Susantha Jayawardena
WASN’T THIS PENALTY A REASON FOR OUR DEFEAT ?
MY SQUAD FOR THE NEXT MATCH
(1) Due to the penalty imposed for the 20th over (due to delaying the inning) Sri Lanka were allowed only 4 fielders outside the ring in the 20th over bowled by Thushara. One of the leg side fielders was removed and placed inside the ring as a result. Aussie batter, Wade was smart to attack towards the leg side due to this, by scoring a 4 and a 6 in the last over. The 4 could have been easily avoided if we had 5 fielders out of the ring where two of them were fielding between square leg and mid on fences. But we had only one fielder and he could not stop that boundary.
(2) Why in this situation, the last over was given to an inexperienced bowler like Thushara. If Chameera or Chamika was kept for the last over (knowing the penalty situation early on from the advanced warnings given in the scoreboard) SL could have reduced those 17 runs given in that over to a much lesser score. May be to 10 or even 12. Then our target would have been 159 or 157 and not 164. There wont be a super over. But SL declared as the winner.
(3) Thushara was inexperienced to handle that situation. I dont think he was even guided by any senior player or the captain to avoid bowling on a line & length that would make things easy for Wade to score big shots towards leg side boundary. Wade’s 1st ball he faced was a 4 and the 3rd ball faced was a 6, both scored in the leg side.
(4) Why Mahela was not sent for at least a week (during the matches). This tour is very important for SL as it can be considered as a rehearsal for this year’s T20 WC. Our ever-failing top order batting needs (a) changes (2) guidance to perform better in these big grounds and on bouncy / fast wickets. The team is performing without a permanent Head Coach.
(5) In both matches our top order failed and the same mistakes are repeated by two batters. With the recovery from COVID, I wish that Kusal Mendis will be available for the next match and more talented and technically perfect Janith Liyanage will be part of the team.
(6) My Squad for the next match will be.
- Pathum Nissanka
- Kusal Mendis
- Charith Asalanka
- Janith Liyanage
- Dinesh Chandimal
- Dasun Shanaka
- Wanindu Hasaranga
- Chamika Karunaratna
- Dushmantha Chameera
- Mahesh Theekshana
- Thushara / Binura
Dhanushka / Avishka needs more guidance to improve their shot selection
(7) Dasun should get the wicket keeper and the close in fielders to change their positions between the overs quickly to avoid this penalty situation in the future matches. The wicket keeper also has a greater responsibility in this regard as he is the main fielder who should lead others to complete this activity quickly.
SUSANTHA JAYAWARDENA