The Hindu : Sport : School cricket is our strength: Warnapura

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Wednesday, Jul 04, 2007
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School cricket is our strength: Warnapura

S. Dinakar

Chennai: Sri Lanka has a unique system for tapping talent. The schools play a big role in the process, and there are incentives for them from the board.

“The value of producing international cricketers is more than that of winning inter-school trophies,” says Bandula Warnapura, Director, Cricket Operations, Sri Lanka Cricket.

Sri Lanka’s first Test captain was in the city recently along with the country’s academy team. Speaking to The Hindu, he reveals, “Rs. 250 million, to be spent over five years, has been earmarked by the board to de velop school cricket. Schools cricket is our strength. We have a well-organised set-up.”

Windfall

And a windfall awaits schools that unearth cricketers who go on to represent the country. “The Board would pay between Rs. one million to Rs. four million to the school concerned, depending on the ability of the player it had given to the Sri Lankan team. If he had studied in two schools, the amount would be split,” says the 54-year-old Warnapura.

The Lankan board is ambitious in its plans to spread the game in the rural areas. “We want to provide facilities to all schools and all children, not just the elite ones,” notes Warnapura.

“Every school in Sri Lanka will have a turf wicket,” he adds. Matting and concrete surfaces will also be available to the budding cricketers; batsmen could strengthen back-foot play. The schools will also have the benefit of video analysis.

Warnapura wants the cricketers to further their thinking process. “A fast bowler should be able to set his own field.” He maintains over-training and over-coaching are detrimental to a cricketer’s progress.

Switching his attention to the National team, he is appreciative of Mahela Jayawardene’s captaincy. “Captaincy is a gamble but it is not a gamble without logic. Mahela reads the situations well, and the bowlers feel comfortable under him. He takes responsibility, leads from the front,” says Warnapura.

He remembers Arjuna Ranatunga’s influential leadership. “He fought for the players, and this gave the cricketers enormous confidence.”

Warnapura believes off-spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan, now 35, could carry on until he is 40 years old. A thousand Test wickets for Muralitharan, he points out, is a realistic target. “He enjoys his bowling and is very fit. Bowling comes so naturally to him,” he says.

On former captain Marvan Atapattu opting out of the home series against Bangladesh, he says, “I understand that he went through a difficult phase in the World Cup, but these things happen to all cricketers. Marvan should have grabbed the chance and proven a point.”

He is delighted that the Sri Lankan pace attack is now incisive. “Both Lasith Malinga and Dilhara Fernando have pace, and Lasith is a very awkward bowler to face. Chaminda Vaas is still a tremendous role model. I must say that the Lankan pacemen have benefited immensely from the MRF Pace Foundation.”

However, the same depth of talent is not visible in the spin bowling department. “The problem is that we are looking for another Muralitharan and someone like Murali comes along once in a lifetime. Even if there is a bowler with 25 per cent of his ability, we should groom him. We should three-day competitions at the school level. Spinners are hard to groom in one-day cricket. Sporting pitches are also essential.”

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