9 March 2020 12:36 am Views - 816
On April 6, 2014, we won the World T20 beating India in Dhaka. So what we are experiencing today is a very recent development.In the first quarter of 19th century, while Planting Whites introduced Rugby in the highlands, their military counterparts played Cricket down in Colombo. Two centuries apart they are back for two tests. It’s Cricket, where pride and passion reigns! Administered, mostly by politicians though, politics or business interests never interfered with the game, until recent times.
The Colombo Journal reported on September 5, 1832 issue the formation of an exclusively Whites cricket club called, The Colombo Cricket Club-they played their first match in 1833 against the 97th Regiment.
“Thaththa, boy is bowling me out all the time”
“Boy, don’t keep bowling out baby”
Inapt thought infused into batsmen’s head by Dada at Rosmead place verandah while dictating a letter to his Secretary Bradman Weerakoon, [ref. Rendering unto Ceasar-BW: page 36] encouraged the little boy to play only on smooth ‘grass-less’ pitches. Dada shattered the crown prince’s dreams; which prompted son to bowl illegal deliveries at his sister, and refer against his own mother to the third umpire at Hulftsdorfp years later. Anura Bandaranaike, failed in both these fields, cricket and politics as an adult.
Years later at a cabinet meeting presided by Chandrika Kumaratunga during her ‘cohabitation’ with a UNP Cabinet in 2001-2004, [Aussie Captaining MCC?] CBK seemed annoyed when she referred to a newspaper report which had queried about her academic qualifications. Ranil, the Prime Minister intervened at this stage to chip in, “not only the paper, even SB, your Minister of Sports questioned your training on cricket.”
Sports Minister S. B. Dissanayake, as usual, had made a controversial remark challenging he would resign if the President interfered in the affairs of the BCCSL, at a sports ceremony in Kandy, where he said CBK knew nothing about cricket. A leading print media stood by their report, as they had in their possession the tape, when the minister contradicted the story appeared in the paper; at the cabinet, PM Ranil said he could guarantee that the President had certainly played cricket, reminiscing his childhood experiences on Rosmead Place ‘pitches’ during Royal Primary days. Wickremesinghe nostalgia reversed-sweep how the Bridgeteen joined him and Anura, the two Royalists in cricket.
Perhaps, all three were trained only to bat on a grass-less flat level playing field at Rosemead place [where rules of the game remained permanently suspended] to the slow under-arm tosses by the boy who was strictly prohibited from getting a player out! Anura is no more, the other two who never comprehended the meaning of the word OUT, would steadfastly remain both feet well planted at the crease watching their middle stump being repeatedly hit by the ball and cart-wheeling past the boundary!
COPE would refer the information collected from its investigation into the inconsistencies to the CID; discrepancy involves large amounts resulting in a loss of US$ 18.2 million with regards to SLC’s awarding of broadcasting rights. A directive issued by Navin Dissanayake, former sports minister regarding the awarding of the television broadcasting rights, had been wrongfully used for the awarding. SLC has maintained accounts in several overseas banks, it revealed. Some of which the SLC had opened and maintained when a competent authority was running the affairs of SLC were not even authorized by SLC, and that there is no one to take responsibility for these accounts. Scorers at COPE records only results of a practice match; not the ODIs and Tests. The current mess is caused by politicians and businessmen with little knowledge of the game who have taken over the administration.
Today, the ‘corrupt businessmen’ running the SLC share handsome six/seven figure packages working with a big staff. The sports minister or the govt has little say due to rules imposed by the International authority
Great politico-Cricketers who shone in the fields and the training they had on fair-play, always stood for justice. Those great leaders were honest men, who were organized, meticulous, and methodical. DS Senanayake, Dudley Senanayaka, C. W. W. Kannangara, D. M. Rajapaksa, Sir John Kotalawela, Dr. N. M. Perera, JR Jayewardene, to name a few. Dr. NM, a highly respected President of the Board of Control for Cricket promoted the game in the outstations. Being the leader of the LSSP, but he never mixed cricket and politics.
Apart from politicians, there were in the past senior officials like Neil Perera, Secretary to BCCSL a few decades ago; who shared his experiences with the writer recently, stated how he took cricket work to his GM’s office at CEB due to lack of facilities and got his steno to attend to typing by paying a special allowance out of his pocket!
Today, the ‘corrupt businessmen’ running the SLC share handsome six/seven figure packages working with a big staff. The sports minister or the government has little say due to rules imposed by the International authority. Like the reciprocation in Working Committee and the Leader of a big party, where the WC appoints the leader, and leader in turn appoints the WC—Clubs, whose top men are in the payroll of SLC hierarchy vote their benefactor to lead Cricket, persistence of the monopoly is ensured.
It was May 1970; the Sirimavo-led UF won the general elections by two-thirds defeating the government of Dudley. 27-year-old Gamini Dissanayake who won the multi member seat Nuwara Eliya was among the 18 UNPers elected when they faced a humiliating defeat. The courageous young man visited his leader at his residence, very next day. Spending one hour in the field for his Captain to come down: the disappointed young man got an idea of seeing the vice captain at Breamar, Ward Place, where he received a warm reception. The grandfather who played for Royal College in 1925 was playing soft ball cricket with his three grand children. “Come, Gamini join us; children let Uncle Gamini, a Trinitian cricketer bowl at you.” Later they discussed their future programme. Gamini’s role as head of Cricket, prompted Arjuna Ranatunga in 1996, to present the WC Trophy to his widow as an act of gratitude. Arjuna, who led Sri Lanka to victory, has chosen to be led by a loser and is facing bouncers on a green surface, minus safety gear.
A cricket match was on at S. Thomas’ at Mt. Lavinia, playing against another school. Dudley, a member of the team was back at home bleeding from the nose. Father DS, a cricketer himself who played for the same school ignored the minor misfortune and asked the son,
“How much did you score?”
“52 runs”
“Out for 52?”
“No, retired hurt, a ball hit my nose. I cannot continue”
“Son…, a retired hurt batsman can go and bat later in the innings, you know that?’’
Basic nursing with ice and an aspirin for pain relief; followed by a brunch, Dudley was sent back to the ground. Back at the crease at the fall of the next wicket, Dudley went on to complete his century. Upon his return to the pavilion, the centurion was greeted by the doctor and the father had sent to attend on him. But, the million dollar question is, was the father successful in inspiring the son? Dudley ‘Retired hurt’ once again in 1953 as PM, unable to come to terms with his conscience for ordering shoot-at-sight during the violent civil commotion, ‘Hartal’ of August 12. Both Dudley, and his brother Robert followed the father DS in captaining S. Thomas’ College at cricket.
Other gentlemen politicians who presided the cricket board were, JR Jayewardene, Lakshman Jayakody, Tyrrone Fernando and Gamini Dissanayake. In 1977 July elections, UNP under JR turned tables when he swept the board, and on the following day after the results were being announced, as Premasara Epasinghe wrote, he could not believe his own eyes, seeing Dr. NM playing tennis at NCC where he served as the President. After the game, over a drink, he had a chat.
A leading newspaper in its article on May 19, 2011 quoted a chat between Premasara Epasinghe and Dr. NM:”Sir, it’s a shock to the intelligentsia of this country... great, honest, gentlemanly politicians like you, Colvin, Bernard, Dr. Wickramasinghe, Philip and Robert should invariably be in Parliament. Parliament without you will be like Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark,” Epasinghe had told him. Laughing heartily, NM told, “Epasinghe, you must always bow down to the verdict of the people. That is what democracy means. We must learn to take victory and defeat alike. This I learned in the playing fields of cricket.”
Writer can be contacted at - kksperera1@gmail.com