SLC ought to be more circumspective

Richard DWIGHT

There is no gainsaying, our cricket team isn't just another side to be spoken of as ordinary.

Far from it, on the contrary it has risen to dizzy heights by its cricketing prowess and, the maintaining of standards and discipline - that have comparatively been of a high order, both on and off the field. Ricky Ponting's

Mindful are we, and the cricketing world in general, on having won the World Cup in 1996, the intermittent registering of many victories and having in its ranks as well, two sensational spinners, Murali and Ajantha, who between them have established 3 world records, which would be very hard to beat.

That which redounds to the credit of our cricketers, in that all this and more has been achieved, amidst a little over two decades civil conflict.Our doing well at cricket through the years, has run parallel to the strife torn battle scarred land of ours. And it has thereby enabled the country to be consistently in focus, lifting its image in a greater light and greater dimension. The citizenry too, have found in this great game of cricket, a release from the prevailing depressive disrepair and gloom. Viewed in all its entirety, our cricket has become a force to be reckoned with.

And our cricketers have so endeared themselves, to the current as well as the past cricketers of the world, and to many followers of the game here and abroad.

Evidence of this was seen in the spontaneous, outpouring of sympathy from members of the different cricket teams and the countries they represent, over the traumatic experience our cricketers had in Lahore, Pakistan.

Much too was said in support of our cause, in the print as well as the electronic media. All of which did go a long way, to uplift the morale of our cricketers and the country at large.

Undoubtedly our cricketers through the years, have earned a measure of prestige and built a stature for themselves. They will do well to maintain this and be a bit more circumspect of the places wherein they play. Especially in a country where there is unrest and an imminent threat to security prevails.

It was by divine providence that our cricketers were saved from well nigh death, in that dreadful Lahore incident. The coach driver, Mohamad Khalil, was verily an instrument in God's hand. Had he failed in his mission as saviour, our cricketers may not have lived to tell the tale.

And so in recognition and appreciation of Khalil's valiant heroic deed, he will be most fittingly felicitated and rewarded, when he visits the island in the near future.

It could be said of Khalil as of old "That greater love hath no man, than a man lays down his life for another."