'Spirit of cricket' is the thing

Mahela Jayawardena and his cricketing brigade in winning the 'Spirit of cricket' award at the International Cricket Council celebrations recently has brought great honour to themselves, the game and the country.

In winning this award, the Lankans have put to second best all other awards that was won by the other participants.

Over the years the Lankans cricketers have played the game in the right spirit and have been an example to all.

There have been instances when our cricketers have been pinched or needled by the opponents in an attempt to make them lose their cool and do something drastic and thereby besmirch their good names.

But the Lankans have been taught to play the game. And this they have been doing to the best of their ability and in the process proving that it is not the winning or losing that matters, but how one played the game.

Not only that. Our willow wielders have been taught to be humble in victory and determined in defeat. But also that is what the game is all about.

It is encouraging to note the winning of the 'Spirit of Cricket' award, which is more important than winning trophies and pocketing filthy lucre.

Today with commercialisation rearing its ugly head in sport, where winning at all costs is the bottom line, the Lankans have set an example to the cricketing world.

Cricket has sadly become a blood sport because of the money that is on offer to winning teams and players performing individual skills.

While we do not begrudge, players winning big money because after all they are professionals, but money should not be made the root of all evil and made a spoil sport of.

Our cricketers must also win money. After all money is on offer to be won. But while pocketing that they must endeavour not to sell or sacrifice their good name and the excellent virtues of the time honoured game chiselled into them.

I am sure all sports people will join me in congratulating Jayawardena and his gallant band of cricketers for keeping the lion flag flying high and in the process being a shinning example to all sportsmen.

ICC hell bent on money

The Sri Lankan cricketers led cleverly by Mahela Jayawardena are playing the better cricket in the Twenty20 World Cup and if they continue in this form, then there is no reason, unless the unforseen happens, why they should not bring back this cup, that is up for grabs for the first time.

Simply outstanding has been, the pride of Sri Lanka cricket Sanath Teran Jayasuriya. At 37 when other cricketers would have chucked it, or preferred to play the longer version of the game, Jayasuriya the 'black superman' is showing that age is no barrier, if there is a will.

He has let his bat, which has a rapier thrust do the talking and shut the gabs of his detractors. He has put to shame many youngsters and winning two man of the match awards, proves that he is indispensable in all forms of the game for Sri Lanka for many more years to come.

But the question is: Why did this style of game have to see the light of the day? While the members of the International Cricket Council and its other members must be having a ball, enjoying themselves, they have also got those conducting the tournament and describing it in men who are bending more than backwards to sing the praises of this mockery.

It is a shame that not one among the many involved in this circus is not saying anything about this farce, which if allowed to continue would produce more baseball type cricketers and not the elegant batsmen that played strokes from the copybook.

The ICC would be swimming in money after this mockery. They had their coffers overflowing after the World Cup in the Caribbean and not five months later they must be drowning in money.

It is sad when one thinks that the guardian angels of the game are hell bent on commercialising the game, and doing sweet nothing to improve the technical side of the batsman.

This style of game which is something like instant noodles or fast food will with time produce sloggers and the niceties of classic batsmenship would be a thing of the past. Youngsters on the ground and those watching it on TV would cling on to it like ducks to water and soon it would be a river of no return.

During the Sri Lanka/New Zealand game Tony Cozier that respected TV commentator and prolific writer was heard saying that a Twenty20 tournament has been slated for schools in former apartheid land.

Now we can't understand this.

This Twenty20 game would have more meaning if it was tagged a Twenty20 slog. Because this is what all batsmen on show have been doing.

The ICC even at this late stage must lay down rules and see that they are strictly adhered to saying that this game is for ADULTS ONLY, so as not to spoil youngsters taking to this wonderful game.