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Citizens' mail
When a cricket commentator called T M Dilshan's scoop stroke 'The Dil
Scoop' that made me immensely proud. Not merely because I am a cricket
loving Sri Lankan, but because that was a statement of one of our own
innovating a stroke and getting due recognition for it on international
media.
Just like with Murali and what is now called the Murali special
'Dooshra'. After a while cricket talk show hosts began to talk about
'The Dil Scoop' with excitement and there were several instances when
the scoop was shown over and over again and was becoming a special brand
of a stroke and the innovator was being acknowledged.
Just last week, I was so disappointed to watch an attempt to make a
reversal of the acknowledgement of Dilshan's superb achievement through
an advertisement for a well known global brand of a fizzed drink. In my
mind it was indeed a crafty work of creativity in social engineering.
The creators of the advert had 'bought' Dilshan to even appear for
the advert. He was not featured playing 'The Dil Scoop', but was inside
an Indian sari shop, amidst a posse of beauties trying out saris. Each
of them played with their saris with an action similar to that of
Dilshan's scoop stroke, with the longer drape of the sari that hangs
over the shoulder, called the 'Pallu'. And the final frame of the advert
featured the product, its tag-line with a bold and prominent statement
'Pallu Scoop'.
To me what it looked like was an attempt to take away what was
Dilshan's due. True, the stroke will now be played by many, and may be
others played it somewhere before Dilshan did for there is 'nothing that
is original' as some one said. But to me it was Dilshan's superb
execution of that stroke during several tournaments with consistent
quality that got him due brand recognition of "The Dil Scoop". My
earnest appeal to those who may seek to take it away from him is to
please do not. Not even for the fat bucks you may pay an unsuspecting
yet greedy human being.
It will be taking away the simple and innocent joy of cricket lovers
the likes of me, who cheer the excellence of achievements made not only
by Dilshan, Murali, Aravinda, Sanath or Sange but by Tendulka, Sewag,
Dhoni, Kapil Dev, Gavaskar, Imran Khan, Afridi, Warne, Dale, Sobers,
Richards, Bradman and the like.
Renton de Alwis
The public library of Palayangoda in Payagala-Maggona Badde area run
by the Beruwala Pradeshiya Sabha contains only a few number of books.
Although above area is introduced as multi-ethnic, there are no
sufficient books for the benefit of Tamil and Muslim readers.
Not a single Tamil or English Language monthly periodical furnished.
This lack of books creates much inconvenience and bad impression
among the Muslim and Tamil students living here.
Several times, this matter was brought to the notice of Beruwala
Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman, but he hasn't paid any attention or taken any
decision.
C W Kamburawala
The heavy monsoon rains down the years has caused sea erosion around
the coastal belt of Sri Lanka. The coastal conservation authorities are
working round the clock but are finding it difficult and almost
impossible in controlling the problem. The Government is planning to
fill 600 acres of land close to the Galle Face Green for hotel projects
and other ventures and has already developed the Colombo South port area
by filling the sea.
By this development we gather that the protection of the coastal
areas in Sri Lanka from sea erosion will not be a difficult task in
controlling the problem as foreseen earlier.
Susantha Welgama
President Mahinda Rajapaksa congratulated five year old Viyama Oshadi
for setting a record recently by swimming across the Kelani river at a
point where the width is 100 metres. Her outstanding feat in swimming
across the river was said to have been witnessed by the Sports Medical
Institute officials. It is therefore obvious that the Sports Ministry
was fully aware of little Oshadi's attempt and her prowess. The Sports
Ministry must take the little star immediately under its wing and give
her a proper training so that she could develop into an Asian Games and
Olympic prospect.
E Ranjit Abeydeera, Dehiwala
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