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| Tuesday, 6 July 2004 |
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Two days to take in the sights Comment by Elmo Rodrigopulle The Australians led admirably by stand in captain Adam Gilchrist was kind enough to grant the Sri Lankan cricketers led by Marvan Atapattu, two extra days to take in the sights of Darwin as tourists. A Test match that was billed for five days, finished inside three days and the Lankan cricketers would surely have enjoyed the attractions that Darwin provided in the next two days. In watching the Test unfold on ESP Multivision Cable TV, it must be initially said that the wicket provided was not the ideal one for a Test match. But having said that it must be remembered that the wicket was the same for both teams. And blaming the wicket for their debacle cannot be accepted. In analyzing the Test, we must first tribute the young and promising paceman Lasith Malinga, for a debut that can be best described as a dream. With a squarearmish action, reminiscent of West Indian Fidel Edwards, the lad from Galle had all Australian batsmen in a spot of bother when fronting up to him. It is the done thing to have his action under a microscope when a bowler of his type gets among the wickets. But being square arm, there is no way that his action could come under scrutiny. He was intelligently nursed by captain Atapattu who bowled him in short spells and in those spells he really fired to always have the Aussie batsmen concentrating and thinking. Now that Malinga has served notice of his capabilities it is hoped that the selectors would give him continuity and not banish him into the wilderness after a couple of more matches. When Malinga, a cricketer from the outskirts is being spoken of, the man who readily comes to mind for opening the iron gates for players such as Malinga to play in the big elite league is former champion off spinning all-rounder Abu Fuard. Fuard during his time was a rebel with a cause in his own way. He experienced the stepmotherly treatment that outstation or cricketers from little known schools were meted out and one thing he vowed to do was to open the iron gates for cricketers from the villages and lesser known schools to show their prowess. Fuard's campaign helped many outstation players to excel and do better than their counterparts from the big schools and the most outstanding among them was Sanath Jayasuriya. Back to the Darwin Test which has been dead and buried in less than three days and to say the least is better not touched upon. The cricketers need not be reminded that no excuses however good are acceptable once in the big league. While the bowlers led by that great trier Chaminda Vaas proved that they can do without Muralitheran and the fielders supported the bowlers, the batting was putrid. When the selectors recalled wicket keeper batsman Romesh Kaluwitharne, it was obvious that they were going to relieve Kumar Sangakkara of this job and allow him to concentrate on his batting. But a failure in the only practice game and hey presto Kaluwitharne is dropped. For what purpose is Kaluwitharne picked. For his batting or more importantly wicket keeping? Unwanted criticism Just three months into their innings and the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, Sports Minister Jeewan Kumaratunge and Deputy Sports Minister Sripathi Sooriyarachchi have run into some vicious criticism. Apparently the criticism is from warped and frustrated minds. The frustration is so obvious that at times it shows senility. The PM who has been a sportsman during his days at Thurstan College knows the needs of sportsmen and sportswomen. He has been active and knows the do's and dont's in the game and he is one who is ever willing to join the scrum and hook out good things for sport. When the odds were stacked against off spinner Muttiah Muralitheran, Rajapakse took strike for Muralitheran and promised to do everything in his capacity of PM in getting the bowler out of the rut. Sports Minister Jeewan Kumaratunge is endeavouring to give the participants and the administrators a place in the sun and make them feel important by encouraging them. He is playing his innings well offering a straight bat and critics who have hidden agendas would not find it easy in their endeavour to sink him. DSM Sooriyarachchi has been a wrestler during his time and would not easily be pinned. He knows how to execute a half and a full Nelson and bag his opponent. Together the PM, SM and DSM have been playing as a team and if they continue in the same form should see sport in the country to great heights. Even former Sports Minister Johnston Fernando was not spared by these hollow critics. Fernando cleverly marked and tackled these critics using his rugby expertise knowing full well that they were trying to score on the blind side and regularly kicked them into touch. These critics who are apparently in tinted glasses always see things with blind eyes. For them everything that is done is wrong. All must do things the way these critics want and think. Not to do so would be to earn their wrath. What is encouraging is that the PM, SM and the DSM don't care a damn for these critics and their vituperative criticism. They reckon that empty vessels make the most noise. Keep the good work going the PM, SM and DSM. Criticism well meant and constructive is welcome. These frustrated critics are playing a game that would soon see them drowning with not even a straw to hang on to. |
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