Shotgun approach will not solve the problem

In Sri Lanka there are similar rumblings, but these are more about the captain and manager than the other two quotients of the triangle: the coach and the selectors. South Africa have, this year, already gone through this metamorphosis after the Australian tour debacle. Transformation in this case though has been far from easy: a new selection panel, coach and a new plan of action have been put in place by a recently convened Nation Cricket Committee.

Shaun Pollock is still captain until the end of the World Cup after which there will be another look at where the side stands in terms of achievement; from the triangular series in Morocco to the World Cup. There will be only six Tests and two of those are against minnows Bangladesh while the rest of the programme consists of as many as 22 LOIs games leading to the big 2003 event.

Included in this lot are 12 LOIs against Sri Lanka and Pakistan during their South African tours.

India8217;s problem, as with Sri Lanka and to an extent South Africa is that if you do not have the firepower to knock over the opposition then there is a problem. It is bowlers who win matches you have enough problems and under pressure when it comes to chasing totals in excess of 500.

South Africa and Sri Lanka have had seriously bruising experiences in recent months; the Safs lost 3-0 away to a marauding style of play where the Aussie batsmen put a puny bowling attack through the sort of thresher that was embarrassing to watch. Pollock seemed to flounder as the Aussies piled on the pressure.

Also he gave the impression that he had no answer and the criticism of the attack was laid at Corrie van Zyl8217;s coaching ethic with those he used. Allan Donald8217;s fire had gone out and it impacted on the attack. What did not help was how the selectors seemingly dabbled into the mystic and failed to grapple with the problem. If there was a plan it had been well buried.

Later there were smug grins from a couple of selectors who, having climbed on the gravy train, went across to look at how their players were shaping in the limited overs series. Well, as South Africa beat New Zealand, the surgery needed to correct the bowling imbalance did not take place.

Those selected to playing in the first two Tests were found seriously wanting.

The selectors smugness may have swiftly vanished but they failed to arrive at any satisfactory answers despite Graeme Pollock8217;s boast 8220;We have done a pretty good job8221;. The 8220;good job8221; he spoke about was wrecking a couple of careers and placing unnecessary pressure on the system.

It is doubtful whether the Sri Lankans are gong to indulge in too much indepth soul searching of the problems which have long been apparent but ignored until now. Criticism of Sanath Jayasuriya8217;s captaincy whch emerged at Kandy in 2000 after the defeat by South Africa, has been brush aside. But the there has long been a muted low-level scowl at his handling of the side, especially in South Africa eighteen months ago.

Jayasuriya8217;s leadership is just one of a couple of pressing problems in the side; the second has been that Mahela Jayawardene should be appointed with Kumar Sangakkara as his deputy. Yet the bowling attack has been the main problem.

At Lord8217;s it was patched together with Muttiah Muralitharan and Dilhara Fernando missing. The last named was still seriously short of match fitness at Old Trafford. Whatever possessed the selectors or team management to decide that Eric Upashantha, at thirty, should earn a second Test cap is another mystery.

India, however, have, as they prepare for England, a bowling attack which is varied and competitive at limited overs level. It is when the side shapes up for the four Tests against England that the true strength of the bowling attack can be judged.

For those who offer as the solution 8220;Sack Ganguly8221; need to think a little deeper. With a fit bowling attack Anil Kumble was injured in the third Test India might have won the series 2-1 instead of losing it1-2. There are those who would reinvent the wheel but as this has already been successfully achieved perhaps it is time to understand that without a penetrative bowling attack, winning Tests abroad is far from easy.