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| Saturday, 25 September 2004 |
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Food for thought for SLC Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu's remark that not one of his team's mates represent an English county side is certainly food for thought for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). On behalf of the players the SLC has within its rights to launch an investigation as to why not one single Sri Lankan is playing county cricket in England when more than 60 overseas players were featured during the 2004 season. Atapattu's remark comes closely on the heels of his team's elimination from the ICC Champions trophy tournament in England where they were beaten by the host country and failed to make it to the semi-finals. "It helps if players have played here but it's hard to accommodate. It's a bit hard to play county cricket these days with the international calendar. But Sri Lanka Cricket gives permission if (a player) is required by a county," Atapattu was quoted by BBC. Atapattu further went on to state, "it would have been an honour to have been asked and I'm sure at least one or two would have been considered." Since Sri Lanka became a fully fledged Test nation, 22 years ago only three cricketers have played for English county sides - Aravinda de Silva (Kent), Muttiah Muralitharan (Lancashire and Kent) and Chaminda Vaas (Hampshire), which is a poor ratio in comparison to the number of years the country has been in the Test circuit. Even after they won the World Cup in 1996, a player of the calibre of Sanath Jayasuriya who was then in prime form never received an offer. Kushil Gunasekera, Muralitharan's manager said that the champion spinner got his contract to play for Lancashire through an agent who on this occasion was Neil Fairbrother, the former Lancashire and England cricketer. Fairbrother did all the negotiations for Muralitharan and fixed him up with the county. Muralitharan who is presently recuperating from a shoulder operation has according to Gunasekera been approached by Lancashire again for next year. The modus operandi to get into county contracts is through an agent and Sri Lankan cricketers who are keen to sign up with any English county sides are well advised to get in touch with some of them if they so desired. Perhaps the three Lankan cricketers who have already played for counties could help those seeking to play in the county circuit. None could be beneficial than Aravinda de Silva who could use his good office as vice president of SLC and his vast contacts in England to formulate a way of paving the way for Sri Lankan cricketers to make regular appearances in England. De Silva will know to what extent he benefited after one great season with Kent in 1995. That one season transformed him from an ordinary mortal to the status of immortality as he went on to help his country win the World Cup and later stamped his authority in world cricket as one of the finest batsmen of his time earning comparisons with Brian Lara, Mark Waugh and Sachin Tendulkar. From a brilliant but inconsistent batsman De Silva played with such consistency that he was at times inexorable. Current players who would benefit immensely like De Silva if given the opportunity are Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan, all of whom are in their mid-twenties. They represent the future of Sri Lanka cricket and a stint in the English counties would do them a world of good especially in honing their techniques especially against the moving ball and under constantly changing different climatic conditions, which only a country like England can provide. Their success will help Sri Lanka greatly in erasing the country's glaring record of being paupers overseas and giant-killers at home. Not only should the cricketers be allowed to work out contracts on their own but SLC must also extend a helping hand by talking to cricket officials from counties whenever they make regular visits to England. The present ICC Champions trophy tournament would have given them the best opportunity because quite a number of them flew across for the event. Other ways of pushing Sri Lanka's case through is during tours to England where the manager gets an opportunity of conversing with various county officials who could put in a good word on behalf of a player. Also there are others who have constant connections in England who will be glad to help provided they are approached. However a lot depends on the levels of discussions the SLC officials have with their counterparts. Sad to say only a handful of them in the administration can express themselves freely in the Queen's language and talk on cricket. The rest are just filling in the numbers so to say and are only concerned on trying to get something out of the game than put something into it. During England's tour here last year, many English cricket officials and their wives who flew down to witness the Test matches at Galle, Kandy and Colombo were left high and dry and all to themselves when officials of the SLC shied away from them, apparently due to their ignorance of the game and the language barrier. Such actions are poor advertisements for the promotion of Sri Lanka cricket and its players. It will only do more harm than good to its image. |
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