da winzada777： John Dyson, an Australian opener perhaps best-remembered for his acrobaticcatching, especially a gravity-defying pouch during a Test at Sydney in 1981-82,believes an equally remarkable turnaround in Sri Lanka’s form is possiblewhen he slips into
Wisden CricInfo19-Aug-2003John Dyson, an Australian opener perhaps best-remembered for his acrobaticcatching, especially a gravity-defying pouch during a Test at Sydney in 1981-82,believes an equally remarkable turnaround in Sri Lanka’s form is possiblewhen he slips into the hot seat as head coach.© CricInfoDyson, who starts a 20-month contract on September 1, signalled his loftyambitions during a recent orientation visit to Colombo. A 49-year-old with apassion for positive thinking, Dyson believes Sri Lanka have a chance ofknocking world cricket champs off their top perch.”From a world cricket point of view the first team to extend Australia willbe doing world cricket a favour,” said Dyson at his first media conference.”It’s everybody else’s job to knock them off their perch – that’s thechallenge that faces Sri Lanka.”He claims to be a fan of “the aggressive style of cricket that Sri Lankaplay”, although he admitted during a recent newspaper interview to somesurprise with their uncharacteristically dour approach during the recentTest series against New Zealand – a series he could only follow over theinternet.”You wouldn’t want every team in the world playing exactly the same varietyof cricket. You’ve got to get the team to play to their strengths and theirstyle of cricket. I think the Sri Lankan team has a great deal of depth anda great deal of talent.”He believes that the biggest weakness of the side is “maintaining theconsistency of performance.” So, it seems, his first task as he startsworking with the national squad will be unraveling the reasons for theirunpredictability.Dyson’s appointment was a surprise, announced just hours after the newThilanga Sumathipala led team had won a landslide victory in the cricketboard elections. It followed a depressing two-month period when a host ofleading coaches – including Bob Woolmer, Steve Rixon, John Bracewell, GrahamFord – had knocked back approaches from the board.Dyson, a schoolteacher with a bachelor’s degree in physical education, whichhas given him a grounding in sports psychology, biomechanics and physiology,has not previously taken full charge of a national or first-class side. Hehad been assistant coach while at New South Wales.But he came recommended by Tony Greig, the television commentator and formerEngland captain who has strong links with the new board. Aravinda de Silva,the chairman of the new cricket committee, liked what he saw and amemorandum of understanding was soon signed.Dyson needed no second invitation: “This is an opportunity to achieve one ofmy goals. I am pretty lucky to be offered this opportunity with a side withsuch potential. I am very pleased to be here and I am very excited to beinvolved with the Sri Lanka cricket team – I can see great things ahead forthem.”There’s definitely some areas we can work on and given that we improve inthose areas, we take one step at a time and move forward. What I’ve learntso far is that with a team effort, the BCCSL and the playing staff, we canhave a very good future,” he said.”It is very important at this level the players do receive individualattention on most aspects of the game,” said Dyson. “I will be looking veryclosely to developing personal training sessions in conjunction with theirphysiotherapist, and also personalised skill development sessions forplayers so that their undoubted potential is actually maximised.”Dyson, like Dav Whatmore, will not have a vote on the selection panel, athome or on tour. That had been a source of frustration for Whatmore – whoadmittedly worked with selection committees of varying competency – butDyson doesn’t expect it to be a major hurdle: “There are parameters we haveto work within, and I accept that this is a different system to what I amused to. But I am confident we can still achieve our objectives within thesystem.”