Past Stalwarts frown on Twenty20 cricket

By Ranjan Anandappa

CRICKET: Many past stalwarts of the game were critical and disapponited of Twenty20 cricket which has taken a strong hold at present, as they feel it will have disastrous consequences for the future.

A Twenty20 provincial tournament is in progress at the moment and to make things worse a Sri Lanka Schools cricket team has been invited to take part in this tournament which constitutes a meaningless process as it cannot be categorised purely as a provincial tournament since a schools team is also taking part.

On previous occasions, a combined schools team participated in the prestigeous Robert Senanayake Trophy three-day competition pitted against some of the strongest combinations.

The teams that participated were the Mercantile CA XI which included a galaxy of national cricketers, Nationalised Services, State Services etc to name a few. This tournament was a sure way of identifying potential players for the future.

Former All-Ceylon cricketer, popular commentator and reputed cricket coach Bertie Wijesinha was sad about the whole episode and described it as a total disaster particularly as it has taken root in the school cricket arena.

“Twenty20 version of the game is like a circus and a dog fight, and school cricket being the cradle of the country’s cricket, will be severly affected by the youngsters not paying more attention to the rudiments of the game, as they and the game will suffer at the end due to lack of a proper foundation,” said Wijesinha.

“It is a sad state of affairs, because cricket is based on many fundamental techniques and a classic game which is now being sold out for money and destroying the beauty of the game.

Cricket is a classical art which is now being jazzed up for the pecuniary advantage. It reminds me of the ancient gladiators of Rome, who fought for their lives for the entertainment of the ancient crowd,” Wijesinha concluded.

This version of the game originated in England to get back the rapidly diminishing crowd from cricket, to watch cricket purely for entertainment.

However, it has now spread like an epidemic in many parts of the world with lucrative financial gains in the offing.

However,there were mixed reactions with some saying that Twenty 20 cricket is a good exposure for the cricketers, but not for the schoolboys. It is like trying to walk prior to crawling.

Harsha de Silva, the present cricket coach of St. Joseph’s College, who has guided the school successfully for eight years said that positive thinking is needed as the tourney is held for the first time, and only time can reveal the future of this shorter version of the game at school level.

Infact the Josephians were the first aschool to conduct a Twenty20 tournament a few years ago.

It gives a good opportunity to the players to display their capabilities and it is good for the future whatever the cricket that’s being played.