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| Saturday, 3 July 2004 |
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'Home away from home' Darwin is the tropical capital of Australia's Northern Territory and is called the Top End because it is right at the top of Australia. The city is currently going through its dry season, which is between May and October. A major factor is the cooler temperatures (ranging from 16 degrees to 22 degrees Celsius during the night and a pleasant 27-32 degreees Celsius during the day). Humidity levels are lower here at this time of the year making the weather perfect for outdoor activities. That is why you find Sri Lanka playing Australia in a Test cricket match here at this time of the year. Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu described the conditions here as 'home away from home' and he is not far from the truth. The only difference to Colombo here is that the humidity levels are much less and thus it is quite pleasant to move around without your clothes sticking onto your body. Test cricket first arrived in the Top End when Australia hosted Bangladesh in a series of two Tests and three one-day internationals in Darwin and Cairns last year. Sri Lanka are the second country to play in the Top End which is now being looked upon as future venues to host international cricket especially when it is winter time in the rest of Australia. This is the only way a country like Australia can satisfy the International Cricket Council's (ICC) congested international Test and one-day cricket programs, which are essential for the rankings. Cricket has been played in the Northern Territory since the first years of European settlement. Participation in cricket in Cairns dates back to 1883 when the first recorded match was played. The first international team to tour Cairns was the West Indies in 1975 while a Queensland side led by Jimmy Maher, the first international player to emerge from the Cairns area defeated Sri Lanka in 1995. Darwin is very much remembered by Cyclone Tracy, which devastated the city in 1974 resulting in 64 deaths and injuring a thousand others. After that destruction, the sleepy tropical outpost of about 43,000 people ceased to exist. When Darwin was rebuilt from scratch it became the youngest and most modern capital city in the nation. One of the familiar forms of relaxing here is with a cool drink as you watch the sun go down from the cliff top. That is how journalists covering the Sri Lanka-Australia Test series (both foreign and local) spent the time with John Ah Kit, the Minister of Sport and Recreation in Darwin who invited them for drinks at his office in Parliament House, a day before the start of the first Test. It was quite an enjoyable evening with the genial Minister who is of Chinese-Aborigine parentage encouraging the journos to promote sport in the Northern Territory. The two teams were invited for tea at Parliament House a couple of days earlier. Working as the Fisheries Minister's Ministerial Adviser in the Northern Territory government is Chandra Seneviratne, better known as CH Seneviratne, the renowned rugby referee who has been living here for more than a decade. CH is exploring the possibilities of making use of biogas to be used for power plants to light up the country. On July 1, Darwin celebrated Territory Day to mark self-government with a public display of fireworks. It was in 1978 they received their independence from the Federal government. Because of its dangers, fireworks are banned in the rest of Australia except in the Territories where it is allowed but at specific times laid down by the government. There are times when it can be sold and times when it can be ignited! Controversial figure The absence of Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan for the two Top End Tests has raised less controversy. The tag of 'most controversial figure' according to the 'Northern Territory News' has passed from the champion world record breaker to ICC match referee Chris Broad. The former England opener is officiating as match referee for the two Tests. The newspaper stated that Broad, 46, had in his 25-Test career scored 1661 runs including a marathon century against Australia at Sydney in 1988 that ended when he smashed the stumps with his bat after being bowled. Broad is the one who recommended that remedial action be done to Muralitharan's doosra delivery following the Sri Lanka-Australia three-Test series in February-March. Broad became the most hated man in Sri Lanka when he reported the champion bowler. He is now fronting up with the Sri Lankan players and officials putting on a straight face knowing that the Murali controversy is still a simmering issue. Cricket's 'Oscars' The official launching of cricket's equivalent of the Oscars by the ICC should be lauded. The inaugural ceremony is scheduled to be held at Alexandar Place in London on September 7 where a galaxy of cricketers from around the globe are expected to grace the occasion, some to receive the awards. The awards will recognise and honour international cricket's best players of the past 12 months and several of the world's leading players have already endorsed it. They include the captains of Australia, England, South Africa and Sri Lanka. Players from all ten full-member countries, as well as Kenya and the United States of America, who will be in London preparing for the ICC Champions Trophy, are expected to attend the awards ceremony. Australian captain Ricky Ponting said: "I know how much the Australian players value the Allan Border Medal at the end of our home season. To see a similar concept evolve on a world scale is terrific news. To have players from all nations in attendance will be something special. Let's hope it develops into a lasting tradition." Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu said creating the different award categories meant that all international players had the chance to be acknowledged and recognised for their performance at the highest level. "This is a great incentive by the ICC to honour the players who have shone in international cricket during the year." There are seven awards, in two categories - individual and team. The awards include cricketer of the year, Test and one-day player and team of the year, and emerging player of the year, as well as a spirit of cricket award. In addition to the seven player-related awards, an award will be presented to the umpire of the year. The awards will be judged by an academy made up of current captains, umpires, former prominent players and respected media representatives. The judging period for the ICC Awards is August 1, 2003, to July 31, 2004, and includes all Tests and one-day internationals played during that time. |
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