Bring back Mahela

‘Bring back Mahela Jayawardena’.That was the cry after Sri Lanka lost the much valued title of ‘Spirit of cricket award’ which was given to New Zealand in the International Cricket Awards ceremony in Johnnesburg on Thursday.

Sri Lanka were the unanimous winners of this treasured title for two years running and it disappointed all Sri Lankans when it dawned on them that the title is no longer the preserve of Sri Lanka.

Winning matches, trophies and other titles was of little significance. What was great was the winning of the ‘Spirit of Cricket’ title. By winning that title we were envied and we proved to the world, that winning or losing was not mattered, but how one played the game.

exemplary leadership

The cricket world stood up to the Lankan cricketers. Other teams did their best to emulate the Lankans. For two years the title was the Lankans under the exemplary leadership of Mahela Jayawardena.

Jayawardena always led from thee front. His admirable leadership was a lesson and it rubbed off on his team mates. While endeavouring to win at all times, they achieved success by playing the game in its true spirit.

Under Jayawardena there was no sledging, arguing with the umpires or opposing players. Even if provoked, the Lankans did not lose their cool and retort, but played the game in the spirit in which it was meant to be played.

Hurts and saddens

But now it hurts and saddens all sports fans to know that we are no more holders of that title. In recent times the Lankans have not been on their best behaviour on the field.

Why had this to happen? Had we forgotten the wonderful virtues that this great taught us? Was money the root of all evil?

The Minister of Sport and Recreation Gamini Lokuge, it is reported had asked Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket D.S.de Silva to submit a report to him on the debacle that was the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa.

‘Spirit of Cricket’

Instead of asking the chairman to submit a report, he should have appointed a committee of able men to probe not only the debacle in South Africa, but also has to how come we lost the ‘Spirit of Cricket’ title?

It is also inexplicable the Lankan cricketers who were on a role till recently, have now run into cricketing turbulence and continuing to lose. True,you can’t win always. But no excuses could be adduced and accepted for losing games that could be won.

Fuming cricket fans kept phoning and while cursing and swearing demanded that Mahela Jayawardena be given the mantle of captaincy again.They reckon that Jayawardena had to abdicate the captaincy, because there was no support forthcoming when he suddenly lost batting form.

stylish right hander

The selectors too, without batting with him, deserted him when most needed and the stylish right hander and whom former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar said he would go long way to see him batting, and easily the best captain we had, had to quit in disgust.

That he was the first captain to win a Test match in the West Indies and also take us to the final of the World Cup in the West Indies was conveniently forgotten.The Lankans are now repenting.

Our next fling will be against India in India for a three Test series and a number of one-day internationals and then to Bangladesh.We are taking strike with the next World Cup in the sub-continent in mind.

Then it is vital that those who matter, make it their business to find the causes for our debacles and put things right so that when World Cup times comes around we would be raring to go and be in fettle to win that big prize.

Semis provided great cricket

The two semi-finals between Australia and England and New Zealand and Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy provided cricket that was lapped up by all sports fans, especially cricket fans.

In the first semi, the Australians bashed their bitter rivals England by nine wickets.It would have been galling to the Brits considering that they were slapped a 6-1 defeat in England in the NatWest series.

The Brits recovered wonderfully well after being a sad 101 for six at one stage thanks to Luke Wright 48 and Tim Bresnan 80 who put on 107 for the seventh wicket to make a formidable 257.But when the Aussies took strike their bowlers received a battering led by Ricky Ponting 111 and Shane Watson 136 both unbeaten who brutalized their attack to notch up centuries that eventually took them to a memorable victory by nine wickets.

record partnership

They were also involved in an unbroken record partnership of 252 for the second wicket.

Pakistan who were eagerly looking forward to a fling in the finals,were given a shock by the New Zealanders who beat them by five wickets.Pakistan have only themselves to blame for this defeat.