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| Sunday, 5 June 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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by A.C. De Silva The West Indies were playing a Test match against England and West Indies great Learie Constantine was batting and a strange field was set for him. Constantine was one of the stalwarts who built up West Indies cricket. The field consisted of a wicket-keeper standing back, no slips, two third men, one fine and one square, extra cover on the boundary, long-off on the boundary, long-on on the boudary, squarer-leg on the boundary, fine-leg on the boundary and only two close-men, short mid-off and short mid-wicket. The field was set by the English captain, Wally Hammond for pace bowlers, Perks and Nicholas, during Constantine's innings of 79 in the Oval Test in 1959. The field was the same at both ends. The other batsman, Johnston, hardly faced a ball. Wisden said: "Constantine brought a welcome air of gaiety to the Test arena. He revolutionised all the recognised features of cricket and, surpassing Bradman in his amazing stroke-play, he was absolutely impudent in his aggressive treatment of the bowling shared by Nicholas and Perks." Century - then dropped To score a century, is any batsman's ambition and when that is achieved, the batsman can console himself that he had made the team for quite some time. But, this is not the case with West Indian, Andy Ganteaume. He made 112 for West Indies in the Port of Spain Test against England in 1947-48 and was never picked thereafter. This remains one of cricket's little mysteries. First woman to nab 100 wickets What men can do, women can do better. So, the saying goes. This was shown in no uncertain manner by Indian woman Diana Edulji - a left-arm spinner. By exhibiting the art of left-arm spin bowling at National and International level, Diana has accomplished laurels which made her an excellent performer, despite the limited support and facilities in India about 20 years ago. The women cricketers in India strive hard for recognition over a decade and now have come to be recognised by their outstanding performances. Diana Edulji who captured 100 wickets in Tests, was the first woman to do so among the five cricket playing nations around 1985. She first started by bowling tennis balls because women's cricket was not in vogue in India till 1969. Though there were not many playing opportunities, yet Diana took to cricket, basketball and table tennis and she hit the top and in 20 Tests she captured 104 wickets. First game One-day cricket has come to stay both locally and at International level. Sri Lanka did well to win the World Cup one-day tournament under the captaincy of Arjuna Ranatunga.It will be interesting to take our minds back to the days Sri Lanka was not yet in the Test fold though the country had many outstanding cricketers in their ranks. Sri Lanka played its first one-day international against the West Indies in 1975 (Prudential Cup). It was represented by Anura Tennekoon (captain), Ranjit Fernando, Bandula Warnapura, David Heyn, Michael Tissera, Duleep Mendis, Anura Ranasinghe, H. S. M. Pieris, Tony Opatha, D. S. de Silva and Lalith Kaluperuma. |
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