Sarath AbeysunderaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Ever since we joined the Kindergarten at the Royal Primary School, cricket has been part of our lives. If there was one game that bound us together right through our school career and even beyond that was cricket. It was the life blood of Royalists particularly in the 1950s and 1960s. Cricket walked with us like a shadow and gave us a level of excitement that was unmatched by any other sport.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The catchword ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”hora umpireƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ was very much part of the cricket culture in our growing years.

We knew when a wrong decision was given by an umpire. We could do nothing to overturn it.

Except shout ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Hora UmpireƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. Wrong decisions of umpires have brought miserable outcomes, distorted results, crippled careers and sometimes even strained relations between cricket playing nations.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ With the introduction of technology the situation became worse. The mistake of the umpire was vividly shown on TV screens to a worldwide audience without making use of the very same technology to correct the error of the umpire. A manifest injustice was allowed to stand. This was totally contrary to the spirit of cricket which always stood for fair play and justice.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This vexed problem of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…” hora umpiresƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…” hora decisionsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ remained unresolved in cricket until one of our own ex – classmates came to the fore and gave a solution that turned cricket adjudication on its head. He challenged a fundamental premise of traditional cricket i.e. umpireƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s decision is final. This finality is no longer granted to an umpireƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s decision is largely due to the campaign of our ex-classmate who vehemently argued in the international arena that player dissent should be allowed for a noble cause i.e. to right a wrong. He used his legal training effectively to argue his case.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ UDRS has been hailed as the most revolutionary step taken to reform cricket rules since the inception of the game. AƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sri Lankan / old Royalist has conceived a concept i.e. player referral, which has brought fairness to umpiring decisions. It has been adopted by the ICC since October 1, 2009.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We must commend this achievement. To stand together with Senaka Weeraratna though he has many more hurdles to clear before he gets final recognition from the ICC. At a personal level I have decided to back SenakaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s fight for due recognition which I am certain will bring recognition and glory to our country, school and even the Royal College 1960 Group.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sarath AbeysunderaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ October 19, 2011

1)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Member of the Royal College 1960 Group

2)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  President, Illston Abey Cricket Club, Leicester, UK

3)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Member, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), UK

4)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Member, Carlton Club, London, UK

5)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Former Chairman, UK Committee, Sri Lanka Cricket Board ( 2001 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” 2008)

6)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Owner of Sigiriya Cricket Grounds, Leicester, UK

7)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Email address – sarath_abeysundera < sarath_abeysundera@hotmail.com>

8)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Tel. No. 0044 (011) 6 259 9840 (UK), 079 80 211 939 (mobile UK), 072 355 3162 (mobile SL) Currently in Sri Lanka.