When there’s a drought get down a cricket team

Whenever there is a long drought, people used to say sarcastically that getting down a foreign cricket team would be bring the rains. That is because there have been many instances where wet weather had constantly affected international cricket matches.

That prompted some people to say that one should not call the weather Gods but international cricket ‘Gods’ to tour Sri Lanka so that there would be plenty of rain. Wet weather not only shatters the dreams of local spectators and deprive then from some exciting home action but also incur financial losses to the hosts.

True that the host nation obtains an insurance cover against financial losses incurred due to wet weather or any natural perils of that nature. But television channels invest huge sums to secure telecast rights and even the insurance recovery is not going to meet the exact losses fully in most cases.

Considering the wet weather currently experienced in Colombo and some parts of the Western Province, one could feel that the general belief of an inter connectivity between cricket teams touring here and rain is right. That’s because the England team is currently touring Sri Lanka for a five-match one day international series.

Being the first 50 overs per side one day internationals after the Twenty20 World Cup, the ongoing series between Sri Lanka and England is of greater importance.

Adding colour and more worldwide attention to the series is a few new one day international rules that would be implemented for the first time in world cricket. Those include the no ball rule of Twenty20 which allows a ‘free hit’ after a no ball.

It was nice to see Sri Lanka making a winning start with a convincing 119-run win under lights at Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium. With an early 1-0 lead in the five-match series, the second ODI will also be a day night affair at the same venue today.

Cricket fans would have spent many sleepless nights if these matches were to be played in Colombo, which is experiencing inter monsoon rain. Many laughed at the idea when Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) embarked on the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium project, the brainchild of former SLC and Asian Cricket Council chief, Thilanga Sumathipala.

But then SLC officials correctly identified the strategic location of the Rangiri Dambulla in the dry zone. Understandably the investment was huge in building an international venue, which has thousands of foreign admirers.

But due to petty club politics and personal differences, the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium was ‘blacklisted’ and was not given the chance of hosting any international matches.

However, Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium has regained its due place and it has been a timely one too. At a time when wet weather is threatening to wash out sports activities in Colombo, the stadium has come to the rescue. The new move would not allow wet weather to rob valuable cricket action as spectators would always find their trip to Dambulla a worthy one.

It’s better late than never. Cricket fans should commend the decision of the SLC Interim Committee chief Jayantha Dharmadasa and his Executive Committee’s decision to bring Dambulla back to the international cricketing map.

It is now that we realise what a crime it was to keep a picturesque venue like Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in the wilderness. But for whatever reason it was, it had happened and the authorities have now rectified the error. That is what is important.

In action at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium today will be veteran Sri Lanka cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya, who will be reaching another great milestone in his distinguished cricket career.

Evergreen Jayasuriya will be playing in his 400th one day international, a unique feat. He is the only cricketer in the world to complete that grand double of 12,000 runs and 300 wickets in ODIs. In 399 matches so far, the ‘Matara Mauler’ has aggregated 12,157 runs and captured 305 wickets.

Talking about the exemplary career of Jayasuriya, who was once unceremoniously dumped by former selectors, the dashing left-hander is a man who is humble and sincere. Despite going places and becoming a famous personality, it’s still the humble Jayasuriya we meet.

Undoubtedly, President Mahinda Rajapaksa would be a happy man to see Jayasuriya making his 400th ODI appearance for Sri Lanka. It was President Rajapaksa who was instrumental in finding a fair deal for Jayasuriya when he was at the receiving end nearly two years ago.

Having forced Jayasuriya to make a premature retirement, the previous selectors thought they could not end his career altogether.

But the ex-selectors could not dump the natural talents of Jayasuriya. When he was finally recalled to the team for the Triangular Series in Australia late 2005, Jayasuriya signalled his return with a sparkling century.

Ever since, Jayasuriya has let his willow to do most of the talking. True that he is aging. But that has not curbed his natural talent and skills. If he maintains his fitness as he is doing now, Jayasuriya has some more cricket left in his career. His final innings would definitely be more explosive, as he did at the Twenty20 World Cup.