Look out for the bad ally within – the match-fixing conundrum
“One Team One Nation”-- that is the brand that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has placed its hopes, aspirations and achievements upon, for the game, in this tear drop shaped island of wonders.
Why do I call it the island of wonders? As you are aware, Sri Lanka has produced only one female Athlete in the Asian region, to win a short distance medal at the Olympics. At the turn of the last millennium, sprinter Susanthika Jayasinghe achieved that impossible. First it was a Bronze she had in her possession. But, when American winner of that event on that day-Marion Jones -- admitted she had cheated, Susanthika ended up with Silver in the 200m category.
Then, Sri Lanka played its 1st Test match, only in 1982. And just 14 years later, Arjuna Ranatunga and his set of willow-wielders turned the entire cricketing world on its head by beating the Australians in the final to win the ICC Cricket World Cup at Lahore in 1996, thus converting a bunch of no-hopers into a pack of respected cricketers. Then, in 2014, they added another feather to their cap, by winning the T-20 ICC World Championships, beating India in the final in Bangladesh.
Besides, there are many other achievements. Our cricketers have the highest total in Test cricket -- 952 for 6 declared against India at the R. Premadasa International Stadium in 1997. Then the wily Muttiah Muralitharan ended up as the highest wicket taker in the history of Test cricket -- a tally of 800 wickets, an achievement which, I feel, would stand the length of time in the annals of cricket.
Yet, it’s a shame that now, the tear drop shaped island has reason to really cry in shame. This is not only because the team which once won the ICC World Cup, sits just above Afghanistan in the ICC T-20 rankings but also because it is losing its resolve in world cricket, and may be dumped with the rest of the ‘also-rans’ very soon.
The tale of woes for Lankan cricket seems to be never ending. Now, the country is rocked by this match fixing allegation -- a quagmire that our local cricket is submerged up to its torso. Yes, we all agree that we can live without these unnecessary negative publicity.
Last week, the SLC Premier League ‘B’ Division match between Kalutara Physical Culture Circle (KPCC) and the Panadura Sports was a revelation. Like Susanthika won a sprint medal in 2000, in double quick time, the KPCC lads proved they could bowl 13 overs in just 20 minutes, in spite of the number of wickets falling in that period. Besides, the appalling field-setting pattern during the last stages of the day, and allied accusations brought to light by the Ports Authority Sports Club members, who are also taking part in this same tournament, take a beating to the niceties and the accepted norms of the game completely.
It is learned that, when the SLC tournament committee took this case up on Monday, both the match referee and the two umpires had indicated there were incidents that amounted to match-fixing during the game.
In a lighter vein, an insider explained, “During the last stages of the game, there was this young schoolboy cricketer now in the National Under-19 pool, who had dived and saved a certain boundary, only to be reprimanded by his team authorities. He was not supposed to save those runs."
If this is the kind of message we give to the future generation, we better look out. For these youngsters, next is the National crest, and if they get the notion that this is the accepted norm in cricket, “God help Sri Lanka's Cricket”.
This incident should not have taken place under any circumstances, for the simple reason that SLC executive committee members Anura Weerasinghe and Aruna de Silva are senior KPCC members, while Panadura SC stalwart Ravin Wickremaratne is the Assistant Secretary of Cricket’s apex organisation.
At the same time, we found out what the modus operandi of this exercise was. It was explained that, if Panadura did not win that game outright, Ports Authority CC would have had a chance to win the title and join the Premier League ‘A’ Division tournament next year. If Panadura did win that match outright, they may have ousted Ports Authority CC at the post.
At the same time, there was an opportunity for KPCC to avoid relegation, if they collected sufficient points during that game, in spite of losing outright. So, both Panadura SC and KPCC apparently played for a win-win situation.
Now we learn that, someone has even changed the choices of the names put forward to sit at the independent inquiry panel. Now one wonders how independent the independent inquirers would be.
Yet, finally the committee comprised -Disciplinary Committee Chairman Asela Rekawa, former national player Jayantha Paranathala and SLC's Security and Investigations chief Sarathchandra Liyanage. They have to remain impartial and come up with the right verdict for the simple reason that the entire cricketing world is watching their probe.
Finally, it is a well known fact that, since coming to power at the last SLC AGM, the Thilanga Sumathipala regime's ride was never a hunky-dory affair. It has always been a roller-coaster. The three KPCC and Panadura CC officials mentioned above -- who are also SLC officials -- were all Sumathipala disciples. Then, by getting involved in such activity, whom are they trying to bring down? The answer is obvious.
Recently, an insider brought this also to my notice. The Premier League ‘A’ game between Colts and Chilaw Marians was a four-day match which finished in just two days, at the CCC. Scores read as- Chilaw Marians 190, while the Colts made 150 runs in their 1st innings and were all out for 39 in their 2nd innings. The curator of the CCC is Godfrey Dabarera who, incidentally, is also the Secretary of Chilaw Marians. Oh! What a funny coincidence indeed!
Nevertheless, they say, a bad ally within is much more harmful than the enemy next door. Yet, we do believe in “One Team One Nation”.