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Comment By Dr. Elmo Rodrigopulle

While the World Health Organisation and everyone else are searching for a cure for the dreaded Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, The Interim Committee of the Cricket Board headed by Hemaka Amarasuriya must be rewarded for nipping the Severe Acute Dollar Syndrome that had afflicted the Sri Lankan Cricketers before it could reach epidemic proportions.

The IC in a move that will be welcomed by all, showed no fear the way they acted in cutting down on the payments earned by our national cricketers. The cricketers were making fabulous money. So much so that they were not interested in giving of their best and bringing honour to the country. As long as the money was coming in to hell with effort and performance was their idea.

Had not the IC acted quickly, the Severe Acute Dollar Syndrome would have afflicted the youngsters bidding to sport national cricket colours and the syndrome would have reached epidemic proportions.

No one would have begrudged the cricketers earning such colossal sums of money if they were performing. But what raised a public outcry was that the cricketers were taking the game for granted. At the moment the game is at a low ebb and struggling for survival. Our poor efforts in the Sharjah Cup and the series in Dambulla underlines the levels to which the game has nosedived.

Just before the World Cup in South Africa, the cricketers were holding the Board to ransom, refusing to sign their contracts unless they got what they wanted. The Board must always remember that the game is greater than the player. The Board runs the game and they must maintain that level and status.

They must not bend to demands of the cricketers. There is the possibility that the players might rebel, now that their payments have been slashed. If that be the case, the Board must show those rebelling the door and fearlessly blood some of the promising material that is so freely available.

Some of the cricketers it is said were counting the mind boggling monies they were going to make instead of concentrating on the game and their performance.

The IC in cutting down on payments, have not been that strict, but told the players that money could be made, if they perform and beat the best. The IC had done right. The new Board taking charge soon should continue the good work.

In Calypso land

Marvan Atapattu is leading possibly the best available one-day cricket team to Calypso land. At the moment we are struggling in both versions of the game. The Windies after losing three of the Tests, fought back magnificently to win the final Test running up the highest Test winning total in the history of the game. Then the Windies after losing four of the seven one-day internationals hit back with a vengeance to throttle the Kangaroos and win the next three showing that they are a team on the up and up.

They have a crop of some fine young players and with the seniors guiding them led by the great Brian Lara, are sure to thrash the pants out of our cricketers unless something sensational happens. When it comes to the game, whatever the nature of the wickets, it is performance that matters. No excuses, however good are acceptable once in the big league.

In Marlon Samuels, Devon Smith, Carlton Baugh, David Bernard, Tino Best, Ryan Hinds and Omari Banks they have some excellent players who with the guidance from seniors - skipper Lara, Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarvan and Mervyn Dillon could bring their game to its former glory.

To think that the Lankans could beat them is fooling.

Aussie bashing

In recent times the Australian sportsmen, especially their cricketers have been taken to task for the ungentlemanly behaviour on the field. The Australian sportsmen and women have been taught to play it hard. In the heat of the moment things do slip a bit. With the game being so commercialised it is the winning that matters.

In the wake of all these happening comes the news of the grand gesture by former leg spinning champion Shane Warne, who, the moment he was noticed that he had tested positive for a banned drug, left the World Cup scene in South Africa.

It is said that he could have continued to stay and played in some of the WC matches, until his second testing proved positive, which could have taken some time. But the sport that he is, Warne would have none of it and took wing back to face the consequences.

So it will be seen that is unfair to bash the Aussies all the time.

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