Arjuna must concentrate on school cricket

Arjuna Ranatunga needs no introduction. From his playing days at Ananda Vidyalaya, Colombo, Ranatunga had a direct passage into the Sri Lanka national team to play in the inaugural Test against England 26 years ago.

He proved himself by becoming the first ever Sri Lanka batsman to score a half century in Test cricket. Ever since, he had been a vital cog in the Sri Lanka team, contributing lavishly to many great Lankan victories in cricket. That included his able leadership at Sri Lanka’s triumph at the 1996 World Cup against Australia at Lahore.

On his retirement, he took to politics, following the footsteps of his father Reggie and brother Prasanna. Today, Arjuna Ranatunga occupies the top seat at Sri Lanka Cricket. It would have been better if he had been able to reach that position democratically. But even most of his political opponents would not object to his appointment as Ranatunga knows his onions.

Ranatunga, the first Test player to head Sri Lanka cricket administration, has now embarked on his mission to resurrect Sri Lanka cricket and target the 2011 World Cup. Last week, he made special mention of school cricket and launching the talent search from there.

We would like to commend Ranatunga’s decision to give special emphasis to school cricket. His first hand experience of being one of the most talented schoolboy cricketers of that era would have greatly prompted Ranatunga in this move. He knows how precious school cricket is in determining the fortunes of any sport.

Sri Lanka has one of the best, or probably the best, school cricket structures of the world. Even many English and Australian cricket administrators who have toured here during the past couple of decades too have openly admitted that.

Nearly 20 years ago, former President of the England School Cricket Association Mick Werney told me that compared to England or any other country, Sri Lanka has the most organised and competitive school cricket structure.

On several occasions, I have pointed out the need to go back to school ground to pick the talent and groom them for the future. But Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) or Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) has failed to do that in an organised and a productive manner.

The golden era in Sri Lanka school cricket was from 1980s to 90s. There was a galaxy of schoolboy stars who made it to the top level in no time.

Ranjan Madugalle, Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva, Roshan Mahanama, Asanga Gurusinha and Sanath Jayasuriya were the super stars during their schooldays and selectors did not have to think twice in absorbing them direct to the national team.

Then in the next batch were talented cricketers of the calibre of Marvan Atapattu, Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumara Dharmasena, Ruwan Kapuge, Chaminda Vaas, to name a few. Our selectors then had plenty of options as the production from the school scene was rich.

But the situation has gradually changed as the standard of school cricket has been deteriorating. Most of the people holding office at SLSCA now task in that glory but lack dedication and commitment to work those extra hours to help the game.

But when the SLSCA was manned by people such as Neville de Alwis and B.S. Perera there were many happenings, generating tremendous enthusiasm not only among schools but among the public as well.

Schoolboy cricketers, in their transition period from school to club level faced immense problems. Especially when outstation players get opportunities at club level, they find it hard to meet additional burdens.

Accommodation has always been their biggest worry and Ranatunga himself too understood this problem during his playing days. Ranatunga’s Colombo residence has provided shelter to many less affluent schoolboy cricketers, even in the national team.

It was during his playing era that Ranatunga mooted the idea of a hostel for outstation crickcters. Now that he has the key to determine Sri Lanka Cricket destinies, the cricketer turned politician should immediately embark on a hostel project to ease the accommodation problem of the cricketers.

His decision not to construct any more international cricket grounds is also commendable at this stage. Thanks to the brainchild of former SLC President Thilanga Sumathipala, we have a picturesque ground at Dambulla which could ideally host international matches during the rainy season.

With the existing grounds at Asgiriya and Galle we have enough and more international venues for the moment. The grounds at Kurunegala, Radella and Matara could be maintained to promote provincial cricket and also to host first class matches.

As Ranatunga has emphasised, the money at SLC coffers are the hard earned money of our national cricketers. As the SLC interim chief has said, our batsmen take all the risks of facing balls that come nearly 100mph or the bowlers toiling hard in marathon spells. It’s their sweat, hard work, dedication and sacrifices that are turned into success and generate funds.

Ranatunga knows best, how tiring as exercise that is, not as cool as watching a match in comfort.

But most interim officials have wasted funds over the past years. That is because they are mere appointees and do not account for the member clubs and associations of the SLC.

True that Ranatunga too is an appointee but he is not a man who would even dream of wasting those hard-earned money of our national cricketers. I am sure he would make every endeavour to handle funds in a transparent manner and invest wisely for the betterment of our future cricket.