Archives

by Geoff Wijesinghe

Almost the entire world is being affected by the fervour and the fever of the cricket World Cup that commences in South Africa today. When I say almost, I find that there are thousands of people who did not know a bat from a ball until the World Cup fever hits them.

There are times that even President George W. Bush, Tony Blair and Saddam Hussein are relegated to the second XI while the World Cup takes pride of place in the media.

Looking at the draw, I feel that Sri Lanka has a fair chance of reaching the finals. A factor in our favour is that New Zealand have decided not to play in that beautiful land, which adjoins South Africa, what with its national parks, its fauna, flora and Mount Kilimanjaro which overlooks the entire African continent.

Sri Lanka's efforts will soon come to nought if we do not have a good backup spinner for Muralitharan, for already, we can see the toll his long bowling spells have taken on his physique.

At the same time, England and Australia, at the time of writing, are making every effort to have their one or two matches moved from Zimbabwe to South Africa.

However, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Bangladesh are ever willing to play in this beautiful land. It will not be apt to comment on the request for the shifting of the venues by some of the countries.

Sadly, it will be the last World Cup for many a great cricketer - Shane Warne, the greatest leg-spinner ever produced, Muttiah Muralitharan, the greatest off-spinner, Aravinda de Silva, who has played a major role in bringing Sri Lankan cricket from the backwoods to international level. There are also Waqar Younis, who introduced reverse swing into the game, Carl Hooper, the West Indies captain who has done much to revive the flagging spirits of the West Indies cricket after the recent setbacks.

Also retiring is Alec Stewart, the son of a former Surrey player and manager who went on to skipper England and even puts to shame many of his contemporaries due to his fitness, talent and guts. It might also be the last World Cup for Brian Lara, that mercurial West Indies wonder who holds the world record for the highest individual Test score.

Two cricket books, which I received this week, have much to say on Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans. Ian Healy, the former Australian wicket-keeper, Batsman, who has been described as an excellent glove-man by Steve Waugh in the company of Don Tallon, who did wonders during the Miller-Lindwall era, Wally Grout and Rod Marsh, who, strange enough, is setting up a cricket academy in England.

According to Healy, one of the top four batsmen, who have coped with Shane Warne, is Arjuna Ranatunga. Healy says that Sri Lanka's world wise batsman Asanka Gurusinghe, who now resides in Australia, told him recently he believed Ranatunga to be the best player of spin in the world. Over the last 14 years, the former Sri Lankan captain has methodically dissected every spinner he has faced, a fact which had not dawned on Healy earlier.

The former Australian wicket-keeper says he went back through the history books and say how Ranatunga had attacked Australia's Bruce Yardley in Colombo in the 1983 Test, how he blasted India's Laxman Shivaramakrishnan in 1985 and how he punctured Abdul Qadir's confidence in six Test the following year.

Ranatunga's record against Warne is also sound, says Healy.

Alan Border had to dispatch a string of men to the deep when a fearless Ranatunga scored 127 against an admittedly inexperienced Warne in Colombo in 1992. Ranatunga drove the ball brilliantly on both sides of the wicket.

Against Warne, left-handed Ranatunga hits with the spin over midwicket, a risk he takes quite well. According to Healy, Ranatunga also has beautifully soft-wrists, which enable him to play feather guides through the slips. Few players have the touch to deflect the ball as fine as he does.......and he sweeps well. In summary, he has all the shots to cope with whatever ball Warne bowls to him. If it turns into him, he hits powerfully towards the on side. If its turns away, he can deflect it.

Warne, in his book titled "My Own Story" as told to Mark Ray, has some pithy comments about the Sri Lankans, particularly Ranatunga.

Incidentally, Warne began his Test career with his first 90 overs costing 335 runs for a solitary wicket. Today, he has taken 461 wickets in 102 Tests, and over 300 scalps in one-dayers. Warne hits back in a chapter titled "The Needle", that the most difficult cricketer he has met or played against is Ranatunga. "Sledging or chirping as the South Africans call it, is one part of the wider aspect of cricket called gamesmanship, and has been in the game forever, although some people think it has no place there. I have just discussed the games I sometimes play, when I am bowling, trying to trick the batsman into thinking I am going to do one thing, when I am planning another, or planning nothing at all. Is that fair?

It's worth remembering that when the wrong 'un was invented, many people - no doubt, batsmen - thought it was deceitful and unfair, against the spirit of the game. Well, that's how I view Ranatunga's actions - against the spirits of international cricket".

"The main reason I dislike Ranatunga is that he continually interrupts play to ask for new gloves, a drink, a jumper, a net bat, another new pair of gloves and so on.

Then he pleads an injury and asks for a runner. He carries too much weight and should accept the consequences. What can the umpires do? If he says he has sustained a pulled muscle during this innings, how can the umpires test it? If they refused him the runner all hell would break loose. Often, when he is allowed a runner, Ranatunga will smirk at us to rub it in. He knows we think he has conned the umpires and got away with it again.

"For quite a while, the public in Australia seems to ignore what he is up to. People felt sorry for the Sri Lankans, the new kids on the block, up against the tough no-holds-barred Australians. However, I think the time has turned and the people are realizing that Ranatunga is playing a cunning sort of game".

But, all said and done, Ranatunga was in the foremost of the successes gained by Sri Lanka.

Referring to Muralitharan being called by the Australian umpires, Warne says that from what he understands, the Sri Lankans never worried about the widespread concerns about his action. They wanted to call the authorities bluff and that was that.

Shane Warne also deals with some comments and alleged observations by the Australian umpires. These, however, have been knocked for a six by the ICC which made a thorough examination of the allegations and ruled in favour of the Sri Lankan off-spinner.

Win or lose, we are in for a feast of exciting cricket, come Saturday.

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