Miandad says 'thank you'

Former Pakistan captain and now Pakistan Cricket Board Director General Javed Miandad thanked Sri Lanka for saving cricket starved Pakistan from the brink of isolation from the game, by agreeing to tour.

Speaking further Miandad told ANI: "We will remember this gesture for a long time to come and let me assure you that Pakistan will be pleased to return the favour whenever Sri Lanka needed us in the future.

"We must give the message to the world that we are a peace loving people. We want sports to be played here and want to fight off the terrorists by not succumbing to them," said the former captain who was one of the most exciting and entertaining batsmen produced by Pakistan.

Alam Pakistan coach

Pakistan are determined to stretch the Sri Lankans to the maximum when they tour and have installed another former captain Intikab Alam as their coach.

Alam had been their coach before and with his experience he is sure to guide their cricket to great heights considering that some of their big names will be missing having joined the Indian Cricket League.

One man all cricket fans will want to see back in action is Rawalpindi Express, the dazzling Shoaib Akthar, Akthar is a crowd puller any day and with Miandad pleading with spectators to come in their numbers, fill the stadiums and cheer the teams on, the best man to have on the field is Shoaib Akthar.

Good for Ratnam football

Ratnam Sports Club, one of the leading football clubs in Kotahena has in recent times being revived and given a new lease of life by Hurley Silveira and Navin Fernando.

Ratnam was a name to be reckoned with from its inception and has always been in the thick of the game, beating strong opposition, entering many finals and winning some of them.

The club has also produced some outstanding ball players whose names are too numerous to mention.

Many sported national colours and played the game to the best of their ability and maintained the lofty traditions of the game.

There was a time when the club ran in to bad times with no one to guide its destinies. Cometh the hour, cometh the man, it is said and when it looked as the club would die a natural death, in came the man who mattered in Lawrence Fernando.

Fernando learnt the rudiments of the game, especially goal keeping from the late great coach of coaches Albert Fernando.

Albert spotted the brilliance of Lawrence when the game was played with a mango seed in the churchyard of St. Lucia's Cathedral, Kotahena.

Outstanding cricketers

The churchyard also produced some of the most outstanding cricketers to play for St. Benedict's College, Kotahena, and who later went on to play club and then for the national team.

Back to football and Lawrence used to dive on the tarred churchyard to stop the mango seed being kicked passed him. The many bruises he had on his arms bore testimony to his dare devilry even then.

On Sunday morning after the 7 a.m. mass and while waiting in the queue with my buddy Patrick Perera for the blessing from Fr. Tony Martin, Parish Priest of St. Lucia's Cathedral, Kotahena, my eyes focused on a board that read: 'Do not play in the churchyard premises.'

Then my mind went back nearly 50 years when the churchyard produced cricketers and footballers par excellence.

Lawrence was excellent between the posts for SBC and it was just one of those things that he had to end his career sporting Josephian colours.

He toured Russia with the Sri Lanka team and on his return, circumstances beyond his control made him leave the green, white and green school and finish at the Darley Road school.

Treat to watch

That year when Lawrence kept for SBC, standing between the posts for SBC was another acrobat Vijaya Silva.

It was a treat to watch Lawrence and Vijaya showing their brilliance between the posts, thwarting the strikers from scoring with their daredevilry between the posts.

Lawrence went on to be the national soccer coach and if my memory serves me right, he also held the high office of President of the National body.

Kotahena boy

A Kotahena boy and a Ratnam player Fernando then took charge of the club and nursed and nurtured it to what it is today.

After his demise his nephew Hurley Silveira who is also the President of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka and Lawrence's son Navin have now taken over the running of the club and today the game is on the up and up at the club.

Their recent success where they won the M. S. M. Salley Gold Cup tournament is a great credit for their determination and perseverance.

Well done Ratnam.

Keep going.