SRI LANKA CRICKET BOARD ( ARAVINDA DE SILVA) BATTING FOR INDIA AND GLORY!
Posted on August 20th, 2010
By Dr M D P DISSANAYAKE
The recent incident (on 16 August ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 2010 at ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Dambulla Statidum) involving Suraj Randiv has been blown out of proportion by the Sri Lankan Cricket Board ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ (SLCB) headed by ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Aravainda de Silva (AS). ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It seems the SLCBƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is spearheading an agenda to appease Indian Cricket Board in an hasty manner without considering the facts.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If Suraj Randiv has apologized to SchewagƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ on the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-non-ballƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ incident, that should be the end of the matter.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If the match referee A G Hurst (Australia) did not think that this incident was ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a rule ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ violation, then why should the issue be proceeded with by SLBC?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Is Aravinda de Silva is trying to gain an international reputation, perhaps ear-marking ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a seat in theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ICC with his powerful financial status and connections with India?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sunil Gavaskar was extremely happy with the decision taken by SLBC.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Indian Team was delighted with the decision.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Indian media gave thumbs up for Aravinda.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Tony Grieg and many other commentatorsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ did not think there was a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-violation of rulesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Once again ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ (on 19 August at the same venue) Kumar Sangakkara played a fine leg lance off Nathan McCallum and whilst turning for the second run had to ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ bump into Nathan McCallum ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ (NM) at the bowlerƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s end. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ NM was in front of the wicket rather than behind the wicket to pick-up the return ball, thus preventing the crease access to Kumar Sangakakra to lodge the bat at the crease before returning for the second run. Then NM complained to the umpires, the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ umpires discussed issue and we thought that was the end of the matter.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The great cricket commentator Tony GreigƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ questioned instantly ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ whatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is it about NM complaining, NM is acting like a BabyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Then the cameraman pointed the camera ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to a mother carrying a Baby in the Stadium and Tony repreated ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- This is BabyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s stuff by NM.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Later on SLBC has reprimanded ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Kumar Sangakakara and no action initiated against NM.
During 2007 World Cup final between Sri Lanka and Australia, Adam Gilcrest had a hidden squash ball under his gloves and gave an undue advantage for Australia, scoring 149 runs out of 281.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The ICC did not take any action against Australia or Adam Gilcrest.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In Australia, in the National Rugby League, the Storm (Melbourne) has been deprived of any winning points in 2010, because the team management has ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ violated the salary caps for its players.
Once again, in 2007 World Cup Final,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ due to several interruptions by rain, the second innings of the match should have been played on the next day.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Instead the ICCƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ decided to reduce the match to 38 overs each as they were unable to re-schedule TV programming for the following day. As a results of these two major ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-rule violationsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ by the ICC, the Sri Lanka was denied of World Cup.
Sometimes,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ you can tolerate the pain inflicted on Sri Lanka by foreign elements, but we can never tolerate the pain inflicted on Sri Lanka by Sri Lankans, as they become suckers of foreign wealth, love affairs and ulterior future motives. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
The President Mahinda Rajapkse must bring either Arjuna Ranatunga or Marvan Atapattu to manage Sri Lankan Cricket.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They are true sons of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ our Soil.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They are true sonsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of Sri Lanka!ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka will never ever find a great cricketer like Arjuna Ranatunga and he must be given the rightful place andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a free hand.
August 20th, 2010 at 6:57 pm
I am sorry, Doc, but you have got it wrong! Aravinda de Silva is not the head of SL Cricket Board. That Board is headed by Somachandra de Silva. Aravinda de Silva only heads the team of selectors. Your comments about his ‘powerful financial status and connections with India’ are not merely in very bad taste but entirely misplaced.
As for the no ball incident, it was definitely not in the spirit of the game, and it was only right and proper that the players involved were disciplined and for the SL cricket authorities to have apologised for it. The SL team has won the award for fair play more than once and that reputation should be jealously guarded.
August 21st, 2010 at 12:02 am
What is this Sri Lanka, once it is bloody tamil tigers complaining that they did’nt their privileges then it is the misunderstood Dr is complaining to bring a politician back to our cricket. What about Sarath or Mervin Silva?? Whats wrong with you Sri Lankans?
August 21st, 2010 at 4:34 am
Sorry Doc you seem to have missed you points by a mile. I was watching the match and no sooner I heard Sanga’s voice in Sinhala (at that time I was not aware of the role played by Dilshan), my immediate reaction was “Shame”. We love cricket it should be played in the fashion of gamesmanship, which Sri Lankans are proud of, and we should continue to maintain those standards. Let others do wrong; we do not need to copy them just because they do it, and especially when it is wrong. Gamesmanship goes beyond the boundaries of the rule book, and that is exactly why we call it gamesmanship.
Sanga’s incident with NM, was different, NM complained, so the match referee had to take it up, and having done, Sanga was cleared. Agree NM was a cry baby, not only that he was trying to upset Sanga, which happens in the middle all the time, if you get suck in then you will most of the time loose your wicket.
I agree with cassandra “The SL team has won the award for fair play more than once and that reputation should be jealously guarded.”
Keep it up that way!
August 21st, 2010 at 3:09 pm
I fully agree with Cassandra. We do not want another Team Australia or Team India both are reputed as arrogant cricket teams. I am sure these two teams would do even worst stuff to stop an individual century.
Sangakkara also made a big mistake here, if he purposely let that bye go through, but I have to give him benefit of the doubt.
Main culprit seems to be Dilshan. I have seen him two times pretending his bat did not hit the ball to influence umpires. He should learn a lesson. I don’t know why he look up the sky to pay tribute to the Cricket God when he behaves this way.
.
August 21st, 2010 at 3:16 pm
Sangakkara’s collison with Nathan Macculum however is a perfect example how aggression should be defeated without being dishonest.
August 22nd, 2010 at 3:46 am
The Sri Lanka Cricket Board has acted in abject servility in its attitude and decision regarding Randivs no-ball. It not only fell on its knees before the Indians but also brought the players down with them. What is still more disturbing there is a backwards walk to the pre-Arjuna era of cricket when .such attitudes were common place. But Arjuna brought Sri Lankan cricket to a fare superior plane. He taught our players that they were not only equal to the rest, but also better even the best. If what the previous commentators said is true then the now great Murali should have been outlawed when Hair and Emmerson No-balled him. The spirit of the game is; the umpires word is law. Every school boy knows that. But Arjuna changed that. After him, the matter WHO the umpire is also counts. Do we allow ourselves to be brow beaten because of a so called spirit of the game? Also if what the previous commentators say is correct, then why a match referee? The Sri Lanka CB will stand in his place as it did on this occasion! Now let us come to the incident. Is bowling a no-ball illegal? This is the only questin. If not, Dilhara is constantly and repeatedly and against all advice and warnings, going against the spirit of the game!! Now Sehwag was on 99. Then Sanga lets go a bye for four. Was that legal or against the spirit of the game. The Indians could have said Sanga did it purposely. Luckily for Sanga he did not mutter any suspicious intentions into the wicket microphone. Now Randiv was on to bowl. Some players were heard as saying, ‘bowl a no-ball’ or something similar. Strictly Randiv was not obliged to follow such comments. As the pithy Sinhala saying goes: kiyanna kesey keewath, karanna siya buddhiyen kriya kala yuthuy. Randiv did bowl a no ball. Was it intentional or a misstep?. Those who shouted could have argued their innocence. They could have said, it was pure banter among colleagues like dressing room stuff. What is wrong with that. Randiv could have said; I tried something special and over stepped in the process. What is wrong with that too? The problem was, the microphone was called in to testify! Our players will do better to whisper such thoughts directly into the ear of the one concerned. Then no-balls would be in the spirit of the game! How ridiculous.
Ultimately what suffered was Sri Lanka cricket through a young upcoming player being humiliated and demoralized. The SLCB did what it knows best (and better than the match referee no doubt). That is; heads down and tails (with the bottoms as well) up. Now let every cricketing nation passing by, on seeing us in this suggestive pose, give .us a thumping kick up our Bloody A.. Thank you SLCB, you have taught the world what we do best; front side down, backside up.
August 22nd, 2010 at 6:16 am
Blaming Aravinda is not supported by any evidence. While there are good and bad of the action taken, the biggest wrong was blowing it out of proportion. It should have been allowed to be settled by regulations. SLC went out of the way to do this. It should not have.
De Costa, although Team Sri Lanka should not be arrogant like Team Australia or Team India, a certain amount of pride must be in our team. This was the case in the 1996 WC winning team. Arjuna was seen as an arrogant whatever by both the Indian and Australian teams during that time. Arjuna over did it when he overstepped his limits when Murali was no-balled. Disturbing the growth of team spirit, aggression and a sense of pride just 6 months to the WC is not good.
It was a match to forget for Sri Lanka. Its best it is forgotten.
August 22nd, 2010 at 7:15 am
Lorenzo,
Blaming Aravinda was totally wrong anyway because as I pointed out, he is NOT the chairman of the SL Cricket Board. I agree there has to be some pride in the team but you can still have that while continuing to be sporting in the way you play the game; indeed, playing the game in that spirit should itself give cause for pride.
August 22nd, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Agree with you Cassandra.
Winning is the best way to boost confidence and team pride. I hope this sour thing ends between SL players and SLC.