We will do it our way, not because of ICC !

The International Cricket Council, guardians of the game, seems to have a tendency to poke their fingers into other countries pies, neglecting and ignoring their own shortcomings and problems.

The other day, they wanted three countries to become democratic and hold elections so as to be free of government control. The countries they were pointing fingers at were Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh. They were giving these countries two years to put things right.

It was nice to read Sri Lanka's Minister of Sport Mahindananda Aluthgamage telling the ICC that Sri Lanka would not bow to ICC pressure, but will hold elections next year in order to reinstate democracy at Sri Lanka Cricket. In other words he was telling the ICC "we will do it our way, we are not doing it because of the ICC, but because we wanted to do it anyway!"

While we have no axe to grind with the ICC on this score, it is pertinent to ask the ICC sheiks in Dubai, why is it that they can't get India to agree to play to the Umpires Decision Referral System?

ICC powerless

The other nine Test playing countries are all in agreement and are playing to the UDRS but not India. The toothless tiger image is tending to haunt the ICC, because they are powerless to put their foot down and tell India that they are governing the game and any laws or regulations they make must be adhered to.

India is playing on the vagueness of the ICC, because they say for the UDRS to be effective both playing teams must agree to play to this system. India has said it and will continue to say no to the system and the ICC is having egg on their faces.

What the ICC must do is tell the Indian Cricket Board, that they play to the rules and regulations of the ICC. Probably the BCCI is more powerful than the ICC and the sheiks in Dubai are scared stiff to be hard on the Indians, fearing they might come second if they impose this system on the BCCI.

So till the ICC can get their house in order, let them showcase to the cricket world that they are "TOOTHLESS TIGERS".

Taming the Brit Lions

The Sri Lankan cricketers here in England have it in them to corner and tame the British Lions, if they believe that they are second to none when they front up to England in the remaining three NatWest one-day Internationals.

At the time of writing, the Five match one day series is evenly poised with each side having a win under their belts. England had luck smiling their way when a storm saw that dreaded pair of Duckworth and Lewis batting for them and bringing them victory at the Kia Oval in game one.

The Sri Lankans made the initial mistake by winning the toss and asking England to bat. With the rains reducing the game to a farce and allowing only 32 overs a side from the original 50, the game as a contest lost its appeal as England set Sri Lanka 232 to win, which was impossible with the Lankans going down by a massive 110 runs.

If this style of slap ban cricket is to continue its appeal and draw the fast dwindling spectators who are shunning' Test cricket, then it is paramount that the full quota of 50 overs a side be played. It is also essential for the weather to stay fine.

Bone chilling cold

Unfortunately for the Sri Lankans the bone chilling cold and the rains prevailing here has gone to stall their natural flair for the game. Like it is said in a folklore, everywhere that Mary went the Lamb for sure to go, the cold and the rains have been following the Lankans every where they played and stunting their play.

But came Friday and Headingley in Yorkshire and the Lankans had the sun on their backs and they performed to capacity. Poor thinking by the England skipper Alastair Cook when he won the toss and asked Sri Lanka to bat on a wicket that was a batting paradise, the game was as good as lost for England.

After two stupid run outs that of Dilshan and Chandimal, batting champion Mahela Jayawardena took centre stage and provided the full house of spectators with a stellar batting performance and gave the England players a lesson in how to bat.

Jayawardena was simply fantastic. Concentration, skill, temperament, technique and the strokes that matters in this style of game was on show as he played for team and country and laid the foundation for a series leveling victory that has kept Lanka hopes alive, with three more to go. His career best 144 in 150 balls was mesmerizing.

Bad example

England's South Africa born Jade Dernbach a medium pacer who England selectors think a lot about, but to me he is just one of those up and down bowlers, became involved in a spat with Jayawardena one of the most gentlemen cricketers playing the game today.

Dernbach apparently unable to stomach the Jayawardena battering blocked the batsman's path when running and exchanged words and umpire Billy Bowden was forced to step in. Derbach is a bad example.

Now this was uncalled for and only showed the ignorance and the unsporting attitude of the medium pacer. Dernbach was only playing in his second one-day international. True that fast bowlers are temperamental and tend to lose their cool.

But Dernbach is only an up and downer and has no talent or promise in him to act the ugly way he did. If he was a Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall, a Fred Trueman, a Wesley Hall or a Charlie Griffith it could be understood, because they were terrors and did not like being hit.

But Dernbach is pedestrian compared to the above mentioned pacemen, and it will do the England think tanks good to tell him to cool off and concentrate on holding his place in an England team that is lacking star quality cricketers for this style of the game.

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