick succession, but Mitchell Hay’s unbeaten 16-ball 21, and Bracewell’s winning boundary, took the hosts home with 11 balls to spare.
“The ground was small, and we wanted to attack their bowlers from one end with the wind,” Bracewell said about the batting performance. “But the openers went big from both ends [smiles]. We’re pretty happy with where things are at overall.”
Pakistan captain Agha said their own powerplay performances were a let-down.
“It was a better game than last game – lot of positives – but few things more to do,” Agha told the broadcasters. “We batted better but we need to finish our batting better. Bowling was decent but we need to be more consistent. We need to understand and adjust to the bounce. After the powerplay, we bowled well. We bowled well in patches, [but[ at the same time, we need to be more consistent in powerplay bowling.”
Brief scores: [15 overs a side]
New Zealand 137 for 5 in 13.1 overs (Tim Seifert 45, Finn Allen 38, Mitchell Hay 21*; Haris Rauf 2-20) beat Pakistan 135 for 9 in 15 over (Salman Agha 46, Shadab Khan 26, Shaheen Shah Afridi 22*; Ish Sodhi 2-17, Jacob Duffy 2-20, Ben Sears 2-23, James Neesham 2-26) by five wickets
[Cricinfo]
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Rain washes out decider with series between New Zealand Women and Sri Lanka Women ending at 1-1

Dunedin rain has washed away hopes of a series result between New Zealand and Sri Lanka after only 14.1 overs were possible in the third T20I on Tuesday.
Several lengthy rain delays ended any hopes of a result after New Zealand had made a bright start with the bat, having been sent in by Chamari Athapaththu.
Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer shared a 60-run stand in eight overs before the first rain delay halted play. Shortly after returning Bates fell to Athapaththu for 31 off 28 before rain returned again.
The match was reduced to 15-overs a side thanks to the second delay. Sri Lanka’s bowlers made the most of break, picking up two wickets on return. Plimmer continued her good form striking three boundaries and two sixes to reach 46 not out before rain ended the match.
Athapaththu finished player of the truncated series with scores of 64 not out and 23 and bowling returns of 1-10, 0-19 and 1-19 across the series.
Brief scores:
New Zealand Women 101 for 3 in 14.1 overs (Georgia Plimmer 46*, Suzie Bates 31, Izzy Sharp17*; Inoshi Priyadarshani 1-27, Chamari Athapaththu 1-19, Kavisha Dilhari 1-21) against Sri Lanka Women No result
[Cricinfo]
Sports
Sri Lanka to compete against USA, Jamaica in relay finals

SL to field biggest team at World Indoor Championships
Sri Lanka Athletics is set to field its biggest contingent to a World Indoor Athletics Championship this week after World Athletics extended an invitation to include men’s and women’s 4×400 metres relay teams for the global event starting in Nanjing, China on Friday.
Sprinter Kalinga Kumarage is set to lead a young group of sprinters for the 4×400 metres relay after World Athletics invited its affiliate to fill the vacume created by the absence of some sprint powerhouses in the two relays.
Sri Lanka Athletics has selected men’s and women’s teams for the 4×400 metres relays based on the performances at the second selection trial held early this month.
The absence of leading sprinter Aruna Dharshana and the shocking defeats to some of the Asian medallists at the selection trial have opened a great opportunity for junior sprinters at the global track and field event where they will brush shoulders against USA, Jamaica, Hungary, Nigeria and China in the final.
S.B.R. Madushan, Sadew Rajakaruna and Omel Shashintha will form the men’s 4×400 metres relay team with experienced campaigner Kumarage. Rakakaruna who created a new national junior record recently and Shashintha are both school athletes and the opportunity at a global event will augur well for the duo. The reserve in the men’s 4×400 metres team is Isuru Lakshan.
Dharshana is currently training and competing in Australia. According to Sri Lanka Athletics Dharshana is not available as he has decided to complete all his commitments in Australia before returning. His absence will hinder country’s chances of producing a top performance in Nanjing where the country has a chance of qualifying for the World Relays and the World Championships.
Asian medallist Nadeesha Ramanayake will form the women’s 4×400 metres team with young aspirants Nishendra Harshani, Sayuri Lakshima and Jayeshi Uththara. Jithmi Wijetunga is the reserve selected in the team.
The women’s team will vie against China, India, USA Australia and Poland.
Sri Lanka is represented by two other athletes at the World Indoor Championships. Hurdler Kaveesha Bandara, sprinter Chamod Yodasinghe and Kalinga Kumarage secured spots for individual events through World Athletics event rankings.
The final entry lists confirmed by World Athletics include 576 athletes from 127 countries. The 576 entries comprise 264 women and 312 men.
by Reemus Fernando
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