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Southerners deprived of good cricket All efforts to reschedule Singer Akai ‘Nidahas’ Trophy matches has been proved futile and the entire second leg of the tournament is most likely to be washed off. The final second leg match is down to be played today at Galle’s International Cricket stadium between New Zealand and India. Rain which disrupted Sri Lanka’s two matches in Galle against India and New Zealand is most likely to come out the winner today as well. However rare bright sunshine greeted Galle International Cricket Stadium last morning but the outfield remained wet, suggesting no play would be possible today either. However New Zealand who lost to Sri Lanka is the only winless team in the event and must be keen to have a go. It is good for the action starved southerners if at least 25 overs could be played today. NATIONAL ATHLETICS SELECTION TRIALS Veteran athlete Jayamini Illeperuma and soldier Shantha Mendis struck it rich at Sugathadasa Stadium yesterday when they stamped two new Sri Lanka records at the second National Athletics Selection trials. Jayamini, the 31 year old seasoned campaigner clocked 2 minutes 07.98 seconds to establish the new Sri Lanka 200 metre mark by bettering her own record by one tenth of a second. Swarnamali Edirisinghe of Matara gave a close pursuit for Jayamini, to be placed second returning a time of 2:09.70 seconds. The 21 year old southern Shantha Mendis proved to be in very good form when he improved on his own 3000 metre Steeple Chase record by running home in 8 minutes 45.53 seconds. Coached by Brig. Parry Liyanage, this athlete slowed down towards the end due to lack of close competition. Among the major upsets created yesterday was the sloppy performance of SAF Gold medalist, Tamara S. Deepika who slipped the third place in the 200 metres. (24.50 seconds) Pradeepa Herath with a pulsating run (24.56 seconds) won the spirit event while Shashika N. Soyza was placed second. (24.72 sec.). The other was by SAF double gold medalist Chandimal Niroshan who was placed third in the long jump (7.17m) P. D. R. Samantha of Navy leaping to 7.38 metres was the winner. It was also very disappointing to note absence of Olympic poolists, Mahesh Perera (110m. hurdles) Sriyani Kulawansa (100m. Hurdles) Chinthaka Soyza (100m. and 200 m.) for reasons best known to them. Both Damayanthi Darsha (400m) and Sugath Tillakaratne (400m) are down for competition today, and one hopes that at least they would take part. The Amateur Athletic Association must take the blame for this situation as they have not even called for explanation from these ‘star’ athletes, so far. The selections trial will conclude today. The two new Sri Lanka records: 3000M Sc-Men 1. Shantha Mendis (SL Army) 8:45.53 secs., 2. Suranga Bandara (SL Army) 9:21.14 secs., 3. G. U. Bandara (SL Air Force) 9:38.14 sec. 800M Women 1. Jayamini Illeperuma (Ace AC) 2:07.98 secs, 2. Swarnamali Edirisinghe (Matara DAA) 2:09.70 secs, 3. D. H. Mangala Piyadrashani (SL Army) 2:14.10 secs. WESTERN PROVINCE SCHOOLS BODY
BUILDING C’SHIPS W. Dinusha Samanpriya and P. Saman Thushara won their respective classes in the finals of the Western Province Schools Body Building Championships which concluded at the Isipatana MV hall last Friday. M. W. Wijesiri, W. N. Chandrasiri, K. A. S. Angulugaha judged the contest while Sarath Navagamuwa did his part well as the statistician. The results are as follows: 70 KG. AND UNDER 1. W. Dinusha Samanpriya (Dunagaha Ranasinghe MV), 2. G. W. N. Duminda (Panadura Sumangala), 3. W. A. Nalin (Henegama Wadduwa MV). OVER 75 KG 1. P. Saman Thushara (Isipatana MV), 2. K. M. Sanjaya (Panadura Sri Sumangala), 3. S. A. Suresh Wasantha Kumara (Minuwangoda Nalanda MMV). HAVE YOUR SAY This is written from the standpoint of a person, who might be described as a serious student and genuine lover of Cricket. I am lucky to have both the means and leisure for observing and enjoying a game that is closest to my heart. Is it a coincidence that when one comes to make a serious appraisal of the performance of Cricket Administrators and Selectors in Sri Lanka, you find yourself inclining towards the employment of vocabulary usually reserved for our politics and politicians? For instance, such words as 'corruption', 'incapacity', 'servility', 'malice' and 'imbecility' promptly queue up pleading to be used. Ugly Motives 1. The question that irresistibly arises is whether the entire administration of cricket is not run on an ad hoc basis, rather than on carefully conceived lines. One notices for instance, that experienced players are breezily tossed aside. Not much research is necessary to uncover the fact that this is done so on the extremely unsound premise that this little country is absolutely crammed with a wealth of talent. At this stage, doesn't the world 'imbecility' come tripping to the tongue, in proof as it were of the proposition stated above? That baser motives also underlie such decisions can equally well be established if their attendant circumstances are more closely examined. For example, let us at random, cite two instances. That of Asanka Gurusinghe, and the more recent and even more startling one of Roshan Mahanama. Let us give ear to the utterance of a leading Cricket journalist as reported in a Sunday Newspaper. "Roshan Mahanama watching the first Test against New Zealand must be an extremely bemused man. On this very ground Mahanama recorded a double century against the Indians and with Sanath Jayasuriya established the highest Partnership for any wicket in Test Cricket.... "Against the very same Stephen Flemming's men last year Mahanama's aggregate of 157 runs in 2 Tests was only second to Kaluwitharanas......" "He top scored in both innings of a Test Match. One will have to dig deep into Test Cricket history to find another instance of a Batsman top scoring in each innings of a Test Match............and pounced 8 catches!" Yesterday disaster overtook Asanka Gurusinghe. Today it is Roshan Mahanama. Aravinda's fate tomorrow we trust will not be the same! We shall soon be reduced to scraping the bottom of the barrel. Penalties of captaincy 2. How does one come to explain such bizarre conduct on the part of the Selectors? A charitable answer might suggest a softening in the brain, if only one had the assurance that some of them are in possession of same. But to speak more realistically, let us scrutinise the play of certain notorious Sri Lankan characteristics as they manifest themselves in the administration of cricket. Perhaps, culpability is not always confined to the Selectors in this instance. Might not the genesis of this problem regarding Roshan Mahanama be traced to his Captaincy of the Sri Lanka Team which toured Sharjah a few years back. This is a point on which Mr. Arjuna Ranatunga could throw some light, released as he was at that stage from the responsibilities of Captaincy. The abuse of logic 3. Is not the average lover of cricket entitled to ask this question, in the light of the confusion and egregious blunders that are now a part and parcel of the game in Sri Lanka: "What sort of record do the powers that be hold for acting sensibly?" The answer briefly, is "Pathetic". 4. Let me offer 2 glaring instances: ¥ In the recently concluded Sara Trophy Tournament Chandrika Hathurusinghe was adjudged the Player of the Tournament. This should have guaranteed his inclusion in the last National Pool. But it is understood that a member of the Selection Committee for reasons unknown but might be guessed at, wished at all costs to avert the probability of his selection to the Team, in case he was a Poolist and performed well in a warm Ñ up match! ¥ The lunacy continues. We are now called to witness the spectacle of Hashan Tillekeratne who was not even in the Pool being included in the Team. In fact, Hashan could have been included earlier as a member of the Pool. However, when Mr. Arjuna Ranatunga stated in a TV interview after the First Test that the Team needs another Batsman, the criterion he employed was perfectly tailored to include Hashan Tillekeratne and exclude Roshan Mahanama who was already in the Pool. Mr. Ranatunga wanted, as he said, a batsman who had scored runs in the last Mercantile Tournament. The logic as employed by Mr. Arjuna Ranatunga is both amusing and amazing. The Rotten apple 5. One single rotten apple in a barrel is all that is necessary to taint and corrupt the entire lot. The Selection Committee has laid itself open to this charge by the presence among them of a gentleman, Who 'enjoys' (if that is the word) the dubious distinction of being sacked from the membership of a leading Club for betraying the trust in connection with instructions in the matter of voting at the election of the President of BCCSL in 1997. This gentleman has another claim to distinction. He is the only Selector who has not played for Sri Lanka. But no doubt finding all such claims to fame inadequate, he once proceeded to cover himself with glory by abusing the National Coach in the presence of the Players, when he was the Manager of a Touring Sri Lanka Youth Team, some years back! Pessimism will continue to assail the well-wishers of the game so long as desperados of this nature are invested with authority to blast the careers of cricketers who refuse to convert themselves into door-mats to wipe his boots on. Such then, is the state of the game of cricket in Sri Lanka today. The peril looms and is increasingly menacing. Let not the Administration of cricket attract to itself that final and damning judgement handed down to the political administration of this country, to wit, that it is completely beyond rehabilitation. It is time for action now! Kingsley W. Hewapathirana |
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