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Will Sri Lanka struggle in the future?

ChachaCricket said:
Gunathalika and Kusal will carry their LOI team.
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Both are equally dumb. SL players don't lack talent, they lack intelligence. They fall for easy set ups, they come down to big turners like Ashwin, stay back inside the crease to 2 inch turners like Raina and so on. You can't teach intelligence to someone. They'll still smash the likes of Ireland or any other minnows. I reckon couple of players will mature over time and realize. Don't see SL playing better cricket than Bangladesh, India or Pakistan.
 
Ya safe to say they'll be a mediocre enough team for a while now.

Could well fall behind WI and Pakistan and have to qualify for the 2019 world cup??
 
Donal Cozzie said:
Ya safe to say they'll be a mediocre enough team for a while now.

Could well fall behind WI and Pakistan and have to qualify for the 2019 world cup??
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Hi Donal,

Let mark this post - I say, SRL is going to be a force in LO cricket by 2019 in UK.

Have you seen the intensity of their fielding & bowling today? What they are going through, is a transition - lost 3/4 ATGs, then Malinga & Dilshan is at their last leg, couple of promising youngster got banned; but the core of their game is not lost yet. They have appointed a top class pair as Captain & deputy (Angelo struggles in his early days, but he was always the 1st automatic choice in the team sheet, now gradually learning his tricks & he is only 26/27, his deputy is 25), they have appointed one of the best Head Coaches around & finally - look at their selection panel.

It's just a matter of time, they'll make a serious turn around - may be as early as next CT2017.
 
Some of the selections are atrocious. Kapugedra, Vandersay, Thirimanne. The school cricket system is well-established in Sri Lanka, so I hope their wells haven't run dry.
 
MMHS said:
Hi Donal,

Let mark this post - I say, SRL is going to be a force in LO cricket by 2019 in UK.

Have you seen the intensity of their fielding & bowling today? What they are going through, is a transition - lost 3/4 ATGs, then Malinga & Dilshan is at their last leg, couple of promising youngster got banned; but the core of their game is not lost yet. They have appointed a top class pair as Captain & deputy (Angelo struggles in his early days, but he was always the 1st automatic choice in the team sheet, now gradually learning his tricks & he is only 26/27, his deputy is 25), they have appointed one of the best Head Coaches around & finally - look at their selection panel.

It's just a matter of time, they'll make a serious turn around - may be as early as next CT2017.
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What is worrisome is that it is hard to find a domestic batsman who averages 35+ in List-A. Same is the case with West Indies, but their vast experience in T20 leagues saves them.
 
asfandyar said:
Some of the selections are atrocious. Kapugedra, Vandersay, Thirimanne. The school cricket system is well-established in Sri Lanka, so I hope their wells haven't run dry.
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Vandersay just bowled an awesome over. Probably bowled a ball of the tournament to Samuels. Kapugedara is stupid, this guy came down to smash a spinner that doesn't flight the ball at all; like why would you do that ? You played like 100+ matches for SL? Thirimanne is alright, in the team full of hacks having one or two player like him is ok. Few decisions went against SL but SL still deserved to lose purely based on how reetarded their players are.
 
Sri Lanka has even bigger problems than Pakistan but i wonder whether the likes of Jayasuriya, Russel Arnold, Sangakarra, Jaywardene, De Silva linch their team brutally in public after every defeat? What about their fans?
 
I feel sorry for Sri Lanka and it makes me sad when they lose unless it's a Pakistan game.
 
AlphaFighter said:
Sri Lanka has even bigger problems than Pakistan but i wonder whether the likes of Jayasuriya, Russel Arnold, Sangakarra, Jaywardene, De Silva linch their team brutally in public after every defeat? What about their fans?
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It is a young team, you can't expect them to be world beaters, hence low expectations mean little disappointment.
 
Mamoon said:
You are really bad when you are worse than Pakistan.
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The difference between Pakistan and Sri Lanka is that no matter how bad Pakistan gets they have millions of people crazy about cricket just as much as Indians and that despite putting pressure acts as a massive encouragement. Sri Lankans used to be the most lively cricket fans back in 90s and early 00s but i don't know whats wrong with them in past 10 years or so have they got poor or are things not well in Sri Lanka i don't know but i dont see that same passion in Lankan crowd and even fans anymore.
 
i dont think the game is any worse in sl than it has been for the last 15 years tbh. we've always been carried by a few superstars and those guys aren't around anymore.
 
I'm not sure if Mathews is injured but he seems woefully out of form. Chandimal's is still hit or miss and the biggest disappointment is Thirimanne. He has regressed a lot and is short of confidence. Chameera is the only positive in the team now. Even their spin bowling stocks have gone down. Can't see SL dominating ICC events in the near future with these two bit cricketers
 
When was the last time they havent lost 3-4 wickets for less than 40 runs in any format?

Every time I see them they play really badly, and rely completely on Mathews and Dilshan.

Arguably the worst team in the group, yes they beat Afghanistan but Afghanistan have competed whereas SL have been comprehensively beaten in their matches.
 
It looks like this is the end of another disappointing tournament for Sri Lanka.

I don't know where they go from here. Also, Dilshan and Herath won't be playing for much longer and they certainly won't make it to another WC.
 
Had de Kock backed to be tournament top run scorer, gonna lose my bet now that England are through and SA are out :(

Darn you Sri Lanka!
 
Two of their best LOI players in Gunathalika and Kusal aren't even on the team. They would've transformed this lineup.
 
street cricketer said:
Worst ever title defence since Chelsea's..
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Actually, France left 2002 WC with 1 points in 3 games & no goal in for column - and that French team had 10-12 all time greats in their late 20s with the highest scorer of 3 leagues (French, English & Italian) for 2001-02 season & UEFA Champions League player of the years for 2001-02.

However, Srilanka's problem is different - France went to lose the WC final by shoot-out in 2006; don't see SRL doing anything like that in 2019 or 2020; but they 'll improve significantly in couple of years time.
 
ChachaCricket said:
Two of their best LOI players in Gunathalika and Kusal aren't even on the team. They would've transformed this lineup.
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Gunathilaka is nothing special. Sure Kusal looks an excellent one day batsman but he wouldn't transform the side given the problems which they have across the board.

To be fair to them they've lost some massive names recently - Sangakarra and Mahela are gone and they will soon lose Dilshan. That's the core of their batting from the last 10 years gone.

When it comes to their bowling they have pretty much lost Malinga too whose fitness is always a massive question mark. Herath is old too and will likely retire soon. And after him who's their key spinner? Senanayake is poor now that he can't chuck and Mendis is hit and miss too.
 
Gabbar Singh said:
Gunathilaka is nothing special. Sure Kusal looks an excellent one day batsman but he wouldn't transform the side given the problems which they have across the board.

To be fair to them they've lost some massive names recently - Sangakarra and Mahela are gone and they will soon lose Dilshan. That's the core of their batting from the last 10 years gone.

When it comes to their bowling they have pretty much lost Malinga too whose fitness is always a massive question mark. Herath is old too and will likely retire soon. And after him who's their key spinner? Senanayake is poor now that he can't chuck and Mendis is hit and miss too.
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Gunathilaka nothing special? Lol please.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0UEoyMYQPc

This innings is all you need to see his potential.

Kusal and Gunathilaka opening would allow Dilshan, Chandimal and Mathews to play their roles at 3-5.
 
LOL If Sri Lanka win this game :))

Come on Mathews...

In any case, they are in transition, unlike Pak, their's won't last for 13 years. They'll be ready by 2019.
 
Sri Lanka's one day slump will not last that long - they always seem to find talented cricketers in that form of the game. But when it comes to test matches, well I think they'll be rebuilding for quite a while.
 
This has been a total mismatch. Would've preferred Bangladesh to tour, they'd have put up a better fight than this.

Batting is too dependent on Mathews whose own captaincy is too defensive. He had so many men on the boundary against England's lower order. Chandimal and Thrimanne have been disappointing on this tour. Mendis looks to have potential but still young.

Bowling will soon be without Herath and the pacers without Prasad and Chameera look toothless.
 
They are easily the worst team right now barring minnows. Mathews is the only world class batsman they have right now. Do not see them coming out of this nose dive anytime soon.
 
It'll take couple of years for them to make a turn around; may be by 2017 CT, they should be a decent ODI side & in next 2 years should become a good side for 2019 WC. With lots of negatives, only positive is that SRL has the possible maximum time to prepare for next WC. I must appreciate Sanga & Mahela that when they felt they are not going to last till next WC, retired at least couple of years earlier than they should have, but it has given SRL the time to regroup & rebuild.

Test cricket will always be a challenge for them as SRL was never a great side & the interest was not much to improve either. Their batting was always good & in couple of years time, I am sure it'll reach to a certain level again, but it was the super human effort of a bowler taking ~7 wickets/Test for his last ~100 Test matches at <20 average & 2.2 economy that made them a decent Test side. They are still a good T20 side, so not much worry there, just going through the transition.
 
MMHS said:
It'll take couple of years for them to make a turn around; may be by 2017 CT, they should be a decent ODI side & in next 2 years should become a good side for 2019 WC. With lots of negatives, only positive is that SRL has the possible maximum time to prepare for next WC. I must appreciate Sanga & Mahela that when they felt they are not going to last till next WC, retired at least couple of years earlier than they should have, but it has given SRL the time to regroup & rebuild.

Test cricket will always be a challenge for them as SRL was never a great side & the interest was not much to improve either. Their batting was always good & in couple of years time, I am sure it'll reach to a certain level again, but it was the super human effort of a bowler taking ~7 wickets/Test for his last ~100 Test matches at <20 average & 2.2 economy that made them a decent Test side. They are still a good T20 side, so not much worry there, just going through the transition.
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They were arguably the worst team in their group at the world t20 man.
 
Like I've said many time, SL players basically the Bangladesh of 2008 to 2011. SL is better of giving talented, but inconsistent players a very long run hoping they would turn into something.
 
Thivagar said:
Like I've said many time, SL players basically the Bangladesh of 2008 to 2011. SL is better of giving talented, but inconsistent players a very long run hoping they would turn into something.
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I like the look of Kusal Mendis. He has potential.
 
Looks like the 'future' being referred to by OP is here.

Think they would have easily lost if they had played county sides instead of England as well.
 
When I first heard and saw the name Angelo Mathews in the 2009 World T20, I had a feeling that he is going to be someone who will be remembered for generations to come, and I still stand by it.

His evolution into a top class batsman has not been surprising. Yes he has struggled for form for a year or so now, and his captaincy is criticized for being overly conservative, but I do believe he will make Sri Lanka a good team again.

He will be a legendary cricketer and leader.
 
Bangladesh team of 2011 did better in their tour of England than SL are doing right now. So no question the current Bangladesh team would've put up way more of a fight than SL. Such a tragedy that Bangladesh are confined to playing at home and when they do tour it is to Zimbabwe most of the time whereas inferior teams like SL keep getting these big tours with a lot of matches just because of their performances in the past.

For those saying SL will be back soon - I'm not too sure. There just isn't enough young talent coming through. Mathews is world-class but his performance is beginning to be affected by having to carry the team all alone. Chandimal is an overrated FTB and a very average LOI player. Kusal Perera is talented but don't see him averaging over 37 - 38 in Tests due to the nature of his batting. The bowlers like Chameera are eye-catching but are not consistent enough other than Prasad who is already 33 and struggling with injuries. They don't have a spinner to replace Herath.

Fact is Sri Lankans aren't as passionate about cricket as Indians, Pakistanis or Bangladeshis. A lot of my close friends are from Sri Lanka and they couldn't care less about cricket. A lot of them are way more interested in rugby where SL is starting to do well. I'm afraid SL's best days in cricket may be behind them.
 
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Mamoon said:
When I first heard and saw the name Angelo Mathews in the 2009 World T20, I had a feeling that he is going to be someone who will be remembered for generations to come, and I still stand by it.

His evolution into a top class batsman has not been surprising. Yes he has struggled for form for a year or so now, and his captaincy is criticized for being overly conservative, but I do believe he will make Sri Lanka a good team again.

He will be a legendary cricketer and leader.
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He is the worst cricketing leader. He is the most defensive captain and is the first person on the team to hang his head down.
 
SL is done. Their fortunes will probably not change in the next decade. The death blow for SL was probably the retirement of Sanga and Mahela but I think it's the decline of Chandimal and Tirimanne that should worry them more. The new 'talent' is a talent less bunch.
 
Chandimal has disappointed me in this series.

Matthews is a very very fine player but has a lot to do in carrying this weaker team and seems to have stuck somewhere.

SL may require a comeback of Sanga here for any revival of hope.
 
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Donal Cozzie said:
They were arguably the worst team in their group at the world t20 man.
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True - but their group had the 2 finalists & had it been round robin (each team plays each other) , probably 1, 2 & 3 would have come from their group. They lost all the 3 matches in a tight battle & couple of those matches could have gone to either way. In fact, lack of experience cost them the ENG, match, otherwise they would have gone to last match with a chance to finish among top 2. Compared to to that, PAK was absolute disgrace in their last 3 matches & least said about BD is better.
 
It's not easy to play in UK, particularly in May. This is not like the 1980s (Or earlier) when teams used to land at Heathrow last week of April & play 1st Test at Edgbaston on 2nd Thursday of June, then 2nd Test at Lord's on 4th Thursday. Bradman scored over thousand FC runs almost every time he toured England, before playing 1st Test. Also, Lankans are playing back to back Test, starting in 8 days gap; normally in ENG, Tests are played in alternate weeks.

This is a very young & inexperienced Lankan team, not sure how many of them had toured England before and they were put into the toughest 2 grounds in North England, in May. I know, these are excuses, BUT, ECB (In fact up to Uganda Cricket Board) is not PCB - so, instead of Southampton & Cardiff, they put Lankans at Leeds & Durham in those Tests in May. On such condition, most teams 'll suffer, may not be to such extent, but it would have been difficult even for AUS or SAF to face this English attack on these context, after 1 weeks preparation, particularly coming from South Asia. Few years back, PAK got all-out under 100, probably 2/3 times in 4 Test - that too in 2nd half of the summer & the very next year an experienced Indian side lost 4-0, with 1 or 2 innings defeats.

I am sure Lankan's 'll put a much better show after 2 more weeks in UK & the summer is into June on a good Lord's track.
 
Mathews is a disastrous captain, I think he rivals Sachin in the bad captaincy stakes. Is nowhere close in terms of batsmanship though.
 
MMHS said:
It's not easy to play in UK, particularly in May. This is not like the 1980s (Or earlier) when teams used to land at Heathrow last week of April & play 1st Test at Edgbaston on 2nd Thursday of June, then 2nd Test at Lord's on 4th Thursday. Bradman scored over thousand FC runs almost every time he toured England, before playing 1st Test. Also, Lankans are playing back to back Test, starting in 8 days gap; normally in ENG, Tests are played in alternate weeks.

This is a very young & inexperienced Lankan team, not sure how many of them had toured England before and they were put into the toughest 2 grounds in North England, in May. I know, these are excuses, BUT, ECB (In fact up to Uganda Cricket Board) is not PCB - so, instead of Southampton & Cardiff, they put Lankans at Leeds & Durham in those Tests in May. On such condition, most teams 'll suffer, may not be to such extent, but it would have been difficult even for AUS or SAF to face this English attack on these context, after 1 weeks preparation, particularly coming from South Asia. Few years back, PAK got all-out under 100, probably 2/3 times in 4 Test - that too in 2nd half of the summer & the very next year an experienced Indian side lost 4-0, with 1 or 2 innings defeats.

I am sure Lankan's 'll put a much better show after 2 more weeks in UK & the summer is into June on a good Lord's track.
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They arrived in the UK 3 weeks before the first test rather than 1 week however.

Also as far as I know the ECB don't actually place the test, it's simply down to who bids for it.
 
HitWicket said:
They arrived in the UK 3 weeks before the first test rather than 1 week however.

Also as far as I know the ECB don't actually place the test, it's simply down to who bids for it.
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I thought, they played 1st FC match on 8th May, that's 11 days before 1st Test, I might be wrong though. Still it's not easy - mid May is toughest period to play Cricket for an Asian side. Regarding venue, there is off course bidding as the Counties are individual business unit, and it had been always like that. But, ECB definitely has the final say on the scheduling - it can't be that for almost a Century, before 2000s, ENG, AUS & SAF maintained similar schedule/order for summer Test venues. Last Ashes or may be in 2012, there was a Test at Cardiff & Southampton, while Old Trafford & Headingley missing an Ashes Test - not sure if Manchester or Leeds being out bid for an Ashes Test by Cardiff & Southampton.
 
Said it a few years back as well. There isn't much batting talent in Lanka and that's why they're getting humiliated world wide for months now. Even with Sanga only still around they used to get bashed but now there is absolutely no one to put up a fight for them.

Mathews bats at 5 or 6 and then it's usually already done. They need a stable top order yet again but that could take several years as their u-19 teams haven't produced anything special either.
 
MMHS said:
I thought, they played 1st FC match on 8th May, that's 11 days before 1st Test, I might be wrong though. Still it's not easy - mid May is toughest period to play Cricket for an Asian side. Regarding venue, there is off course bidding as the Counties are individual business unit, and it had been always like that. But, ECB definitely has the final say on the scheduling - it can't be that for almost a Century, before 2000s, ENG, AUS & SAF maintained similar schedule/order for summer Test venues. Last Ashes or may be in 2012, there was a Test at Cardiff & Southampton, while Old Trafford & Headingley missing an Ashes Test - not sure if Manchester or Leeds being out bid for an Ashes Test by Cardiff & Southampton.
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Seems you're right on the first warmup, I was convinced it was on the first couple of days of May personally. Prior to 2000 there was only realistically the 6 traditional grounds capable of holding test matches due to their capacity, facilities and financial ability, so if the bidding process existed back then (which I don't know if it did?) there would be next to no competition at all with 5 grounds for 5 tests in the summer (assuming 2 go to Lords). With Cardiff, Southampton and Durham (along with Bristol in some ways) havinf had big redevelopments since then the traditional grounds have had to buck up their ideas a bit with more conpeitition now being present.
 
have always been a great fan of Lankan cricket.

But sad to say they have gone down hard. It was not because they were underperforming, it was because they have had a lot of cricketers without great technical skills. Their batsman didn't have great techniques and their bowlers more of a containing bowler than anything.

Bangladesh have done well to pick batsman who are technically sound and our domestics are getting better everyday. Sri Lanka need to change their culture. They need to harvest batsman with more proper technique and not the likes of Thisara Perera or Thirimanne.
 
HitWicket said:
Seems you're right on the first warmup, I was convinced it was on the first couple of days of May personally. Prior to 2000 there was only realistically the 6 traditional grounds capable of holding test matches due to their capacity, facilities and financial ability, so if the bidding process existed back then (which I don't know if it did?) there would be next to no competition at all with 5 grounds for 5 tests in the summer (assuming 2 go to Lords). With Cardiff, Southampton and Durham (along with Bristol in some ways) havinf had big redevelopments since then the traditional grounds have had to buck up their ideas a bit with more conpeitition now being present.
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Already Lankans are playing well in 2nd innings. Their inexperienced is shown in this innings as well - after scoring 26 & surviving new ball, their No. 1 got out to Woakes while No. 3 played like No. 8 & No. 4 missed the line from Moeen, after almost an hour in. In ENG, they use Dukes, therefore it swings always - once you are set, you must know how to survive for longer period. I believe, they 'll avoid inning defeat here & can fight for a draw at Lord's.
 
They're slowly rebuilding. They've got some quality players in Silva, Mathews, Chandimal, Mendis.

Need to scrap trash like Thirimanne and Karunaratne. Introduce Gunathalika and Kusal Perera next and stick with that lineup.
 
Not a good test series for Sri Lanka.

Will be interesting to see how they do at home once the great Herath calls it a day.
 
Need Mathews and chandimal to step up. There young batters need time to adjust to international cricket . They'll struggle for a couple of years but wouldn't be surprised if they made a come back.
 
Sri Lankan Cricket is at it's lowest point since perhaps pre-1996. It'll take years for them to develop a good team. There is talent there but I'm not sure I see too many match winners.
 
Sri Lanka batting is good. Kusal Mendis has a bit of Sachin in him, Dickweala has a Dilshan-Mahela combo and Gunaratne seems very good, he is old wonder what he was doing all this time ? I only saw few T20s of SL play vs South Africa and Australia.
 
SRL needs to change their strategy. Don't know, who is behind this suicidal strategy of picking 10 all-rounders/batsmen in playing XI, but that won't work in any ODI game. May be, sometimes they'll get teams off guard when setting scores and chase a target (like IND did in CT - posted under per score from over precaution), but won't defend much with this strategy.

Their batting is decent, sparkling in many days, on top of that, they probably has 3 WCs, that can make the team on batting merit - hence, they must plan to pick at least 3 bowlers on absolute bowling merit, preferably 4.

Dickwella+
Gunathilaka
Tharanga
BKG Mendis
Methews
LD Chandimal*
1 all-rounder, thats it!!!! (Asela Gunaratne/ Sachith Pathirana/ Thisara Perera/Dhananjaya)
Pacer (Malinga ?)
Pacer
Spinner
Pacer/Spinner

I am going by names from head, but there could be better options - but the idea is same : 5 batsmen, including a WK, Anjelo Methews as the batting all-rounder, one bits & pieces all-rounder at 7, 4 bowlers on bowling merit - combination depending on the condition & No. 7's profile. Since they have few batsmen who can bowl a bit spin, may be they should play 1 specialist spinner, preferably the best leggi in the country & 3 pacers.


This model of playing 4/5 bits & pieces bowlers, expecting batting contribution will work only in random matches. Overall, still the players are quite talented, just the combination isn't right. I still believe, they'll make a very good team for 2019, if they start to give exposure to 2/3 young pacers, to be ready in 2 years time.
 
Mark my words,Sri Lankan cricket will rise again.They need to find a couple of good pacers and a genuine offie.

Most importantly they need to take captaincy away from Captain Clueless.
 
Is this series a turning point for Sri Lankan cricket? As well as they’ve done here and all respect to them for it but I can’t help but feel Pakistan have made them look a lot better than they actually are.
 
Looks like Pakistan will have bigger problems without YK & Misbah.

Sarfaraz captaincy has been terrible but will learn. Tough times ahead.
 
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