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Sunday, 16 August 2009

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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.

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