Ananda College has been a stronghold of Sri Lankan cricket and the school has gone onto produce the most number of Test cricketers to represent the country. Until the last decade, Ananda kept producing some quality cricketers but since of late they had struggled and sadly are no longer a strong force in the game rubbing shoulders with second tier teams currently.
Back-to-back outright defeats this month paints a grim picture of Ananda cricket.
Time was when Ananda players dominated school cricket. Often their batters were the first to score 1000 runs in the season and soon the word spread around that here is a Sri Lankan Test cricketer in waiting. True to form, several of their players went onto play for the country either while still at school or soon after school. Nalanda shares the same distinction.
Given the facilities that they have at Ananda and generous old boys who are willing to spend lavishly for the development of the game, Ananda’s predicament in cricket is further puzzling.
One may say that the problem is not pertinent only to Ananda but in general the standards of cricket have dropped at school level.
Some others point out that success in sports works like a cycle. A team might dominate a sport for some time and will no longer be the same force in a few decades’ time.
Trinity for example aren’t the force they were in rugby a few decades ago, St. Benedict’s aren’t a hockey powerhouse anymore, St. Anne’s Kurunegala have faced challenging times in basketball while Zahira are beginning to lose their dominance in football to schools from the Eastern Province.
But then, there are also exceptions in sports. Take for example the Australian cricket team. A few years ago, although half a dozen of their players retired simultaneously, they didn’t struggle for an extended period of time. Their structures have been always good and obviously with the best First Class competition in the world, their players take up to challenges in international cricket like duck taking to water.
We also have the case of Isipathana in rugby. It is quite tough to dismantle their stronghold in the sport. Ananda cricket was held in the same esteem. Their outstanding feeder system was expected to overcome any challenge.
Along with the structures that Ananda had, the other advantage they possessed was that they owned some of the best coaches in the country, who remained loyal to the school for a long period of time.
These coaches merely didn’t impart knowledge on how to play the forward defence or how to swing the ball away from the batsman, but they were good teachers as well. Their priority wasn’t just winning games, but preparing players who will adapt to any challenge both on and off the field. In the long run it turned out to be the game changer.
While it is paramount to have the finest coaches, it is also important that everyone be it parents, old boys or players themselves that they all pull in the same direction.
When Ananda’s cricket is healthy, Sri Lankan cricket remains healthy too as it has been showcased for several decades now.
The school not only had excellent home-grown talents, but there was a good system to scout players as well having identified talents from outstations. The manner in which they looked after these players from far off places is commendable indeed and the schools’ old boys and administration need to be given a pat in the back.
What ails Ananda cricket is a question that not many have been able to answer. Ananda is also a school that values excellence in education. It has a reputation for producing record number of students who pass GCE Ordinary Level and GCE Advanced Level with flying colours. Historically, the school has produced the most number of students that enter universities. It is said that parents these days push their children for excellence in studies and cricket has become least of their priorities.
It seems that at younger age group levels some good talents come through but during the finishing years they do not follow the sport with the same enthusiasm as before.
Another issue apparently is that their scholarship scheme at present is somewhat flawed and the most deserving talents are no longer identified.
Although these have been tough times for Ananda cricket, there are good signs. Ruvishan Perera has gone onto represent Sri Lanka Under-19 in the ongoing Youth World Cup in South Africa and there are more players at junior levels who could go onto have an impact. With bit of guidance, they are expected to make the school a strong force in the sport again.
Former Secretary of SLC Kushil Gunasekara has just taken over as the head of Cricket Wing of Ananda. A respected sports administrator with a proven track record he has been entrusted with bigger challenges before.
Kushil was entrusted with the organizing of the Under-19 World Cup in 2000 in Sri Lanka with the participation of 16 teams at short notice. He completed the event successfully earning high praise from the ICC and it was the only time Sri Lanka entered a final of Under-19 World Cup. It won’t be a surprise if he takes Ananda back to past glories. His immediate target should be to take the team from Tier ‘B’ to Tier ‘A’.
