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| Sunday, 20 February 2005 |
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Sports |  |
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Straight talk by Lal Gunesekera Did SLC instruct cricketers to boycott charity dinner ? Where were the Sri Lanka cricketers ? This was the main topic at the charity dinner in aid of the Muralitharan-Vaas-Gunasekera Foundation and Sahanaya at the posh Waters Edge Golf and Country Club last week. They were missing and was this a boycott ? Apart from Muttiah Muralitharan himself, there was not a single Sri Lanka cricketer present at the occasion and this did not escape the eye of Shane Warne, the Australian world record holder for the highest number of Test wickets who had travelled thousands of miles across the seas to see for himself first hand the destruction caused by the Boxing Day tsunami, in particular to the picturesque Galle International Stadium - a venue that this great Aussie spinner has fond memories of. Warne sensed something was wrong and queried from his Sri Lankan spin rival, Muralitharan, what it was all about - the absence of the other Sri Lanka cricketers. Even Chaminda Vaas, who is a member of this Foundation, was missing. Deputy President of Sri Lanka cricket (SLC) and a former dashing batsman Aravinda de Silva, was, however, present. Warne had commented: How could you rebuild your country if you cannot work together? What would have gone wrong ? Surely, our cricketers these days could well afford the Rs. 10,000 per head priced for this charitable cause. I understand that SLC had instructed the cricketers not to attend this function as funds were not meant for them (SLC), and even SMS messages have been sent on mobile phones to this effect. It's sad and certainly not sportsmanship! Were there any other reasons for their absence from this event? Former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga (now a Deputy Minister in the UPFA government) himself had said that the absence of the cricketers was strange. In his speech he had said that he was in the process of writing a book and that 50 per cent of its contents were on Shane Warne. He had also disclosed the psychological war he waged against the Waugh twins (Mark and Steve) and Warne himself just before the 1996 World Cup final in Lahore and how this had affected the entire Australian team. Sri Lanka won the battle. Mahamodera to Habaraduwa The government has relocated land in Habaraduwa for SLC to construct a new international stadium in place of the Galle Stadium which was devastated by the tsunami. Earlier, there was a talk of Mahamodera been the new venue. I am told that the Department of Archaeology will not permit any new construction at the Galle Stadium over 10 feet in height which will obstruct the 16th century fortress, and that there are four to five Court cases yet pending against SLC by this department. Warne, who had visited the Galle Stadium during his short visit to Sri Lanka, has promised financial support through his Foundation to rebuild this venue. Even the Melbourne city authorities have said they too will help. However, now, the SLC are to take a final decision in about two months time and if Habaraduwa is to be the new venue for international matches in the Southern Province, all this money will go into it. It's all about money For heavens sake, enough is enough. It has always been money, money, and nothing but money. That is the insinuation made by the Secretary of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU), Iswan Omar, and certain referees of the Central Province, against the Sri Lanka Rugby Referees Society (SLRRS) and in particular its Secretary, Dilroy Fernando. It's all about a sum of Rs. 324,800. Allegations have been made and counter allegations too hurled. That's enough, now lets get on with the game. The annual general meeting of the SLRFU is round the corner (February 26) to be exact and the Secretary of SLRRS, Dilroy Fernando, will take over as Secretary of SLRFU. The season proper has not yet begun, but the "fighting" has, and in bad taste too! Some say that it's a smear campaign. Some say that Omar, who relinquishes office on February 26 is now eyeing the post of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the SLRFU which is yet vacant after the sudden resignation of Chandrashan Perera. The game cannot suffer again. Sanity must prevail. Please stop this infighting. Enjoining order dissolved The District Court of Colombo has dissolved the enjoining order made against the SLRFU and dismissed the application of CR & FC, who were suspended by the controlling body for competing in the Clifford Cup tournament last season. The "Red Shirts" were found guilty of playing Dhanushka Pushpakumara, who had been registered with Kandy Sports Club for the entire 2004 season. I now hear that the CR & FC are going to make an appeal against the judgement of the District Court of Colombo, and I sincerely hope, that the hierarchy of CR will not do so, but accept "defeat" and continue to play the game. It was Intercon first It was Hotel Ceylon Intercontinental that staged a junior international tennis tournament for the first time outside the SLTA. This was soon after Umesh Walloopillai won the Asian Junior Championship in Colombo beating India's Leander Paes in the final. The event at the Intercon was Grade V, but it was upgraded to IV the following year, and was conducted very successfully too. This year the SSC are staging it on their courts at Maitland Place. Susanthika out in the cold Since her arrival in the country from the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece last year (2004), where she did not take part citing injury, but made overall captain, the 2000 Sydney Olympics bronze medallist, Susanthika Jayasinghe (29), has been very quiet. Now she has loosened up and says that she is yet recuperating from her "leg injury" which did not permit her to run in Greece as adviced by her doctors and American coach Tony Campbell, who have told her to "take a rest" this year (2005) and fully recover before she starts serious training again. This means that Susanthika will not run this year. An over weight Susanthika was seen at the opening of the synthetic track at Lyceum International School in Wattala recently and had commented that she has not given up track and field, but has her sights on a medal at the 2008 Olympic Games to be staged in China. During her absence from the track, Susanthika, has been busy in constructing a new home and also assisting with tsunami relief work in the North, East and South of Sri Lanka. Cagers caged The law enforcement officer who heads the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation
(SLBF) has put a stop to all overseas tours until standards improve. He has
also taken full control of its finances, much to the disappointment of
certain officials. Continue with your work and put an end to other
malpractices too within the SLBF. |
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