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Ashihara karate from the 'land of the rising sun'

By Jatila Karawita
Ashihara, a form of Karate (Japanese) which is practised as a self defence art by using lot of power, is an attacking, full-contact style of this time-honoured sport. Originated in the Land of the rising sun in 1980, it can more or less be best described as a way of street-fighting. This was disclosed to the 'Sunday Island' in an exclusive interview it had with Hoosain Marker, Director of Ashihara Karate Association of South Africa which is affiliated to the Ashihara Karate International Organisation in Japan. Marker was here on a three-day visit to lecture to around 100 students on Ashihara Karate at their head Sri Lankan branch situated in Polgahawela.

Marker, who is also a black belt fifth-dan champion, was most impressed with the amount of talent, and keeness displayed by the local for this particular brand of Karate and expressed the confidence Ashihara Karate would go from strength to strength in Sri Lanka in the years to come if the desired sponsorship and the commitment of the participants are there in abundance.

Excerpts of the interview.

Q. What Ashihara Karate actually mean?

A. It means that you indulge in this form of Karate to defend yourself by using extreme power. That is in any case of adversity to defend yourself. The entire strength of one's body is exerted to the hilt and it could be easily termed as an attacking style of Karate.

Q. Where did it originate and how far has Ashihara Karate spread worldwide?

A. Ashihara Karate was born just like all other forms of Japanese Karate in the land of the Rising Sun in 1980 and its founder was one Kancho Hideki Ashihara. Since its early beginnings in Japan, it has expanded to almost all major countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa and I am pleased to note that this version of Karate has now spread to all the SAARC nations as well including your beautiful country Sri Lanka in the South East Asian region.

Q. What was the main purpose of your visit here, and what did you hope to achieve through this visit to Sri Lanka?

A. I came here on the invitation of Sensei Anil Sudasinghe, a black belt third dan champion who is also the chief-instructor of the Sri Lanka branch of the Ashihara International Organisation which is based in Polgahawela. He, first of all, sent me a video-cassette of the Sri Lankans who master Ashihara Karate under his tutelege and having fully witnessed it I thought of coming over here to carry out some lectures to these Sri Lankans of how they can further improve this wonderful form of Karate. I must say indeed I was most taken-up with the Sri Lankans who number over 100 who practised Ashihara during my lectures.

When I saw that video I got the feeling of seeing some Karate students who were like a 'diamond that was unpolished'. And after that little trip here I think I have been able to polish-off those unpolished diamonds, and the new methods and techniques that I taught them should be further developed if they are to be reckoned with the world's best Ashihara champions.

Q. During your training sessions or lectures, were there any Sri Lankan students who caught your eye practising Ashihara?

A. Of all the students whom I have seen in action, three in particular stood-out. Sarath Kodikara, who is the longest serving student at the centre in Polgahawela who is due to receive his black belt in January. So are Jagath Rathanayake who is about to get his brown belt and among the females Rukshika Kumari will in all probability win her blue-belt in time to come. All in all, what I would say in a nutshell is that if more international exposure can be given to these people, Sri Lanka's future in Ashihara would look all the more rosy.

Q. What are the other countries you have travelled to train students in Ashihara?

A. Besides Sri Lanka, which I have set foot for the first time, I have also been to countries such as U.A.E., India, Pakistan, and some countries in the African continent itself. In each of these places, Ashihara Karate has established fully and it looks like this Karate style will gradually spread its wings to other nations as well. For the record I would say that this is practised in well over forty countries with Japan and South Africa being prominent among them.

Q. What plans do you have in the pipeline to further upgrade the standard of Ashihara style among the Sri Lankans in the future?

A. According to Sensei Anil Sudasinghe who is the chief instructor here, there are plans to bring down a Ashihara Karate master from the World Association in around January next year. Apart from this measures are underway to expose your students who excel, to compete in the Ashihara Karate Championships to be staged in Cape Town, South Africa in August '99.

Also I am, told Dades Bulsara, a sixth dan black-belt champion of India who is the Asian Chairman of the Ashihara International Organisation, is also slated to come over to Sri Lanka in the new year with a view to carrying out more training sessions for students here for about a week's duration Overall, what I would prefer to emphasise is that the outlook for this type of Karate in Lanka is bright.

Q. Could you also tell our readers something of the Ashihara Karate organisation of South Africa of which the director happens to be you?

A. This organisation was first begun way back in 1984 in the Republic. Since then our oganisation has gone from strength to strength with currently a total of 250.000 students mastering the fine-art of karate in South Africa. This number is made of around 30% white, between 30 to 40% black Africans, and another 30% coloured Africans. Apart from the main centre that is based in New Lands, Cape-town, we also have our branches scattered across all major cities in the country. And even in such far-flung back-townships like Soweto, Ashihara has become popular among the South African black population.

I would say some of the stuff which we teach our students there does not confine to Karate alone. In my view Karate can more or less be used to bring nations together as a tool. Subjects like business management skills, as well as a wide range of other inter-related things are taught, to make these karate students better people and to make society a better place for everyone to live in.

Q. What co-orperation has the government of South Africa extended to your organisation to take Ashihara forward in the 'rainbow nation' and and what of the immediate future?

A. To reply your first query, I would say the South African government Sports Minister, Steve Schwete, himself a former karate champ, has lauded Ashihara as one of the best sports in South Africa. He has been very supportive of our efforts to take karate to the rest of the Continent as well. Schwete has promised to give more government patronage to us in the future though the amount of sponsorship given to the big three sports in the country namely soccer, rugby and cricket is much larger than to karate at present. But everything would point to Ashihara Karate going places there in the future with karate too now been fully professionalised, similarly to the much reputed team sports.

Also, we have drawn several development programmes with new techniques which I am fervently hopeful will enable our students to further expand their horizon in this Japanese style.

Aravinda, Murali to help the less affluent

Sri Lankan cricketers Aravinda de Silva and Muttiah Muralitharan have come forward to help the less affluent. The duo autographed Galadari Hotel's chocolate chocolate shop displays, "Cheeky" the champions Lion in launching it recently at the NCC to help a deserving cause through guests and patrons could have easy access to purchase one.

The two Lankan cricketing stars will be at the Galadari Hotel from October 16 to 24.

A special kiddies drawing competition will be held daily and the first prize winner will receive "Cheeky" the Lion champion with the compliments of Galadari Hotel.

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Why deprive the bowler of his just reward?

by Mahinda Wijesinghe
The Ashes Test played at Lord's in 1985 was a memorable one. England, having won the first Test at Leeds by 5 wickets, had had a useful 1-0 lead. Ian Botham, England's controversial all-rounder, playing in his 75th Test captured 5/109, which was the 25th occasion he had snared 5 wickets or over in a Test match. This feat gained Botham the record held by S. F. Barnes, since 1914, who had done so 24 times. When Australian opener Graeme Wood was dismissed in the second innings, he became Botham's 326th victim. Thus Botham succeeded Bob Willis as England's leading wicket-taker. Allan Border, the gritty Australian skipper scored 196. This was the highest score made by an Australian captain at Lord's passing Bill Woodfull's 155 scored in 1930 and enabled Border to complete 5000 Test runs in the record time of 6 years and 186 days. Australia won the Test by 4 wickets. The win was Australia's 30th in the Ashes series and the 10th at Lord's.

A MOST PECULIAR RUN OUT
In the midst of all these happenings, a seemingly minor happening, in my view, deserve closer scrutiny, especially in the present context since the M. C. C. is currently having another look at the Laws of cricket. An entry in the Australian scorecard simply states:

WESSELS RUN OUT 28
This was no ordinary run out. Australia were chasing a modest victory target of 127, but England struck back and Australia were reeling at 3/22. Then Wessels and Border began repairing the damage. Here's a contemporary report on the incident:

"Forty one runs had been added and Botham's sting apparently drawn when a breath-taking reaction from Gower kept the result open. Wessels played forward, continued with the stroke, and the England skipper, having taken the ball cleanly in his left hand at silly point, broke the stumps for a slick run-out."

Yet another report stated:

"Wessels was enticed to play forward to spinner Edmonds but Gower quick as lightning, picked one handed and flicked the ball back to the stumps and ran out the luckless Wessels."

IF IT WAS WESSELS' PAD AND NOT THE BAT
Judging from the reports, Wessels left the crease having been "enticed" by spinner Edmonds' flight, and in all probability, was not contemplating a run. Something which the umpire could have ascertained. And, if it was Wessels pad and not the bat that made contact, the impersonal entry 'Wessels run out 28' does not give a true picture of the incident. Look at it another way. If the ball did not make contact with Wessel's body, and went through to the wicket keeper (Paul Downton), the latter would have stumped the advancing batsman and the scorecard would have stated:

"Wessels st. Downton b Edmonds 28"

CAUGHT DOWN THE RIVER WITHOUT THE PADDLE
Importantly, and deservedly, Edmonds would have been given credit for the wicket - as he should have been. After all, Wessels was not contemplating a run, and the bottom line was, that lured by the flight he was caught down the river without the paddle. So, shouldn't the bowler deserve the scalp? Just because the ball was deflected off his person, why should the bowler be deprived of his prize? Of course, if the batsman hits/snicks the ball and a fielder throws the stumps down with the batsman out of his crease, that would be a clear case of a run out. A classic incident of this nature took place at Lord's in 1987 when the MCC played a match against a Rest of the World XI to commemorate their bicentenary. Graham Gooch stepped out of his crease and drove off-spinner Roger Harper firmly down the wicket. Harper swooped on the ball with his telescopic arm and in one motion threw the wicket down. Exit a bewildered Gooch - run out!!

WHEN A 'KEEPER DOES IT WHY NOT WHEN A FIELDER?
The next problem that arises would be the manner in which the dismissal should be recorded, if it is not a run out. How about: Wessels st. Gower by Edmonds 28? If a wicket-keeper whips the bails off, even after the ball touches the batsman's person, with the batsman out of his crease, the latter is out stumped, and the bowler rewarded with the wicket. Yet, if a fielder does the same routine, why should it be termed a run-out, and the bowler not given the credit?

So, if the batsman came down the wicket - in the opinion of the umpire - merely to defend his wicket, and without making contact with the ball other than with his person, has his stumps broken by a fielder whilst being out of his crease, the credit of that wicket should, in my view, be given to the bowler. It appears more in keeping with the spirit of the game.

R E F L E C T I O N S
Tamashas at the expense of cricketers?

In the wake of Sri Lanka's triumph over England, there have been one felicitation after another for the heroes.

While not grudging the deserving stars being honoured, at the same time, too many tamashas which have become a regular trend or fashion is out of taste where overdoing has become a bore with various firms trying to join the publicity band wagon. This happened when Sri Lanka won the World Cup in 1996 with resultantly the cricketers losing their rhythm.

The Mini World Cup
The Mini World Cup, a dress rehearsal to the World Cup next year in England, will carry importance for the contestants in building up.

Although there will be a big difference in terms of the wicket and conditions in Bangladesh and England, still for all the Mini World Cup will enable each country to assess their standards Especially for the Sri Lankans, as reigning champions, it would serve as a good work-out.

As for the final selection where the final 14 players would have to be decided from the 17-member squad, the national selectors will face the unenviable task of leaving out three players. Interestingly, with some of the youngsters like Avishka Gunawardena impressing which the selectors would find difficult to overlook. Furthermore, the entry of Roshan Mahanama will also see the selectors having to consider as to who would have to be left out. Here, the form of Mahela Jayawardena and Russel Arnold would have to be weighed.

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So much for 'comment'...

The biggest joke in cricketing circles is that a so-called columnist of a Daily-Noise Paper once likened Nuwan Zoysa's batting to that of West Indian Clive Lloyd. This was during Sri Lanka's tour of new Zealand last year. He even got a Sri Lankan commentator doing duty in New Zealand to announce that he had in his write up so likened Zoysa. So much for his knowledge of the game. A laughable matter indeed by this so-called cricketing pundit whose column is nothing but a 'bumsucking column'.

This so-called writer also seems to act as if he is the official spokesman for the Sri Lanka cricketers. Full of 'lip-Service'. Still more hilarious is this pundit of a journalist in a T.V. interview, laying claims to meeting former cricketing legend Australian Bill 'Q' Reilly and setting out to quote him. This then, must have been by visiting O'Reilly in his pantry as O' Reilly had an amputated leg and watched all his cricket on TV from his pantry.

This is the big pundit calling other 'hacks and Knowalls' who are not such 'hacks' not to know the vast difference in the batting of Nuwan Soyza and Clive Lloyd who was a class by himself in salvaging bowlers.

It so happens that this critic's charges rely on 'The Island' 'hacks' to feed them when they missout on assignments, thus qualifying as mere telephone reporters.

This expert has noted that our newspaper is losing its credibility with staffers leaving. The response we receive from the reading public speaks for how far ahead 'The Island' sports pages are for its impartiality sans backscratching.

George Steuarts official travel agents for World Cup

George Steuarts Travel International Limited has been appointed as the official travel agent for next year's World Cup which will be held in England from May 14.

This was confirmed by the tournament hosts England and Wales Cricket Board. The local travel agents will accordingly make all necessary travel arrangements which includes return air tickets, tickets for matches, lodging etc. on the passengers' request. The tour operators are fully fledged and in a position to fulfil requirements of customers.

George Steuarts have finalised a few packages. (AN)

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