Archives

by Premasara Epasinghe

Emergence of an outstanding schoolboy cricketer of high stature, nowadays, is as rare as an appearance of a comet.

What has happened to the standard of school cricket today? When you compare the standard of school cricket about four or five decades ago, no doubt, it is at a low ebb.

Going down memory lane, my mind goes back to the late 1960s. As a selector of the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (1967-1970), representing Nalanda Vidyalaya, Colombo as the Prefect of Games and Master-in-Charge of Cricket, we found the selection of a fifteen member squad to tour India in 1969, as a difficult and a challenging task. The team was led by Mitra Wettimuny of Ananda. I nominated two pupils Bandula Warnapura and Leslie Narangoda from Nalanda and G. R. A. de Silva (Ajith de Silva) from Dharmasoka and Ananda. The first and the second test captains Bandula Warnapura and Duleep Mendis blossomed from this team. I consider this tour, as a stepping stone for Sri Lanka's gaining Test status. To prove my point, a number of players later won their 'Test Caps' and gained national honours.

Comparing the present standard of school cricket with yesteryear today, there are hardly any established future Sri Lanka material. Years ago, when we witnessed the skills of Stanley Jayasinghe (Nalanda), Ronald Reid (S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia), Arjuna Ranatunga, Anuruddha Polonowita (Ananda), Roshan Mahanama, Asanka Gurusinha, Mahela Jayawardana (Nalanda) performing for their respective schools, we were confident that they will represent Sri Lanka, with distinction.

Main reasons for the school cricket decline

I presume, the reason for the decline of school cricket standards are three-fold.

The Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association, the sponsors who promote this 'Cowboy Game' and the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka are very much responsible for the national deterioration of cricketing standards in schools. The sponsors to get some mileage to their products, with the blessings of SLSCA, introduced the 'Limited Overs Format' for age groups Under 13, 15 and 17. Added to it, the companies named these tournaments with their brand names and introduced points systems.

The school coaches taught the children, this limited overs concept to their students to win trophies. What it brought forth were batsmen without proper technique and patience and as junior cricketers they learned this wrong art. So once they grew up, this style became a 'transfer of training', if I use an educational principle jargon.

Gerry Gooneratne laments

Recently, I met octogenarian, Gerry Gooneratne, the reputed, renowned former national cricket coach and discussed about the plight of school cricket standards. Evergreen Gooneratne still continues coaching at the age of 83 years.

To begin with, Gooneratne lamented about the present poor standard.

"It is very poor. The present day school cricket coaches teach the students the 'Gahapan Technique'. They are more concern about winning a Trophy. This format created batsmen without proper technique and patience to build an innings and half baked bowlers whose main aim was containment, rather than take wickets. It is true, that these junior tournaments may be popular amongst the spectators. Unfortunately, it has over the years proved to be the bane of our future national team being deprived of quality cricketers," stated Gooneratne.

"Unless the SLSCA views its tournament structure seriously and bring radical, worthwhile changes, the grave damage done to national cricketer will continue. I personally believe as long as this 'Gahapan Format' continues, once the present national players retire, Sri Lanka will not have much of a future. Can anyone pick a school cricketer of high standing of the present generation who can walk into the national side like Arjuna Ranatunga and those before him did 20 years ago," said Gooneratne.

"I am totally against this limited overs format for juniors, he quipped.

"Another reason for the decline of the school cricket standards is, that inexperienced and unqualified men have taken up to coaching. Cricket is so popular, parents rush to various cricket coaches and some of them have a waiting list to enrol the pupils to cricket coaching classes," stated Gooneratne.

For attention of the Minister of Sports

To my knowledge, there are two National Cricketers, who took up to cricket coaching seriously and dedicated their whole lives to help the young cricketers. They are Gerry Gooneratne and Bertie Wijesinghe. They are unrewarded for their great contributions. I consider them as national assets of this country like, our own music maestro W. D. Amaradeva and internationally-famed film-maker Lester James Peries, who recently celebrated his 83rd birthday.

These two, Gerry and Bertie moulded many Sri Lankan cricketers to greater heights. They are ornaments to Sri Lanka cricket.

It is high time, the richest 'sports gold mine', BCCSL should seriously consider a 'monthly pension scheme' for ex-national cricketers who took up to coaching and helped the younger generation of cricketers. The BCCSL can prepare a scheme for them.

I earnestly hope that the young and energetic Sports Minister Johnston Fernando, will take the initiative in this matter, and express his views about my suggestion.

Sometimes, the BCCSL will be reluctant to grant a pension for former Sri Lankan cricketers who coached the young one's stating that as a lump sum was paid for them sometime back, that granting of pension might create a problem. If it is a worthy cause why not create a precedence and pay a monthly pension for the deserving ones.

I, vividly remember when I was the Publication Manager of the BCCSL, how former President of the Board of Control, Thilanga Sumathipala, helped the needy former Sri Lankan cricketers donating substantial amounts from the BCCSL. He helped the ailing ex-former Sri Lankan Cricketer Stanley de Alwis, a former paceman when he submitted his papers through me.

All recipients were very grateful to Sumathipala, for this fine gesture.

I am positive, under the able, astute, dedicated leadership and guidance of Hemaka Amarasuriya, the Chairman of the new Interim Committee, my suggestion of a 'pension scheme' for financially unstable ex-national cricketers who are presently involved in coaching will materialise and bear fruits. These ex-cricketers who are old today, toiled hard and paved the way for our present cricketers to reach international standard.

Over to you Mr. Sports Minister and chairman of the Interim Committee! 

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager