Sri Lanka have turned to seasoned Australian campaigner Jammie Siddons to steady the ship and sharpen their edge, with the new women’s head coach making it clear that toppling heavyweights, not merely making up the numbers, will be the name of the game.
Siddons, a well-travelled coach with miles on the clock, has set his sights firmly on the upcoming Women’s World Cup in England, where Sri Lanka will open proceedings against the hosts at Edgbaston in June. It’s a baptism by fire, England in their own backyard, but the message from the dressing room is simple: try and beat top teams regularly.
Drawn alongside England, West Indies, New Zealand, Ireland and Scotland in a six-team group, Sri Lanka know there’s little room for passengers. It’s sink or swim.
“The World Cup is our big focus and we’ve got some tough games coming up,” Siddons told reporters on the sidelines of a floodlit training session at the CCC. “England at home will be a hard nut to crack. West Indies and New Zealand are quality sides as well.”
Before the main event, Sri Lanka will have a dress rehearsal in Bangladesh, a chance to blood fresh faces.
“We’re heading to Bangladesh before the World Cup and that gives us an opportunity to look at some of the new players coming through,” Siddons added, casting an eye on the next crop.
Sri Lanka’s women have made steady strides over the past two years under Rumesh Rathnayake, but as any seasoned observer will tell you, fine margins often decide games at this level and there are still a few loose ends to tie up.
Fielding, particularly in the deep, has been their Achilles’ heel. Dropped catches have cost them dear, while a lack of firepower with the bat has meant they’ve often been caught playing catch-up against the game’s heavyweights; Australia, England and India.
“From a bowling perspective, we need a few more tricks in the bag. The girls have to develop variations, slower balls, cutters and cut down the boundaries. That’s something we’ve been working on,” he said, underlining the need to outthink rather than outmuscle opponents.
For years, Sri Lanka have leaned heavily on the broad shoulders of Chamari Atapattu, their talisman, their match-winner, their go-to player when the chips are down. Siddons knows that while Chamari remains the crown jewel, cricket is no one-woman show.
“She’s our major player and we’ve depended a lot on her,” he admitted. “But we need a few more to put their hands up. Chamari still has plenty to offer.”
Encouragingly, Siddons has already spotted bright talents in the pace department, a rare commodity in the women’s game in Sri Lanka.
“I’ve seen a couple of very exciting fast bowling talents who haven’t played much yet. They could be key for us,” he said, hinting at new-ball options that could ruffle a few feathers.
Off the field, Sri Lanka Cricket has invested heavily over the last five years, the board has cast the net wide taking the game to schools, strengthening domestic competitions and ensuring a steady pipeline of talent.
There has been no shortage of cricket either, with bilateral series home and away giving players valuable time in the middle. The Under-19 side is currently cutting its teeth in Australia, while development squads are being kept busy with regular tours and fixtures.
Central contracts and match fees are now part of the furniture, a far cry from the hand-to-mouth existence of yesteryear, though there remains room for improvement.
from The Island https://ift.tt/RZymUpH
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