Sangakkara's faux pas
A captain in any kind of sport must always lead from the FRONT and by
EXAMPLE. If he is not capable of doing that, then he will not only be
doing himself a favour, but his team a favour as well if he gracefully
bows out.
Everyone from the team to the man on the street and the millions of
youngsters watching on Television, the captain is the one they look up
to, to lead by keeping his cool, not losing his temper but intelligently
doing all that is expected of him not only on the field, but out of it
as well.
But Sri Lanka's cricket captain Kumar Sangakkara seems to be sadly
lacking in these vital aspects. He exhibited uncalled for peevishness
during a limited over game when he lost his cool and chided Lasith
Malinga for bowling wide deliveries.
Accepted that any captain would have acted the way Sangakkara did
because Malinga was bowling tripe. But the captain would have been
better appreciated had he been more diplomatic, walked up to the bowler
and told him that he should be bowling straight, instead of bawling out
at the bowler which was a poor sight. Malinga did take the final wicket
in that over. But he refrained walking back with the bulk of the team.
In my 'COMMENT' column appearing in the 'Daily News', I drew
reference to the Sangakkara - Malinga episode and said what I had to
say.
Then what unfolded in the final one-dayer under lights at the R.
Premadasa Stadium on Sunday was inexplicable, unacceptable and incidents
that should have no place in the game here and whereever this wonderful
game is played.
We refer to the spat between Sangakkara and Pakistan captain Younus
Khan. To those taking in the action on the ground and the millions
watching it on Television, it was outrageous. The provocation for
Sangakkara to lash out at his opposite number was that Sangakkara was
convinced that Younus was out caught behind and refused to walk.
The appeal was turned down by the umpire and Younus did right in not
walking. Accepted that Sangakkara is an example and would walk out the
moment he knew he was out. But he should not accept others to follow his
example. Sangakkara exchanged verbals with Khan which went on for some
time and it was shocking to watch. But Younus cooled things down by
patting Sangakkara.
Sangakkara should have realized that Younus was a guest and an
honoured one at that being not only the captain of Pakistan, but also
its Ambassador in a way. You don't invite a guest and insult him. The
Pakistanis although they lost the Test and one-day series did not go off
the track, but accustomed themselves well and were gentlemen at all
times. That's what sportsmen are expected to do. Pakistan Zindabad.
Why Sangakkara had to act in such an irresponsible manner is
inexplicable. It was unacceptable, especially to the youngsters who look
up to the captain as an example and whom they tend to look up to and
follow.
While this shameful act was being played out, where was match referee
Alan Hurst and what was he doing?
He thinks Hurst failed in his job as match referee. There was no need
for him to wait for the on field umpires to submit a report to him on
the incident. It was clear to him as to what was taking place between
Sangakkara and Younus out in the middle.
He should have acted and reprimanded, warned, fined or suspended
Sangakkara which would have been a deterrent so that ugly incidents of
this nature would not be enacted again. The former Aussie paceman Hurst
is experienced enough to know.
We hope Sangakkara would do a retreat, regret his petulant behaviour
and endeavour to be captain in the true sense of the word. To reiterate
he has the ability to be one if not the best captain that the country
has produced. Then he must not sully it by acting in an irresponsible
manner. He must be an EXAMPLE.
Sangakkara was under study to former skipper Mahela Jayawardena for
long enough to have learnt how to be a gentleman captain. Jayawardena
was an example in everything he did on and off the field. How gracefully
he stepped down as captain.
Many of my Trinity friends called me just after the incident to
register their protest and say that Sangakkara's behaviour was
unbecoming of a Trinitian and that I should not pull my punches when
commenting on his poor behaviour. But these are early days in
Sangakkara's captaincy and we hope he would learn.
If Sangakkara was adamant that Younus should have walked, then here's
an incident for the Sri Lankan captain to ponder where poetic justice
was delivered at the final limited overs match on Sunday.
When umpire Gamini Silva made huge and unbelievable mistake in giving
Pakistan opening batsman Kamran Akmal out LBW off a thick edge which was
clearly seen by Sangakkara who as wicketkeeper was standing a few feet
behind the stumps, it would have been the essence of sportsmanship for
him as captain to have called back the batsman and corrected the
injustice.
Waqar Younus who was doing commentary at that time said that when he
was the bowler in a similar incident, Imran Khan captain of that time
had called the batsman back.
Sangakkara should have known that as a Trinitian, Percy Maralanda who
captained Trinity recalled a Wesley batsman wrongfully given out.
Another captain Jeremy Muthumani walked when he was given not out in the
Big Match of 1983. T. H. de Silva called back the batsman given out in
1994 when Ashan Welagedera told him that the ball was not in his glove
when he stumped. Sangakkara himself played in that game.
Sangakkara now sports an unshaven face which is not to the liking of
some Old Trinitians who had seen in him a Peter May or Mike Brearley of
the England.
Perhaps he wishes to identify himself with the hoi polloi and therein
lies a tale. When Vijaya Malalasekera was the chairman of the Interim
Committee he was walking by and chatting with the players as they
relaxed over their meals.
Spotting a loner he walked up and casually asked: How are you?' to be
told 'warathak neh'. 'How is the dinner?' was replied to as 'warathak
neh'.
As Malalasekera moved away, the budding cricketer tugged at his
trousers and asked: 'thamusey kaudha' to be told, even so casually, 'Malalasekera,
Vijaya Malalasekera.'
Good wine for the end
After Pakistan's wonderful victory in the one and only Twenty20 game
on Wednesday my friend Kenneth Dabrera who was the cheer leader during
our playing day's at St. Benedict's College, Kotahena rang me up and put
it very succinctly, saying that the Pakistanis had reserved the good
wine for the end. How true!
After losing the Test series 2-0 and the one-day internationals 3 -
2, the Pakistanis hit back with a vengeance to win the two final one-dayers
and the Twenty20 under lights at the R. Premadasa Stadium.
The twenty20 victory was great success for Pakistan captain Shahid
Afridi who was making his maiden appearance as captain. He led from the
front and was seen always instructing his fielders and bowlers as what
to do and was inspiration to all his teammates. The future looks rosy
for him. |