The Island sports

Old Wesleyites Six-a-Side Cricket Tourney
Isipatana KO S. Thomas'

By Jatila Karawita
The Old Wesleyites Sports Club Six-a-Side Cricket Tournament saw Isipatana College, Colombo creating the second day's biggest upset when they scored a convincing four-wicket win over St. Thomas', College, Mount Lavinia at the end of the second round games concluded at Campbell Park yesterday. Isipatana, who boasted of no big names in their ranks as such when compared to their erstwhile rivals from Mount Lavinia, produced a good all-round display to down their opponents and qualify for the quarter finals today.

Isipatana, replying to the Thomian score of 58 for 4 made 59 for the loss of one wicket with Manoj Fernando making an unbeaten knock of 27 with five fours. He received good support from Nilanka Peiris who also struck an undefeated 29 which ultimately saw the Havelock Town School to the quarter finals at the expense of their formidable counterparts in whose ranks was former skipper, Upeka Fernando. Besides this upset win by Isipatana, De Mazenond College, Kandana also registered a surprising win over the more fancied St. Joseph's College, Colombo to move into the quarter finals which is to be worked off at the Wesley College grounds today.

Josephians, replying to the Mazenodians total of 77 for 3, could muster only 62 for 3 wickets. Johannes Jayasuriya top scored with 25 that included four huge sixes. Apart from this game the defending champions of the Schools Invitation-a-Side cricket tournament, Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa also enhanced their prospects of retaining the Elephant Lemonade Trophy when they recorded a fighting three wicket victory over a disappointing D. S. Senanayake XI.

The Cambrians, who chased a D. S. Senanayake score of a meagre 46 for 4, knocked off the target by making 47 for 2 with Skipper Hasantha Fernando leading the way with a hard-hit 33 that comprised three sixes and the same number of fours. Among the days main individual highlights by a batsman was made by Thurstanite Nalaka de Silva who missed out on a well deserved half century scoring 49 in their 22-run win over Sri Rahula College, Matara. Another notable feature of the second round matches completed yesterday was the entry of outstations schools like De Mazenod College, Kandana, Joseph Vaz College, Wennappuwa, Kalutara Maha Vidyalaya and St. Mary's, Matugama to play in both the pre-quarter finals and the quarter finals of this tourney at the expense of the more famous schools from Colombo who were knocked out in the qualifying round matches.

The draw for the pre-quarter finals:
Joseph Vaz vs President's College, Kotte, Kalutara Maha Vidyalaya vs St. Mary's Matugama.

The quarter finalists are as follows:
Lumbini vs De Mazenond College, Kandana, St. Peter's College vs Prince of Wales, Moratuwa, Nalanda College vs Isipatana College.

Indian cricket officials feel rural talent could be further developed

by Srian Obeyesekera
Two Indian cricket officials who visited Sri Lanka last week were of the view that the local cricket authorities should give top priority to developing the game in the villages. The officials who accompanied the Karavali Cricket Academy from Bangalore, P. V. Mohan, Manager and P. V. Shashikanth felt that if the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCSL) implemented its outstation development programme, rural cricket had much talent that could feed the national team in the future. "If the BCCSL implements this, then Sri Lankan cricket can see wonders in the rural areas as well.

"We hope that the current Sri Lankan cricketers would also visit these areas", commented Mohan, the Manager cum convenor and Director of the Karavali Cricket Academy (KCA) which played, five games in Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Matale, Dambulla and Ratnapura. The Academy team was in Sri Lanka on its last leg of a tour that also took them to the United Arab Emirates, South Africa and Malaysia. They also visited down South in Galle and Ambalangoda. Of the five matches, the Indian Academy XI won four and lost one. They intend touring Sri Lanka annually. "Sri Lanka should decentralise cricket so that rural cricketers could be groomed to fit into the national team once the seniors retire", commented Manager Mohan who said that he had put forward a proposal to the Lankan authorities to send a team to compete in Karnataka's domestic tournament for the Nehru Cup. "This would enable outstation talent in Sri Lanka to improve. It would be on the lines of the Gopalan Trophy in which Sri Lanka participated in the 1960's - 70's," said the KCA Manager. The Indians were particularly impressed with the response shown in Dambulla where there were about 4,000 spectators. Of the talent there the Manager and coach singled out two cricketers - Sumedha a right arm pacie and left hand batsman and Chaminda of much promise for the future. "If these players are groomed they can play for Sri Lanka", said the KCA coach, Shashikanth who was a former captain of Karnataka. They were also taken up with a player from Polonnaruwa, Neville who is a left arm paceman and batsman while the wicket keeper of Mahanama College, Dulip had also greatly impressed.

Senarath Alwis, the local co-ordinator of the Indians tour here, said that he hoped to have the Karavali Cricket Academy in Sri Lanka annually.

The Karavali Cricket Academy, launched in 1994, is the largest such in India. It is made up of two states, Karnataka and Kerala. Manager Mohan and coach, Shashikanth singled out 14-year old Avenash Ghanti, a left arm medium pacie as the most promising talent in the KCA who could find recognition to the Indian national team in the future. The Indian officials were of the view that the facilities in the outstations needed to be further improved. "The facilities should improve. At the moment there are only the nets and cement concrete pitches," Manager Mohan further commented.

The KCA also invited the Mahanama College First XI last April to India where they played four matches of which they won two and lost two.

Rugby fans air their views

By Jatila Karawita
Majority of rugby spectators saves the view that Sri Lanka has no future outside the Asian rugby cercuit, but could do well to hire foreign expertise to bring more credit and laurels to the motherland through this very hardy physical, rough and tumble game. That this could be done if the concerned authorities are willing to put their heart and soul into the game than at present. This was revealed through a random interview of a cross-section of rugby fans. The interviewees, who comprised of both working people as well as housewives gave their candid opinion without any hesitation to the 'Sunday Island'.

Royston Warnakulasuriya, an accountant from a mercantile firm Colombo, and hailing from Watapaluwa, Kandy speaking first to the 'Sunday Island' said, Rugby to me is not a glamour game any more. Its a hard physical game which involves through professionals to indulge in it. This may be a serious game nowadays, but in the years gone by it turned out be only a pastime among the colonial rulers who ultimately handed it down to the planters of the upcountry tea estates. Instead of harking-back to the state of the game in the past I'd love to dwell on the present status of rugby in Sri Lanka which has always been my view. Rather topsy-turvy.' "I feel one of the main impediments in our rugby making headway on the international scene is lack of basic skills the height factor, not possessing a high-calibre international coach, to take our side to places and most of all the coaching structure which has to be revamped in order to make our team a force to be reckoned with at least in the Asiad. 'He was off the view that at the present rate the national team is performing its only an illusion to think of Sri Lanka ever qualifying to play in a rugby world cup tourney even in the future.'

Warnakulasuriya, who also mentioned that his favourite local club was Kandy Sports Club having since the early 80s went on to say that he was least surprised by the defeats suffered by them in the Carlsberg League and knock-outs of '98. The reason for Kandy's debacle as he saw it had been the internal factions within the side that prevailed throughout the season which also deprived last year's undisputed champs from retaining the two most sought after trophies in local rugby. Though somewhat disappointed to hear of the recent retirement of Priyantha Ekanayake from the Lankan rugby scene whom he described as the greatest ruggerite produced by the country he wished him well in his retirement and hoped to see the next most experienced and competent player after Ekanayake taking over the leadership reins of the national aside during the forthcoming tour of Australia.

Never misses a match
Royston Warnakulasuriya, who currently lives and works in Maligawatte, Colombo 12, said that in his spare and leisure time he would never miss a club rugby match although his heart goes to Kandy Sports Club when it comes to cheering most of the time. Asked to comment on the standard of inter-school rugby, he declined to do so saying he has no time to follow the game at that level but, drove home the point to all concerned that like in cricket schools rugby was the cradle of all rugby levels and should be further upgraded if we are to produce classy players who can make their way into the club teams and eventually to the national XV.

Turning his attention to the aspect of refereeing, Royston said besides S. W. Chang, who can be classed as the best in the country, others have a long way to proceed to catch-up with his standard, mainly due to lack of knowledge of the basic rules concerning this sport. "Overall, I feel our future in the Asiad looks rosy only if we get down a top-class foreign coach to train our lads. With the set of coaches we have at present, I think rugby here will only stagnate due to the fact that these people aren't adequately exposed to international rugby system' were his parting comments.

Curiosity drove her to matches
Airing her views to the Sunday Island, Virangika Thenuwera, who is a model cum fashion designer attached to private dress designing firm in Kohuwela, said that she had initially developed an interest to watch and find-out for herself what this was all about through curiosity. Since then from 1995 onwards she had made it a business to take in as many rugby matches as possible depending of course on her work schedule. And as a result of its, Virangika who was clueless what the game was about at first, had come to understand the intricacies and the rudiments by and by and she credits her best friend Indunil who took her to matches as Indunil's fiance Ranjan was a ruggerite who played for Navy Sports Club in the mid 1980s. As Virangika put it her own words, "I must thank my pal Indunil for introducing me to this game. Through her coaxing only I decided to watch matches, and having watched my fist club rugby match in 1987, I have continuously followed these games through which I've derived the maximum amount of sheer enjoyment and pleasure watching these big made men do their stuff out in the middle". Virangika said rugby for her was a glamorous sport in the early 1990s but from the mid 90s onwards she had seen a rather disturbing trends amongst the players to go for the man instead for the ball which diminishes all the glamour and glitter which rugby is known for.

No favourite club
On the subject of favoutrite clubs, she said that she has no any favourite clubs as such, but would support any team that would churn out a good, clean, fair game of rugby devoid of all the nasty stuff for the yearning fans to lap it all up on any given day. Her view of the game in general was that Sri Lanka would find it tough to reach the top of the international rugby tree unlike in cricket where we emerged as one-day champions. She said "What I feel is that though we can't ever hope to dominate the game globally, what we badly need to do here is to get behind our boys and lend them every bit of support necessary to improve their game all round simply because they are the very players on behalf of all of us who turn out for clubs year after year to provide the fare which we so need in this country'.

Fashion designer comments
Dewlling on the subject of injuries to rugby players during a match Virangika refuse to comment saying it was all part and parcel of the sport and she had decided to put up with it like the rest of the fans. That the number of injuries that keep on escalating year after year will not bode well for both the players and the sport in the coming years unless the SLFRU takes remedial measures to curb it one way or the other. As for crowd she said that strict control should be enforced so that no untoward incident take place. Ugly crowd behaviour if allowed to continue unabated will in all probability be detrimental not only to the conduct of the game but would also be a threat to very existence.

This model cum fashion designer also declined to single out any ruggerities as her favourites preferring instead to give a big pat on the back to anyone who is prepared to put country before self and the ones who would endeavour to maintain the good name of the country which they represent internationally at all cost. "I think more and more encouragement should be given to schoolboys to come forward and continue their rugby after school education by joining the ranks of a club of their choice. Virangika Thenuwara lastly made the observation that she would witness club rugby matches as long as that desire to witness rugby matches burns inside her heart and longed to see Sri Lanka carving for herself a name in the Asian Rugby football arena.

Indika De Saram, who is a trainee architect felt that the national rugby team have done fairly well judging by their displays during last year's Asiad and in the subsequent tournaments though their performance in the recently concluded Commonwealth Games Sevens Tournament left much to be desired. He said. "I really don't fancy to speak to you guys from the press of the international level because as far as I am concerned that area is a non entity for us. And its just simply a waste of time to indulge in clap-trap and discuss about things which our chaps cannot perform.

"What I feel is if only we can get down a couple of international professionals from countries like Australia, New Zealand and even from South Africa to play for our clubs a few seasons rather than always going behind the back of those Fijians and Western Samoans our rugby set up would be better served in the long run. Asked to comment on his favourite club, Saram said he would go flat out for CR and FC as they had swept the boards in the just concluded rugby season. "The secret behind their success story is teamwork and unity and I can proudly say the red shirts this year proved all their detractors and critics wrong. They turned out to be the best among all clubs for 1998".

No favourites
This trainee architect also declined to single out any favourites, saying that it would be a disservice done to others who may also perform on an equal level. Touching on the thorny subject of crowd behaviour which has now reared its ugly head all over again Indika said that it is something that should be weeded out from matches for once and for all as rugby should not at any stage be made a game which is meant only for the rowdies and the hooligans. "England soccer style hooliganism must never be allowed to creep into Sri Lanka rugby and this is the bounden duty of the officials of the Sri Lankan Rugby Football Union.'

Indika, who has been following rugby in this country from 1987 onwards after leaving Trinity College has never missed out on a match. He felt that our immediate rugby future would be rosy if the national selectors and the rest of the officials are willing to put country before self rather than self before country. He felt that Sri Lanka stood a very good chance of making her presence felf at least in this part of the world or else Sri Lanka rugby enthusiasm will be compelled to put up with average performances in local tournaments forever.

Husband's interest made her a fan
Mrs. Malkanthi Weerasekera, a housewife from Colombo 5, airing her views said that Sri Lanka will always have a bright future in the Asiad, but doubted with the rest of her colleagues as well whether the talents and skills shown by our players would be engough to steer them to the highest level international. To speak frankly, I have not got a clue of how this game is played outside our shores. But from the many matches that I have seen in our country it seems like our boys should continue turning out for their respective clubs and not bother about dictating terms to superior foreign opposition'. Mrs. Weerasekera, who has been following rugby for the past ten years or so, said she was proud to see the national team doing well during the 1997 rugby Asiad and hoped fervently they would give a similar performance in the forthcoming Asiad 1998 to be staged in Singapore in late October.

Malkanthi who initially developed an interest to view rugger matches after her husband Tony Weerasekera quit playing competitive rugby for the now-defunct Kelani Valley side as a prop-forward in the 1970s has made it more or less a habit to go for weekend club matches. Asked who her favoutrite club was she said instantly that is Police S.C. She said, "The cops were the undisputed until well into the mid 90s when other clubs began to hire services of foreign players, which ultimately hampered the progress of Police with the law enforcement officers club currently being reduced to a scrap head'. A fact which she bemoaned during the interview.

Malkanthi was of the view that it was high time Police SC considered forthwith attracting foreigners, or else they are bound to be tagged as the "Unlucky whipping boy's of our rugby. She said though she does not like to comment very much on the aspect of refereeing the hardwork which they also put in should be duly appreciated alongside the good display's of players as well. She also did not fail to mention that whenever time permits she would go and lend support to her husband's old 'alma mater'. Royal College when they scrum-down in important schools matches like the blue-ribbon in schools rugby, the Bradby Shield, Guneratine Trophy fixture versus S.T.C, Mount Lavinia, and Milroy Fernando fixture against Isipatana M.V.

Mrs. Weerasekera, who does not have any children, was simply delighted with the sterling performance put up by the champion Royal team led by Shanaka Perera in the concluded inter-schools rugby season. She said that the stand card of schools rugby was also on a very good footing and that it was up to the S.L.F.R.U to scout out good derserving lads from those schools and most of all give them that much needed break to represent their country at Asian level.

Few other die-hard rugby fans to whom the 'Sunday Island' spoke to was of the opinion that their ultimate wish was to see Sri Lanka win the Rugby Asiad which is the most prestigious rugby trophy on offer in Asia, at least before the end of the twentieth century thereby emulating the momentous feat of the cricketers who scaled the summit of one-day cricket when they won the 1996 World Cup in Pakistan.

S
Can Sri Lanka emulate the feat of the West Indies?

Mahinda Wijesinghe
Though the one-day cricket played during the recently Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur were not recognised by the ICC, and the games played in front of a handful of spectators - except perhaps the final - the intensity of the competition was not any less. Posterity will record that South Africa, coming back from isolation not too many years ago, won the gold medal in dramatic fashion, pipping the favourites, Australia. More than the final, the South Africans, and the Sri Lankans for that matter, will never forget the semi-final when Shaun Pollock's men snatched a most unlikely win from the jaws of defeat. The last South African batting pair of Boje and Dawson, who put on a nerve-tingling 35 runs deserve most of the credit. It was just a bad day for the Sri Lankans. Having to defend 130 runs is no easy task, even on a dicey pitch, but that they almost did it is an achievement by itself.

Defies basic cricketing logic
Other than the confirmation of the fact that Sri Lanka has still more specialist batsmen in the cupboard, very little else emerged. Avishka Gunawardena, the strongly-built left-hander from Ananda College, Indika de Saram, Russel Arnold, and the re-emergence of Chandika Hathurusinghe proves the point. Pity that Mahela Jayawardena had a disappointing tour. Incidentally why attempts are being made to brand Hathurusinghe as a bowling all-rounder defies basic cricket logic. Hathurusinghe made his Test debut as an opening batsman in 1990-91 against New Zealand at Hamilton. In his first 3 Test matches he scored 81, 74 and 66 and bowled a total of a mere 19 overs. True he can bowl a bit but at Test levels it is unlikely that he would trouble frontline batsmen consistently. It is best that he concentrates on what he knows best. Hathurusinghe is a most competent batsman and a reliable field who can bowl a bit. Similarly Ruwan Kalpage was singled out as an off-spinner when in fact he should have been classified as a useful middle-order batsman a dazzling fielder - who can rank shoulder to shoulder even with Mahanama - and bowls off-spin. That should have been the order of preference. Today Kalpage has been cast aside and could not even make the Commonwealth Games. Or for that matter what about Mahanama? Wasn't this an opportunity for Mahanama to have tested his newly learnt skills which he was recently sent to Australia for?

Points for selectors to ponder on
Another intriguing question arises, why is Niroshan Bandaratilleke the left-arm spinner being kept in cold storage? Rumours and speculations are aplenty but the cricketing public have a right to know the truth. Especially when Sri Lanka are in desperate need of a leg-spinner. Another left-arm bowler medium-pacer Sajeewa de Silva too has been relegated to the background. Dulip Liyanage one of the best fast bowling prospects Sri Lanka had for sometime, is another case in point. Then there was Don Anurasiri and Jayantha Silva left-arm spinners both who came and went just as fast. Were these players who sometimes have had their day capable of performing well only against weak opposition under favourable conditions but come a cropper when facing formidable teams in less friendly conditions? These are some of the factors selectors should ponder on.

Prasanna Jayawardena - a new 'find'?
In addition to the lack of penetrative bowlers, other than Muralitharan and Vaas - if and when fit - Sri Lanka has another problem. That of a second-string wicket-keeper. A stand-by for Kaluwitharana. Romesh though not the most reliable of wicket-keepers has improved tremendously of late. No doubt the confidence placed on him by the selectors too has been of immense help while his explosive batting and uninhibited enthusiasm has helped on many an occasion. Though if I may add a little circumspection when batting would greatly help. Lanka Silva is a competent wicket-keeper who bats just as well. Pubudu Dassanayake was tried out sometime ago and has been thrown overboard since. Skipper Ranatunga has been waxing eloquent about young wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardena as the new 'find'. Let us hope that his speciality is his work behind the stumps and not so much in front. The age-old principle of the best wicket-keeper must play - what he scores should be deemed a bonus - still holds true. In fact, there were a couple of crucial misses made during the pulsating last stages of play during the Commonwealth Games final, against South Africa, behind the stumps which if taken may have made the difference. A player can fail as a batsman, after all, it takes only one ball, but a wicket-keeper or a fielder is on the job right through the innings. That is the primary reason why a good fielder is always a safe investment. And the better fielder should be more than welcome in a side like Sri Lanka who is scraping the bottom for penetrative bowlers.

Acclimatisation - paramount importance
So, the race for places to play in the World Cup next year is on. There aren't many places on offer. Sharjah, Bangladesh and Australia will be the preliminaries before the crunch in England when our first defence against England at Lord's, takes place in the cold month of May. It will be the climate that will be the biggest hurdle for Sri Lanka. If sufficient acclimatisation is done and if the best team is available, Sri Lanka will indeed be a hard side to beat when they defend their title. Will Sri Lanka repeat the feat - achieved in '75 & '79 - of the West Indies of winning the World Cup in successive attempts?

Ranatunga the apologetic aggressor

by Peter Roebuck
It takes an extraordinary man to effect a transformation. Barely five years ago the Sri Lankans were a gifted, awe-struck and entertaining bunch of cricketers, capable of an occasional victory, especially on their own pitches, but unlikely often to upset the apple cart. In short, they were country cousins. On tour they could only afford fish and chips. They called their manager "Sir" and at school were taught to address umpires similarly and to apologise, upon an appeal being turned down, for troubling them. This is not quite the case, for instance, in Australia.

And then along came Arjuna Ranatunga, a roly-poly character, in those days any how, and accordingly assumed to be genial. Instead he has turned out to be Napoleonic as he stands imperturbable, almost immobile, on the field directing operations and putting his calm upon affairs like a blanket upon a fire.

Meanwhile, a young team scurry around him, 'Murali' scampering in the field, 'Kalu' darting from behind the sticks, 'Chamina' pounces, when he is fit, and the rest of them full of enthusiasm, except Aravinda de Silva, of course, a man with as much aplomb as his captain, though without his foxiness. In hindsight this sagacity and stillness might have been anticipated from early sightings of the young Ranatunga. Not that he was ever quite young, for such fellows start planning their next move in the womb. Not for this generously built youngster, though, a cheerful biff and a gurgled pint. From the start he was all angles and placements, his runs coming along like the constant ticking of a clock steadfast in a storm. Suddenly it was easy to remember that cricket does not flow alone in his blood, for politics has its place too, his father in the Cabinet and Arjuna expected to follow, although it is an ambition he denies.

Ranatunga has been a superb captain. He has taken Sri Lankan cricket, not just his team, from promise to toughened maturity. To him, as to Sunil Gavaskar, it was not enough to charm or to sigh, let alone to lose. He set his path towards victory, and, choosing his men carefully and trampling upon all opposition, he kept to it. At various times he has fought against politicians, administrators, colleagues, opponents, journalists and Australian cricketers, who detest him because they think him crafty and likely to emerge smelling of roses, which, of course, he often does.

Nor has Ranatunga failed to meet the Australians on their own terms. He has accused them of passing nasty remarks on the field, a charge hotly denied, and was furious in a one-day match to be denied a runner, the opposing wicketkeeper recommending instead that he partake of fewer curries. Lively debate ensued. Hereabouts it was easy to recall that, in Hindu mythology, Arjuna is a great soldier.

Such moments pass by but they did signify a change in Sri Lankan cricket. No longer were they going to be pushed around, or pushovers. Ranatunga intended to play with an apologetic aggression. Moreover, he radiates confidence in himself and his team. It is part of his strength that he can see the merits of his players better even than he can detect their flaws. And he is both a tactician, realising the importance of the minute, and a strategist capable of plotting and planning.

Clearly something special was needed if Sri Lankan cricket was truly to grow. His team had to prove themselves. Most particularly they needed to win an important trophy, as India had in 1983. It was in Australia, a few months before the last World Cup, that Ranatunga and his aides decided to turn orthodoxy on its head by sending out their boldest players against the new ball. Such ideas are occasionally conceived. Mostly they disintegrate in reason's unkind light. Ranatunga had the nerve to put his plan into action, sending out Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana with instructions to attack from the start. If they failed, never mind.

Suddenly every player knew his role. Sri Lanka began to play some astonishing cricket and their momentum took them past England, past India and into a final where the mighty Australians were overwhelmed. The last few runs were scored by De Silva, in sublime form, and Ranatunga himself, chipping along in his canny way. And then all Sri Lanka celebrated.

Nor did it stop there, as 'Jaya' continued in his thrilling way, breaking records and helping his team to numerous victories. Indeed it has not really stopped yet. Still it was not enough for Ranatunga. He wanted more. He wants his country to be the strongest Test nation in the world, and challenged them to achieve this target by the year 2000. He now realises it cannot be done because his bowling, depleted by injuries, is not strong enough.

Nonetheless, he has taken Sri Lankan cricket to its fulfilment. Already he is cricket's longest-serving player. He says he will carry on until the World Cup next year. Perhaps Sri Lanka will not win this time, but they will compete and they will play as a team, and a team led by the shrewdest man around.

(C) Sunday Telegraph

Aravinda the Existentialist

By Hemantha Warnakulasuriya
Sartre the French philosopher wrote "Man is condemned to be free, because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does." Aravinda to me epitomises an existentialist. Free as he cannot be imprisoned by convention. Free, as a bachelor sans any matrimonial or conjugal obligations. He is free as he is not a Christian. And therefore belongs to the second kind of existentialists the atheistic existentialists, who think that existence precedes essence. Thrown into the wide wild cricketing world he is responsible for everything he does.

He is often misunderstood due to these qualities. He is now regarded as the best batsman in the world an honour which evaded him, not due to any weakness in his technique, but due to the insignificant place Sri Lanka held geopolitically, a country best described as basket case. It was due to his sheer determination that we were able to win the World Cup. The glory should equally rest with him as with Arjuna. But still many in our own country are quick to accuse him of many a misdemeanour. The most despicable comment is that he is playing for money or for a prize car and not for the country. He still remains taciturn not making any effort other than with his bat to combat such criticism. He is envied when he travels in a flashy red limousine with bright lights and often in the company of a beautiful damsel. The envy and malice that have got a strangle hold of the nation pervade, and Aravinda is not exempt.

It was only recently that 'the Sinhala Commission demanded that the English people should apologise to our nation'. Excellent thought. If only we learnt from them the essence of English culture, and threw away what is harmful, Sri Lanka would have been indeed a paradise. One trait we have failed to learn even from the English is gratitude.

Aravinda is the first Sri Lankan cricketer, who was invited to play for a county as their overseas player. We heard that he has created an impression among our former imperialist masters. The spirit with which the English people welcomed him was unbelievable.

Etched in their memory was the singular contribution Aravinda made to the county. The county match against Sri Lanka was publicised as a Welcome to the most loved son of the county. When it was announced that Aravinda was going to bowl, the full house of whites who had paid more than 10 sterling pounds to witness Sri Lanka play Kent applauded with civility. For none of them have forgotten the singular achievements of the diminutive little brown man from Lipton tea country; Aravinda. They were not thinking of the red sports car he was driving or whether he was in the company of the most beautiful damsels in Kent. For them Aravinda was a cricketer who reminded them of the best they have seen for a long time. Aravinda's majesty lay with the ease with which he played the most difficult ball. He made it look so simple. The runs cascaded from his blade. One gentleman told me that there was much consternation among the members when his name was proposed as the overseas player for that year. Carl Hooper the West Indian all rounder was not available for that season. Every one asked AraÉ who? They belittled the proposal, and made it difficult for the committee to decide on him.

Later, when he played for Kent in the early summer, without the sun in cold blustery conditions, Aravinda failed with the bat. As a Buddhist he must have prayed for sunshine not to one single God, but to a pantheon. He assured his proponents, who were being tormented by his lack of form, that he would not fail him when the sun would shine brightly on his back. By his sole efforts, Aravinda was able to forge Kent to be the leaders and nearly won it, the Championship by his century played with grandeur and resplendent with cricketing strokes that made the English breathless. To them it did not matter who played those elegant drives. Aravinda is a household name among the English cricketing public. For them he epitomised the rugged brutal conquent of their game, by some people froms a distant place.

Till the World Cup, Ceylon was known as Lipton's tea garden: then in 1983 after the riots the notorious barbarous racist tribe who would kill another for race, after that the most ruthless guerrilla movement in the world, and now after the World Cup it is cricket and that magnificent batsman Aravinda and now Sanath and Murali.

When Aravinda went to bat at Kent, all the spectators rose from their seats and applauded him. It was sheer gratitude for the manner in which this little brown man single handedly brought them to the throes of victory. To those women who flocked to the ground with their score cards every weekend had nothing memorable to write in them for a long time. Then Aravinda entertained them with a flourish of strokes and many of them would have been ecstatic with joy. This was one object lesson we ought to learn from the British public gratitude. At the end of the Kent season , there was an emotional farewell, and Aravinda's cricketing colleagues were so moved by the knowledge of his departure, that they broke their traditions and centuries of cultural restraints and cried like those lesser mortals of the orient. The benefit match was sufficient to present Aravinda with a sports car.

It was at Trent Bridge that I saw Aravinda captaining the Sri Lanka team when Arjuna was injured. I saw a new spirit that imbued the team. The team was working under the new leadership of Aravinda. South Africa had been our Waterloo; our sole tormentor, we succumbed to the professional skills of the South Africans 'The last tour was a disaster, and brought to light the inherent weaknesses of our team. We do not seem to have the killer instinct.

Sanath failed consistently with the bat against Donald and company. But at this match Sanath came out in blazing form and gave a crowd of over 7000 the unfamiliar coloured cow boy kits, and blazing stroke play. After having scored 258, containing the South Africans remained with Aravinda. Aravinda's captaincy was of such quality that his bowling changes and field placing clicked. It was great. At the most unexpected event was the opening burst which gave Pramodaya Wickramasinghe three wickets and the man of the match award. Arjuna commented that it was a nice feeling to watch your side win with legs up from your dressing room. Aravinda masterly commanded the innings.

When England scored 445 runs at an extremely slow rate the English media castigated the batsmen for having played to be selected for the winter ashes tour. The spectators were so bored that they got some pleasure seeing a nude streaker, battling the security staff and avoiding being caught several times. When he was finally arrested there was a big booth from the crowd. When England finally scored 445, someone who was seated with me told the nervous Sri Lankans, that 445 was no score on this placid pitch like a pancake. He said Aravinda alone will score runs for you, with a loud guffaw. But it was on the Saturday I saw a trait hitherto never seen by me in an international cricket match. 'Aravinda and Sanath were going great guns with blazing strokes which kept the large England crowd happy. Aravinda was 47 and Sanath was 125 Stewart brought Ian Salisbury the only spinner. The media has been unsympathetic to him because he failed to take a single wicket that summer. Suddenly, Aravinda changed his strokeplay and treated the bowler with respect. Of the seven maidens he bowled, he bowled at least 4 of them to Aravinda. Aravinda saw that he was extracting slow turn and he continued with the same array of strokes. Sanath would follow suit and get out playing uppishly. It was an object lesson of unselfish cricket, virtually demonstrating to his junior partner not be impetuous and play a false stroke. Aravinda took more time to complete his half century than Sanath to complete his one hundred and fifty. He did not bother that the entire spectator focus was concentrated to Sanath. The applause and plaudits were directed to his partner. He knew by instinct competing with Sanath would be the downfall of him and Sanath. He always came near Sanath and cautioned and applauded him. To Aravinda, what mattered most was to fulfil his friend Arjuna's dream. To beat England in England. The partnership was full of camaraderie and respect for each other. It blossomed into the best partnership of the summer Angus Fraser writing to the 'Sunday Telegraph' said "as Jayasuriya and De Silva give us a batting lesson and punish every bad ball we bowl. This is hardest and least rewarding day of the summer."

The fact that he lost his vice captaincy to Sanath did not mince him to play foul. As a true existentialist he coped with the situation and that fact did never prevented him from encouraging Sanath to bat and judiciously used him to bowl in the first match against South Africa.

We in Sri Lanka will only know his value the day he retires, due to age or lack of fitness. The service he rendered to Sri Lankan cricket would be remembered not by his century he scored at the World Cup but the manner in which he batted at the World Cup semi finals in Calcutta before one hundred thousand people, screaming for an Indian victory.

To Existentialism Sartre has contributed a classically brilliant French mind. To cricket, Aravinda has contributed a classically brilliant innovative skill rarely found in this island. Though he many be not the leader of world cricket he is the leader of the present generation of batsmen. As Sartre won him a wider audience in philosophy, Aravinda has by his inborn skills has earned the plaudits of many connoisseurs of cricket. His attitude to life may have earned the wrath of a certain section of the conventional orthodoxy. This trait alone show that he is a cricketing genius and existentialist.