Dealing with indiscipline in cricket: The Pramodaya factor
Indiscipline in international sports is not a rare phenomenon. Just to recollect some talked about instances, especially in cricket, we could picture well-known figures like Andrew Symonds – the Australian legend who bat, bowl or field a side to victory almost singlehandedly. However his off the field escapades started getting bigger than the game and pop went the whistle.
Then English allrounder Andrew Flintoff and his infamous ‘pedalo’ incident in the Caribbean: He attempted to get out to sea and find the boat on which he believed Ian Botham was enjoying a late- night drink. Then there are the incidents involving the South African born English cricketer Kevin Pieterson whom all loved to hate.
However, there are various ways of sizing up the very meaning of indiscipline and where to fit such incidents in accordance with the circumstances.
The other day, I got a call from former national fast bowler Pramodya Wickremasinghe who brought a weird angle to this circus that we are engaged in. He narrated his bemused piece of information in this manner: “As you know they have come up with a new set of national cricket selectors and I was invited to be a part of it. I presume that till the eleventh hour my name was in the list. But, just a little while prior to the announcement of the squad, my name was dropped by Sports Minister Faiszer Musthapha.
“I was rather bemused when the minister explained as to why my name was dropped. He said that because I had been very critical of players being involved in alleged involvements of crossing the boarders of accepted norms in cricket and now some players may be uncomfortable if I am included in the national selection panel.
“Whatever I did, I did with a straight bat. I am of the view that the game and its players should be above board at all times -- and only then will the performances also become less angled. Right now there are lots of fingers pointed at Sri Lanka cricket and on top of that the team is facing some of the biggest defeats in the history of Sri Lanka cricket”.
Let us make this clear – this is not an attempt by the Musings to appeal for the appointment of Pramodya Wickremasinghe into the selection panel. Right now there is a very competent cricket committee to oversee that part of the job. Yet, indiscipline in sport and shielding it is a subject that should be engaged in.
Initially, the former national fast bowler Wickremasinghe, without referring to any individuals, said he had fears about some of the players being engaged in acts of match fixing and other misdeeds. In reply, the players came up with a document signed by forty active cricketers for television rights for the just concluded England tour. Yes, the case is pending and an employee has already been taken into custody. This occurred in broad daylight and still some influential persons tried their level best to cover it up. Yet, the Police investigations are still going on.
Then one day, Sri Lanka woke up with the news that one of the national players was part of an incident that the whole country was shamed of. Just imagine when the reputed Indian newspaper, The Hindustan Times, said “Sri Lankan police have questioned a player for the national cricket team after a Norwegian woman was allegedly raped in a hotel room while he was present.”
“Opening batsman Danushka Gunathilaka, 27, has already been suspended by Sri Lanka Cricket on a “misconduct” charge after a close associate of his was arrested for sexual assault in the team hotel in Colombo.”
“Gunathilaka was quizzed by police about an incident at the weekend when his friend Sandeep Jude Selliah, 26, was accused of raping one of two Norwegian women in their room, an officer told AFP."
“He has said he was asleep and was not aware of what had taken place between his friend and the Norwegian woman, said the policeman on condition of anonymity.”
Just imagine the international stink that it emanated? What ultimately transpired as a result of that indiscipline? Recently fast bowler Lahiru Kumara was kept out a match because he violated the curfew. Just prior to that, leg spinner Jeffrey Vandersay was involved in a huge curfew breach escapade and was sent home from the Caribbean.
Following that, the ICC came out with another huge accusation. Alex Marshall, ACU general manager, recently explained why he and his team had been spending a lot of time in Sri Lanka. Marshall said his goal is to "break the cycle of abuse and corruption" that has seeped into Sri Lankan cricket and is threatening young players. He said: "Sri Lanka is one where we are very concerned, the high number of reports that we are getting and the high number of investigations would indicate that the corruption is in the system. Sri Lanka is the country where we have conducted the most investigations in the last 12 months with Zimbabwe a close second.”
In the ICC statement, it is stated that 12-20 very active corruptors are currently being monitored and among them there could be some women, too.
During this ICC crackdown, so far former national cricket captain Sanath Jayasuriya, former fast bowler Nuwan Zoysa and allrounder Dilhara Lokuhettige have been served with charge sheets and there will be more.
Sadly this is the undeniable truth and the real status quo of Sri Lanka Cricket, its administration and players. If a change of the selection panel is the answer to these woes, so be it. Yet, we feel it is only the tip of the iceberg. It is only with this in mind, we said that a person with Wickremasinghe’s line of thinking could be a part of potent inclusion of the cricket machinery.