Open letter to Mr Dyson and Sri Lanka Cricket

I would like to put few things straight to Mr Dyson and Srilanka Cricket. Mr. Dyson, we know that this is not an easy job and I am sure you know that very well. Your preparation to face Australians was quite acceptable but while on the game team looked scattered and ill focused. Rule number one is, with the Sri Lankan team, do not be lenient with them unless they bring serious success. You might have to use rather military type coaching style forcing them to be more serious and desperate towards positive results.

Throughout the series, what was obvious was that we have enough latent to fight the Australians, but energies were not aligned effectively for the desired outcome. In other words, you did not manage our talent to produce acceptable results. In all three test matches, we kept repeating our mistakes. We didn’t have enough mental toughness and even in close situations, the Sri Lankan team could not appeal convincingly. While on the game, lack of vital strategic planning, lack of some vital advise how to manage batting in different situations (to people like Jayasuriaya, Mahela, Dilshan you got to keep telling them from time to time what to concentrate on through a messenger), It seemed that Hashan was all alone with his decisions rather than new thinking coming from a national coach.

Mr. Dyson, please don’t forget this is not a holiday. This is about serious business targets and results delivery.

Now this is to Sri Lanka Cricket. Right now number one issue is Murali’s throwing accusation which has been reported by Match Referee Chris Broad to ICC. Even though the purpose of this accusation is pretty obvious, now we have to deal with this in a very straight forward manner.

We have to seek legal advise to bring the Match Referee to court for damaging Murali’s reputation, as well his explanation on what grounds he has reported his views about his action to ICC when Murali has been using the same doosra for years, which can be proved with television footage. We have to get things pretty straight even with the ICC.

Why sudden urgency to investigate his action after Murali took his 500 test wickets. They should have done this in the beginning. In this we have to seek full support of the Indian and Pakistani cricket boards and have to stand straight together.

Number two issue is that the National team desperately needs the support of strategic planning while preparing a tour. If you take any successful organisation, there is a team behind its strategic planning. Our national team is no exception.

The purpose of this is planning of every piece of action with extreme considerations for the desired outcome, provide vital guidance and advise when the game is on, and analyse what went wrong as informing the team, individuals and captain what to do now or options in hand. This would be done with a three member panel reporting all their actions and results directly to Chairman in writing.
D.C. Teran Fernando
Oman