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Comment by Elmo Rodrigopulle

The rains that threatened, finally broke out in buckets to spoil the final of the ICC trophy mini World Cup, thus forcing the organisers to invite the finalists Sri Lanka and India to share the trophy and the big prize money.

It was a sad end to a tournament that saw a lot of exciting and thrilling cricket. It would have been a happy ending had one of the two teams won the final after contesting the full quota of overs.

But then no one has control of the weather. When it finally decided to pour down it dampened the spirits of everyone - cricketers, organisers and the spectators who flocked to the R. Premadasa Stadium on both days.

On the first day when Sri Lanka made 244 and India were 14 without loss in two overs, the game was nicely poised for a thrilling finish. Then came the rains and that was that. Then when the final was played afresh on the reserve day, Sri Lanka did well to get 222 after losing skipper Sanath Jayasuriya without scoring and with no runs on the board.

The Lankan recovery was due to the sensible batting of Mahela Jayawardena and Russel Arnold who put on 118 for the fifth wicket. The Jayawardena-Arnold stand came after Atapattu made 10, Sangakkara unfortunately run out for 44 and some audacious stroke play by veteran Aravinda de Silva (27) who was playing his farewell innings on home soil.

Jayawardena after a lean run came good when it was most needed to make a stylish 77, while Arnold supported him excellently to make a very vital 56 n.o.

When India took strike, Mongia went early. Next ball Sachin Tendulkar was out leg before to everyone other than to umpire Steve Bucknor. Bucknor had the courage to stand by his conviction. It was also apparent that some of the umpires were not in favour of referring every decision for a ruling to the third umpire. The umpires had every right to think that by the introduction of the third umpire concept and requests to refer decisions to the third umpire, it was undermining their job.

They had every right to stand up for their rights. From what we have seen it is apparent that the umpires' rights are being slowly and surely taken away by the over use of the third umpire.

If the umpires do not assert their rights, it will not be long before they simply become robots and only stand in the middle counting the deliveries and calling over.

The ICC will do well to rethink the third umpire's usefulness or purpose and do away with it once and for all. Let the game be played in the spirit in which it was meant to be played. Umpires are also human and they tend to make mistakes. No umpire will want to be labelled a cheat. So let the umpire in the middle make the decisions.

Aravinda must stay on

Aravinda de Silva, one of the best batsmen that Sri Lanka has produced, has from all indications decided to quit.

At a press briefing the other day, the former local master blaster, said it was time he quit and gave the youngsters emerging a chance. Now that is very nice and considerate of de Silva. But with Sri Lanka having tours of South Africa, Australia and then the all important World Cup in South Africa, it is paramount that de Silva stays till these tours are over.

But what is admirable in de Silva is that he has decided to quit when everyone is asking why he is quitting? He probably is aware how some cricketers continued to keep playing when well over the hill and everyone kept saying he should have quit much earlier.

Selectors of an earlier era, chopped de Silva and at that time a frustrated de Silva did not give it up. He fought his way back into reckoning, had a good tour of England, but for no accountable reason was sidelined from the squad for the triangular that followed. But in the Mini World Cup he has been a steadying influence with his immense experience and Sri Lanka's entering the final can be attributed to an allround contribution from him. In the semi-final he strangled the free scoring kangaroo batsmen with some high class off-spin which was a revelation. At times he turned the ball square which had the batsmen non-plussed. The man of the match award was great reward for this gutty cricketer who has served the game with honour and distinction.

Now that Sri Lanka cricket needs him as never before, we are sure de Silva will give his decision to quit another chance and give to the game he loves best, more of his talent and expertise.

'Pad up de Silva. Everyone wants you to do so'.

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