CRICKET AND POLITICS
Beyond the Boundary Line
Two 50 over games were staged at the supposedly rain free Dambulla where one match was abandoned due to bad weather Head of a leading law firm, Sproule attended to the rest. He made me write a hard hitting letter of demand in smart English which he was incapable of being a gentleman, made his London based solicitor friend sign it un-amended and on borrowed Her Majesty’s crowned water marked stationary dispatched it to one Richardson of ICC fame in an envelope with a UK stamp A Thomian captain of the past, Michael Sproule, lived in an era when his parents watched the sibling bat from the comfort of an open hooded Mercedes Benz
Cricket is Politics and the game is not played as laid in the rules of the MCC or the stunted ICC with its present headquarters in the Emirates. Indeed situated at a ‘curious site’ where cricket is least played, mostly by poor expatriates from the sub continent. Why not switch venues periodically, in four-year stints, transfer to the site chosen for the current World Cup, to give a lift up to many a nation that strive for it.
Two 50 over games were staged at the supposedly rain free Dambulla where one match was abandoned due to bad weather, while the southern hemisphere is ignored as is picturesque Hambantota stadium, full of flowers in bloom and shade trees, with a high class hotel built to house visiting journalists and players without shame. Don’t count it out merely because it is located in the prohibitive Rajapakse territory. Bottom line is both venues are worthy but the decisions are made on extraneous political considerations. That is not cricket.
Yearn for Ana Punchihewa, Rienzie Wijeytilleke, Hemaka Amarasuriya, Vijaya Malalasekera, Michael Tissera and Ian Pieris: gentlemen of cricket, for it purely for the love of the game. An era when Chandrika Kumaranatunga – no cricket follower – allowed zero interference by appointing an interim committee of worthy men rather than allowing elected representatives dominate. Me, no supporter of CBK, though speak in this rich vein, for the good she did for the game.
Rajapakse gave into the combine of Mahelasanga and the lucrative instant cricket of India, a Sri Lankan access to IPL funding: made us lose the First Test in England with an uninspiring second innings performance. Some of the stalwarts arrived on the eve of the Test Match after playing dollar cricket in India. Who made money on cricket stadiums and under whose patronage do they survive today? Did they make a timely switch? Rajapakse is gullible with an island mindset in playing to the gallery. But the real culprits are elsewhere at large enjoying life unhampered.
Won a single 50 over encounter with an improved performance on the field. That made the difference; compliment the fielding coaches for the instant turn around. A stick was needed to get a job done well. Then be sincere to acclaim.
Sinhalese Sports Club grounds had a picture book appearance on the day of the match – all credit to the Ground Secretary but the Pavilion Secretary failed to give an efficient service with the waiters sporting SSC logos on their shirts took 65 minutes to serve a drink after four reminders and forgot conveniently to give the balance change until after much persuasion with a warning issued the third time. There is lack of disciple at the SSC that Sri Lanka Cricket should strive to estop. Made it worse, both with ticket and interval pass, was refused permission to enter the loo by scruffy security: it turned filthy by the lunch break but was subject to a thorough cleansing for the post lunch session. Too latesheer inadequacy of the numbers accommodated on makeshift stands caused washrooms to be over – populated at prime time. SSC officials were unconcerned of the comfort of the paying spectators, while administrators comfortably sat unmoved in the air-conditioned bar. So different to the caring Tamil Union outfit at the Test Match where officials acted as a team ran around to look after the welfare of the meager crowd.
Before winning the World Cup with such good men like Robert Senanayake and Dr N.M. Perera at the helm, the Cricket Board lived on a shoe-string budget. We were castigated for ball tampering on a previous Australian tour. The Board had overwhelming evidence to support our defense that we had no hand in the ball tampering, yet was too poor to afford legal fees.
A Thomian captain of the past, Michael Sproule, lived in an era when his parents watched the sibling bat from the comfort of an open hooded Mercedes Benz parked close to the boundary rope. Michael at Oxford had befriended to be the Queens personal Solicitor; an Oxford half blue at cricket like was Micheal.
Michael Sproule,one evening unannounced walked into my chambers with Ian Pieris, Ana Punchihewa, and Joesphian, ex - captain Hillary Marceline, (Treasurer) and that great man Michael Tissera, sought help for cricket without a fee or fortune on offer. They wanted me to watch a documentary of the events that led to the ball tampering charge in Australia. That was an era when few Aussies cared to watch a Sri Lankan cricket team and the stands were virtually empty. Rodney Marsh clouted many a six to the stands and there were no spectators to catch the ball and the ball hit the cemented floor instead. Came down from terrace to terrace and the documentary evidence reveled the ball splitting at the seam sliding down to the seventh tier.
Here was incontrovertible evidence but the South African CEO Richardson was haughty, treated our Board of Control for Cricket with contempt. He needed the treatment.
Head of a leading law firm, Sproule attended to the rest. He made me write a hard hitting letter of demand in smart English which he was incapable of being a gentleman, made his London based solicitor friend sign it un-amended and on borrowed Her Majesty’s crowned water marked stationary dispatched it to one Richardson of ICC fame in an envelope with a UK stamp. It had a saving clause more for the Board of Cricket for Cricket in Sri Lanka than for the ICC. If they looked at the documentary video and were satisfied and repent, all will be forgiven, we said. We could not afford the stamp fees attached to litigation in the U.K
Richardson saw the documentary and apologised on our agreed terms. London solicitor was offered four tickets to watch world cup cricket matches played in Sri Lanka along with me. Cricket cheated us as the Australians and their running dogs West Indies were called sissy in the words of Kadirgamar and declined to play in Sri Lanka forfeiting points to us. Our friendly lawyer from London paid his airfare to watch Kenya and Zimbabwe play at home. Such were times.
After the World Cup victory with money pouring in, politicians took over cricket. That was the end of a chapter.