The time has come to start preparations for the future
Mahela Jayawardene15-May-2001<IMG SRC="/perl/picture.cgi/006452/inline?alt=1" align=top border=1hspace=1 vspace=2 width=100 height=150 alt="Mahela Jayawardene"The time has come to start preparations for the future. Our break after theARY Gold Cup in Sharjah was short-lived, as most of the squad turned out fortheir clubs in the last two weeks of the Premier League and are now busilypreparing for the Mercantile Cricket Association tournament, a competitiveone-day tournament that will provide us all with excellent preparation forthe forthcoming triangular series with India and New Zealand.The fact that there are just eight sides in the top Mercantile divisionensures that this is the most competitive domestic one-day tournament of theyear. With all the national players also participating, there will be someextra spice too, as the young players set out to make a name and try to grabthe attention of the new selection panel.There are some exciting young players about, so it will interesting to seehow they fare in this years tournament. At the risk of missing otherpromising players, three players have caught the eye in the past few months:Muthumudalige Pushpakumara, Sanjeewa Weerakoon, and Sukitha Peiris.Young, Pushpakumara, 20, is not a new kid on the block. He toured with us toPakistan last year and to South Africa over Christmas. He did not get manyopportunities, but he impressed with his attitude and fitted in well.Hopefully the decision to give him experience on those tours will bear fruitin the future.He did though perform during the Under 19 tour to England and againstEngland when they toured a few months back. He is a batting all rounder. Auseful off spinner, a fine fielder and an impressive batsman, who is gracedwith a solid technique and a calm calculating temperament. Indeed, it's hisability to score runs when the pressure is on that marks him out as a playerto watch.Sajeewa Weerakoon, a left arm spinner from Burgher Recreation Club, has alsobeen around for a couple of seasons. He impressed me a while back as a veryaccurate spinner, who looked especially effective in the one-day format ofthe game. This season, however, he took 79 wickets to become the highestwicket taker in the first class competition, nearly spinning his club to thechampionship in the process.Sri Lanka needs a long-term spinning partner for Muttiah Muralitharan,someone who is given two years to develop the necessary experience toperform at the top level, both at home and abroad. There are a handful ofleft arm spinners in domestic cricket and most of them are taking regularwickets, so the cupboard is far from bare. Sajeewa Weerakoon could well bean option for the future.Sukith Peiris is a right-handed batsman from Nalanda College that I have notwatched, but have heard a great deal. He is apparently a free flowingopening batsmen, prepared to play his shots, but also blessed with a finetechnique. The fact that he prospered Down Under on the recent Under 19 touris a testament to that technical skill. Hopefully he can develop thoseskills and progress to the highest level.There are many other players coming through the ranks, which will maintain ahealthy pressure on the national pool. They say you are only as good as yourlast innings and there is no time for complacency, especially when you arepreparing to take on a resurgent Indian team, that could be furtheredstrengthened by the return of Anil Kumble.I will certainly be working hard on my batting, focusing on the need tomaintain a high level of consistency. We need big scores in Test cricket, asthirties and forties rarely win games. Although I have improved in thisdepartment in recent times, I want to make sure that I don't waste anyopportunities once established at the crease, as my aim is to want to makebig match winning hundreds on a regular basis.