Comment

by Elmo Rodrigopulle

Selectors perform sacred duties

Selectors the world over in whatever sport, it must be admitted and appreciated are known to do a thankless job. It is no different in Sri Lanka.

Whenever selectors are appointed, they must always remember that they are there to perform a sacred job.

They must not only endeavour, but always try to do a job that would leave no room for criticism. True they can't please everyone all the time. But when they sit to pick, their chief criterion should be MERIT.

School, club and friendship must not sway their selections. They must also see that no influence, or pressure is brought to bear when they sit to select.

The selectors must not only seem to be, but must always be above board.

Every sportsman and woman strives and works hard to gain representative honours. It is the ambition of every sportsman and woman to sport his national colours and god willing to also lead the country. Merit must always be the criterion. Past form should not sway the selectors. Also the selectors must see that when they select, those selected are an investment for the future.

Playing reconditioned ones would only go to kill the incentive that younger players are always striving for.

With cricket in Sri Lanka oozing with talent, the selectors would do well to invest on youngsters, so that the future for the game is assured.

Arnold the forgotten

One wonders what ever else Russel Arnold has to do to catch the eyes of the selectors.

After being ignored early in his career, Arnold came back strongly and it looked as though he had cemented his place as an allrounder in the middle. But while others consistently fail and are still persisted with, Arnold sadly has been confined to the limbo of the forgotten.

How sad. Arnold is only 32 with a lot more cricket left in him, while some nearing naughty forty are still labouring to get back into the national team.

Pity on Brett Lee

Brett Lee, captain Ricky Ponting's new hit man, had a tremendous one-day series against New Zealand and with Ponting talking of him in glowing terms in pre-Test interviews, it came as a surprise when it was known that Lee was omitted for the first test team to face the Kiwis.

From what we can gather, Lee who was Pointing's choice had been outvoted by the selectors. Now to say the least, that is not done. It is the captain who has to lead and he must always be allowed the team he needs. Ponting would not have been faulted, had he asked the selectors to do his job.

With the Aussies riding a crest of a wave of success, being number one in both versions of the game, selectors interference could signal the end of their reign and show them the other side of the hill.

Kotte FL doing well

Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte Football League is one of the most active leagues and they continue to conduct their tournaments much to the liking of the Football Federation. At one time it looked as though football in the area was kicked out with the revengeful taking of the Chandra Silva stadium where the league used to conduct their tournaments.

Fortunately the League had a secretary in Telesphor Dias who would not take no for an answer and who has the knack of accepting and facing any challenge. The commissioning of the Chandra Silva Stadium was a challenge to him and he was determined to prove the perpetrators of that dastardly act wrong.

Dias used his persuasive powers to inveigle the police officers DIG K.P. Pathirana, WP (South) and R.L. Chandrasiri, who was OIC Welikade Police now promoted ASP to help in the promotion of the game.

Today together - Dias, Pathirane and Chandrasiri have made the game attractive and they now have 18 clubs in the area. They have also managed to rid the area of drug addicts and criminals by making football a worthwhile game to play.