No Divine Intervention in Cricket
Posted on January 11th, 2012
Citizen K
Sri Lanka was humiliated in South Africa. Watching the match was painful to a Sri Lankan fan. It is about time questions were raised about the reasons for this shocking performance.
Some of our cricketers seem to think that making the sign of the cross in the middle of the pitch is all that is needed to win matches. Obviously this action seems to cast an evil spell on the whole team.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I watched the match in a restaurant along with some English friends. Even they were embarrassed about this superstitious action. White man who convertedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Brown man to Christianity do not resort to such silly behaviour.
My English friend brought me a glass of orange from the bar and before handing it me made the sign of the cross, everyone including the people around the next table burst into loud laughter.
It appears that the cricketers are under orders by some higher authority to do this for the camera. Cricket board must step in and ask these men to seek divine intervention in the dressing room and away from the watching public.
Questions have to be asked why the most successful batsman in the Test series,Tilan Samaraweera was sent home.. Dilshan should go down theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ order and let Mahela open the innings. Dilhara Fdo, ( who can’t field, bat or bowl) should be dropped .
Do not humiliate the country.
January 11th, 2012 at 3:45 pm
Keep religion out allowing INDIVIDUALS to practice their own religion anywhere they please as long as it doesn’t affect any REASONABLE person and not against the laws.
11 batsmen batted. Out of that only 1 made it to double figures. Only 2 (or 1) made the sign of the cross.
Agree Dilhara should be dropped. But not for making the sign of the cross! That is racism.
When SL won the war, religious oberservances were made in ALL 4 religions. In public. That should guide our future.
January 11th, 2012 at 5:25 pm
This is what happens most of the times. We have a caption who acts so irresponsible and claim himself as a brilliant dasher. He goes to bat and of course GETS OUT hopelessly with in fist 5 overs, thus putting rest of the batting order under so much pressure. I can recall last one day series when he did not open we actually did reasonably well.
Then he passes the blame to entire team. When there is a balling track he opts to bat and batting tract he does the opposite. So do not expect miracles as stupidity as long as these duds running the show.
God please give us a good leader at least to the Sri Lankan cricket. But is the a GOD out there?
January 12th, 2012 at 1:28 am
Lorenzo,
Not only make the sign of cross but also kissing the earth( Pakistani and Bangla) , looking at the sky (Dlishan and some others including Tendulkar) are all stupid acts.
Assuming the are God or Gods how can the help both the batsman and the bowler ? I thought these Gods or God have other work to do than watching cricket.
I don’t agree droping Dilhara. Drop Dilshan and Nuwan Kulasekara – everything will be solved.
I too don’t understand sending Samaraweera home.
January 12th, 2012 at 3:16 am
I didn’t think after the responses to his previous article that this writer would bring up again the subject of cricketers making the sign of the cross. But here we go again.
The writer says the cricketers who make the sign of the cross are being superstitious but has no problem in also saying “Obviously this action seems to cast an evil spell on the whole team.” So, what about believing in evil spells – is that also not superstitious? How ridiculously self contradictory can you get?
Yes, the Sri Lankans were shot out for 43. It was more than just embarrassing. But let’s be rational about it – the loss was not due to certain players making the sign of the cross. It was due to very poor batting (and some excellent South African bowling). And let’s also keep these things in proper perspective – the loss does not constitute the end of the world. As is often said, cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties. Only very recently the Australian Test side was routed in South Africa in one innings for a mere 47. The sky did not fall down. The Australians bounced back to win the next Test.
Let’s hope the Sri Lankan team is able to fight back in the same fashion
January 12th, 2012 at 9:38 am
Sri Lankan cricket is a reflection of the present state of the country. Corrupt, Politicised with poor governance characterises the state of affairs be it cricket,healthcare,petroleum or any other field . This certainly does not give its citizens any confidence nor any hope. The results should have been a foregone conclusion. Lets hope this will inspire reflection on the present state of affairs in every field including cricket.
January 12th, 2012 at 2:33 pm
Citizen K – I do not know why you could not explain to your English friend, the religious, cultural values we Sri lankans display in matters of great interests to us, irrespective of religion, ethnic background. These “rituals”(though I do not wish to call it so) are displayed in all acts connected with our all important events in life and as a matter of fact these practices could be seen in whole of South Asia. Did you remember, how the spectators in India recited Sanskrit “slokas” while the World Cup was played. Even you could see Pakistan players do pray to Allah before commencing the play or even before balling etc. So this is nothing to laugh at or looked down upon. That is our way of life. When you meet your friend next, please explain it to him and undoubtadly he will appreciate it.
I normlly do not venture out to discuss matters outside the main topic brought forward for discussion. But since Nadimitira, has mentioned an important aspect of this great game going down the slopes, I too wish to agree totally with him on the comments made. Just imagine, how and to what extent the Minister of Sports went to castigate the newly elected Chairman of the Cricket Board and also how he rediculed Sangakkara for his famous speech in London. Referring to Sangakkara’s speech, he said, he wanted to investigate it and with outside influence he refrained from doing it. He also, said even today he is ready to inquire into it as it was not in keeping with the contractual agreements. We know how he was silenced. Before anything could happen the Secretary to th Ministry of Deffence, Mr. Gatabhaya Rajapaksa highly praised it and was very quick to commend Sangakkara. After that all the negativity vanished and those wanted “investigative reports” went into hiding.
This Minister’s outburst was published in the Daily Mirror two days prior to the ODI with Proteas. It was a two prong attack well timed by the Hon’ble The Minister and the Media, just two days prior to the game. This, I personally feel, would have had a very demoralizing attack on the entire team who love and admire their colleague Sangakkara. That would have borougt about a revolting mental attitude among all the players and it was clealy shown and was visible in the manner of their playing out in the field. Anyway these matters will be analysed later on, but for the present we know how things are getting from bad to worse even in this sports sphere, viz politicizing with poor governance.
This game of Cricket which we Sri Lankans enjoy so much and had brought such hounour to our country must be resurrected from this dirty political ineference and bungling. It is time for the HE President to take a serious look at the situation and at least for the time being, vest this out fit with the Ministry of Defence and Rural Developement, so that Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa will take charge of it. We then know for certain no pranksters will play around to play out millions from its coffers and bring in branckrupt situation. He will certainly revitalize the honour of the game and the players. That will bring honour to our country.
January 12th, 2012 at 2:35 pm
I completely agree with this, Sri Lankans look humiliated and shamed in front of the world by this crossing act by our catholic players.It is hilarious that the true and original christians ie the whites donot follow this timid action and they mock and laugh at our primitive nature thus projecting our country as an underdeveloped african country. It may be quite right these players are under some obligation to demonstrate this sign as a way of gaining some cheap publicity to the religious institution.While it is every player’s right to engage in any religious act upon their beleif prior to the match,once they set foot on the sport field any religious act should be banned. The SLC should intervene immediately into this matter to stop this unsporting action.
CS
January 12th, 2012 at 7:06 pm
Wonder why Ben Silva hasn’t commented on this page?!?
January 12th, 2012 at 9:12 pm
Because he is not interested in cricket but asked his friend to write and later come into the discussion to reinforce his agenda !
January 13th, 2012 at 12:54 am
Time to challenge, question and dump unproven myths, Indian or otherwise.
January 13th, 2012 at 6:20 am
Here comes the fool with the agenda !
Say something more, fool. Did Nalanda Buddhists play cricket, those days ?
How about Silk Road cricketers ?
January 13th, 2012 at 8:19 am
Let me return compliments to Dham. Whilst making the sign of the cross, I say ‘God please save the soul of this dumb, confused, brainless dam fool Dham, who cannot stop using abusive language’
Unfortunatrly I do not believe in myths.
January 13th, 2012 at 8:49 am
So Ben Silva looks like you have very carefully chosen your words here…..
January 13th, 2012 at 1:54 pm
It’s a game of Cricket!
Cassandra has already commented on exactly my sentiments.
However the author wrote: –
“My English friend brought me a glass of orange from the bar and before handing it me made the sign of the cross, everyone including the people around the next table burst into loud laughter.”
Did the author not realise he was the one being mocked and laughed at?
Did the author smile and shake his head from side to side?
His “English” friends were obviously not knowledgeable or not seen Lankan cricketers at play.
Quite often you see chauffeurs and trishaw drivers in Sri Lanka running their hands over the steering wheel and making a religious gesture before commencing a journey or first thing in the morning. Perhaps a little prayer to keep them safe whilst carrying out their duties.
Likewise, cricketers and even footballers, athletes (Carl Lewis?) say a little prayer with a gesture hoping that they will perform to the best of their abilities.
In Dilhara Fernando’s case a little prayer not to over step the popping crease?
48 hours before the 1st ODI the Minister of Sports made a public statement that he would admonish the Cricket team for the internal politics and bad performance.
I bet this would have been the first time the players would have heard of it.
Should he not have had the conversation with the players in private instead of making such daft public statements? What sort of man management or motivational skills does the Minister possess? No doubt he was playing to the local gallery
The same Minister announced to the press that SLC would stage certain IPL games in SL even without consulting IPL counter parts only to be embarrassingly ignored when fixtures were announced.
Quite rightly so, IPL are not going to bail out a mal-administered Ministry especially when they see the Sports Minister demonstrate his water bottle throwing expertise in SL Parliament as we witnessed recently.
January 13th, 2012 at 4:28 pm
Thank you Gon for the compliments and I am sorry to upset you so much.
Back to more intelligent cricket talk.
It seems a lot of people belive that the performance is in reply to the minister’statements.I belive performance is in reply to inclusion of certain players. It is hard for me to think all these players getting out so cheaply. On the otherhand
regardless of Gon minister (who possibly went to same school as Mr. Silva) making Gon statements I also cannot believe Sanga and Mahela were so unprofessional to purposely get out.
About drivers worshipping the steering wheel, Marco is correct, these are minor myths most people trust to get confidence. These are the people like Gon Silva (before his enlightenement). It is childish to ban these gestures.
January 14th, 2012 at 5:47 am
How often do some of you watch major international sporting events to want to criticise the making of a religious gesture which is so commonplace? Seems like not too often because if you do you will realise that it is a very personal thing not related to cricket alone but many other sports where individuals make a personal religious invokation relative his or her faith towards success. So whats wrong with it and why are these scathing comments like “Its a White man’s act etc. made to ridicuke? Whether it be looking up at the skies, making the sign of the cross, clasping hands etc.and at times probably a muted breath of prayer which to some of the critics here ( the last category to whom obviously, oblivious it ever transpires) seems offensive for no particular reason beyond being self opinionated ? Live and let live, tolerate personal values and do not encroach into what to some people may be sacred. According to the logic of some it may then become contentious to even wear Pirith threads on one’s hands or invoke the blessings of the Sangha prior to departue.This debate seems so petty its hardly worth the time taken to read all of it.
January 17th, 2012 at 2:14 pm
May I in jest suggest to Citizen K the next time he buys a drink with his English friends he ought to humour them with a “Tebow”
http://tebowing.com/