da pinup bet： Russel Arnold will be playing for his international future when he leads SriLanka A during their tough tour of South Africa and Kenya starting onMonday
Wisden CricInfo Staff22-Sep-2003Russel Arnold will be playing for his international future when he leads SriLanka A during their tough tour of South Africa and Kenya starting onMonday.© AFPDropped from the national squad after a disappointing World Cup, he returnedfor the start of the Bank Alfalah Cup, but was jettisoned again after asingle match.With his confidence at rock bottom it was unwise to recall him so soon forthat tri-series. Now though, after a long break and with domestic runs underhis belt, he claims to have a "new spring in his step" and is lookingforward to the chance of reclaiming his space in the side."The South African tour will be a stepping stone for me to make a comebackto the national team," Arnold, now 29 years old, told reporters before theSri Lanka A team’s departure to South Africa."I think if I can focus all my energies on this tour, England should takecare of itself. I will be disappointed if I don’t make it to the teamagainst England."Signs that he was coming out of the bad patch were evident during theQuadrangular series two weeks ago where he made two big hundreds (160 and147) for Old Peterites and then followed it up with a brilliant unbeaten 93in the J.R. Jayawardene trophy one-day fixture against traditional rivalsSSC."The way things have gone for me in the last couple of weekends I amconfident. When I go out to bat there is that little bit of extra spring inmy step. I feel fresh and I know where I stand," said Arnold.© CricInfo"I did spend a lot of time in the nets and worked a lot on my fitness. Butmy main focus was to clear my mind. The feeling of failure sometimes tellsvery heavily on you. Sometimes you burden yourself with unwanted things inyour mind. I should be stronger and more focused on what I have to do now,"Arnold continued."I have experienced drops in form during my career but this is the firsttime a thing like this has happened. It also came at a very important timefor Sri Lanka cricket. If I was in slightly better nick I think things mighthave been a little bit different for the team."In the World Cup semi-final against Australia we were 60-6 when I walkedin. If I was my normal self and on top of my game, there was a slight chancewe could have turned things around," he said.Sri Lanka A will play seven games in South Africa followed by five one-dayinternationals in Kenya. With England due in Sri Lanka in November Arnold -and his teammates – have a perfect opportunity to press their claims.The selectors will focus most on the batting, which has been inconsistentthroughout the past year. Apart from Arnold, Michael Vandort, Naveed Nawaz,Jehan Mubarak, Ian Daniel and Avishka Gunawardena will all be vying forplaces in the national squad.The fast bowlers will also be looked at closely too though, especially withPrabath Nissanka certain to miss the England tour because of his troublesomeknees. Currently recovering from surgery, Nissanka is targeting theAustralia tour in February for a comeback."From Sri Lanka’s point of view this `A’ tour is a great opportunity for theplayers. It comes at a time when there is a not much cricket being playedand a lot of people will be following it closely. It is also coming at atime when our cricket is not at the top and just before an England tour,"said Arnold."The team is talented and they are very keen to do well. They believe in meand I am enjoying the captaincy with them at the moment. It’s helped thatthe selectors named the squad so early as we have got to know each otherwell," he said.Captaincy is nothing new to Arnold, who has led his school St. Peter’sCollege and then his club NCC (where he is the present captain), his firmHatton National Bank and also Board XI and A teams against touring sides."Captaincy is keeping me a bit sharper and given me more responsibilities tocontribute with the bat," added Arnold.