Relish the chance of playing again, Hathurusingha tells Dubai cricketers

Chandika Hathurusingha has been credited with changing the fortunes of the Bangladesh team. (AFP)

Now that the Covid-19 restrictions have been gradually lifted, it's important for aspiring cricketers to go out there and enjoy the game, says Chandika Hathurusingha.
During a webinar with the coaches and students of Desert Cubs academy, Hathurusingha, the former Sri Lanka and Bangladesh coach, urged the aspiring cricketers of Dubai to relish the chance of batting and bowling again without worrying about the technical aspects.
"The kids who have been stuck inside for a long time, the number one thing is they need to go out there and enjoy the game," said Hathurusingha.
"The first three sessions, they should just enjoy their cricket. Whether you bowl or bat, just enjoy your cricket. Don't worry about the outcome. Just go out and enjoy because you haven't been out there for the last two-three months.
"The best thing is getting the feel of the game again. For the coaches also, I have the same advice. Don't speak too much about technique and other technical aspects of the game. Let them have fun. For the kids to go out there and have fun, and then you see where your game is at."
Hathurusingha, the man credited with transforming the fortunes of the Bangladesh team, asked the Desert Cubs students to take a leaf out of Marvan Atapattu's book.
The former Sri Lankan batsman turned to his compatriot Atapattu and the iconic Michael Jordan in his attempt to prove how failures could be the pillars of success.
"You know Marvan Atappattu, his first six Test innings were spread across four years and he scored just one run from those six innings," said Hathurusingha.
"But he never gave up. He never doubted his ability. He always went back to the net, worked very hard on his game and scored lot of runs in club cricket. Then he came back to the national team and ended up with over 5000 Test runs and six double hundreds.
"So what I am trying to say is that your failures can be your pillars of success. In The Last Dance (the popular Netflix series), Michael Jordan says people only talk about his trophies and records, but nobody cares to see how many times he failed. But those failures helped Jordan get better. So never lose heart."
Hathurusingha then said learning the game is not just about learning how to bat or bowl.
"The kids also need to learn the history of the game. They should know how the game has evolved over the years," he said.
"All the top players know the history of the game. Even now, Ricky Ponting knows who is doing well in Tasmania grade cricket, Mahela Jayawardene knows who is playing well in school cricket in Sri Lanka. That's kind of involvement they have even after their retirement.
"So kids, it's not just about learning batting or bowling, it's also about learning the history of the game. That will help you as cricketer."
 

Committed to creating a safe environment: Polonnowita

Presley Polonnowita, the founder and head coach of Desert Cubs Sports Academy, says all academies in the UAE have a responsibility to maintain the highest safety standards after the authorities have cleared the way for people to return to sporting activities.
"All the academies and coaches have a major role to play in creating a safe environment," Polonnowita, a former Sri Lanka under 18 player, told Khaleej Times.
"Desert Cubs have already formed a committee to analyse the situation and prepare a procedure to get back to cricket and our main priority at present is to educate our coaches and membership with the new code of conduct, rules and regulations at the venues during coaching and practice sessions." 

Presley Polonnowita, the founder and head coach of Desert Cubs Sports Academy
 

By Rituraj Borkakoty

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