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From the gloom of the World Cup comes a ray of hope in the shape of the Sri Lanka 'A' team whose cricketers have done the country proud so far by performing admirably, to notch up three consecutive wins in as many matches on their current cricket tour of England.

The most pleasing aspect of the whole exercise is that this team of cricketers, some of whom the previous selection committee had thought were not good enough to make the World Cup squad of 15 three months ago, are now performing with distinction with some eye-catching displays.

Top of the list is 21-year-old Sebastianites all-rounder Nimesh Perera whose magnificent unbeaten century (110) coupled with four wickets for 25 runs of leg-spin was the cornerstone on which Sri Lanka 'A's 64-run win over ECB XI in the 3-day tour opener was built on. In that game, former Sri Lanka and NCC fast bowler Ravindra Pushpakumara, still only 23, picked up seven wickets bowling impressively in both innings and 25-year-old left-hander Naveed Nawaz of Bloomfield in his first outing as captain at this level scored a stroke-filled 75 before falling ill.

Another young all-rounder who is making the news is Bloomfield's 22-year-old Priyankara Wickremasinghe (most people mistake him for Pramodya Wickremasinghe). A left-hand bat and right-arm leg-spinner like Perera, Wickremasinghe virtually turned the match against Lancashire, Sri Lanka 'A's way by following his first innings bowling figures of 4 for 56 with a rearguard knock of 62. He figured in a last wicket century stand with 23-year-old CCC fast bowler Indika Gallage (54 n.o.) to enable Sri Lanka 'A' recover from a hopeless 141 for 9 and to go on and beat Lancashire by 179 runs. In this game, two other potential Sri Lanka players 25-year-old Indika de Saram (89) of Galle CC and 21-year-old left-arm spinner Ranga Herath (match bag of 8 for 101) of Moors SC displayed their skills sensibly to outsmart the opposition.

Stockily built left-handed SSC opener Avishka Gunawardana (22) , who bats in the Sanath Jayasuriya mould is another who player who has caught the eye with consistent performances. Gunawardana made an aggressive 79 in Sri Lanka 'A's win against New Zealand by three wickets and followed it up with another good half-century (62) against Lancashire.

Another Sebastianites cricketer who has made it good is 22-year-old wicket-keeper/batsman Tuwan Mohamed Dilshan whose knock of 77 coupled with that of Gunawardana enabled Sri Lanka 'A' to pass New Zealand's total of 243 with eight balls to spare.

Challenge to seniors

Beating a virtual full strength New Zealand team has so far been the most significant of the three victories. New Zealand were the dark horses to win the World Cup and they made it to the semi-finals before being ousted by Pakistan. For Sri Lanka 'A' to beat the Kiwis on a neutral ground, proved how talented these youngsters are and, given the opportunity they have shown they are prepared to outdo their much esteemed seniors, who could not get beyond the first round of the World Cup.

Their performances in England is very encouraging and should provide the necessary challenge to the national team which is on the wane through lack of such competition, ageing and lack of motivation. The excuse given for retaining 11 of the 1996 World Cup winning members to defend the trophy in England was that the youngsters tried out were not of the same standard and that they lacked experience for such a competition. The Sri Lanka 'A' tour performances have proved otherwise. These youngsters have proved that if they are given constant exposure to international cricket they are capable of delivering the goods. Sad to say, this has not been the practice in the past and it has gradually led to the eroding of the national team to its present status.

Over a period of years we have sent our top 15 players on every tour and never thought of exposing youngsters to the team even on lesser important tours. The only time occasion they were given the opportunity (when the top players decided to take a break) they performed creditably to reach the semi-finals in the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia, losing narrowly by one wicket to South Africa. On two other occasions, 'A' team tours to this country undertaken by England and South Africa ended up farcically due to the lack of planning and the shortsightedness policy of the selectors who exposed as many as 45 cricketers.

Change in management

The key to success they say is discipline. The experienced former Sri Lanka and Leicestershire cricketer Stanley Jayasinghe who is the team manager has no doubt been a plus point for the team's success. The Cricket Board's interim committee should be congratulated for appointing a person in the calibre of Jayasinghe, who is imparting his knowledge of English conditions to the youngsters and, at the end of the day, bringing forth the results which everyone expects. With his dedication to the game Jayasinghe is a no-nonesense type manager who will extract the best out of the team.

The one-day triangular series with Australia and India should give the opportunity to the national selectors to start exposing a few of these youngsters and carry it on for subsequent tours to Zimbabwe and Sharjah. Even at the risk of losing we have to expose these players. With Dav Whatmore due at the end of the month on a three-year contract, the time is now ripe to start building a team for the next World Cup in South Africa in 2003.