Paranavithana - a poor 'sport'!

All sportsmen will no doubt agree to Elmo Rodrigopulle's comment in "Sportscope" column in Sunday Observer of September 6 regarding the behaviour of Sarath Paranavithana on the cricket field the other day. It's true all what was mentioned.

Any player behaving like that is a disgrace to the team. It is a black mark for Sri Lankan cricket.

During the past 27 years very few Sri Lankan cricketers behaved like Paranavithana, but as a newcomer Paranavithana must re-think about his future career in cricket, more than today. Appealing for a bump catch is clearly not a right thing to do. Why doesn't he think about thousands of T.V. viewers worldwide?

Discipline is essential in all spheres of life and sport is no exception.I got my primary education at St. Mary's College, Kegalle - the school which produced Paranavithana and the first Test umpire of Sri Lanka K. T. Francis. As an old Marian, I am a bit ashamed about the conduct of Paranavithana. When Paranavithana does such degrading things especially on the sports field, he must think about his alma-meter and his home town.Paranavithana should know by now how the people of Kegalle talk about him, but now they will lose all regard for him. With his indifferent type of behaviour the people will lose regard about him.Undoubtedly, Paranavithana has a bright future ahead of him, but first things first, he must know how to conduct himself on the sports field in front of so many people.

Dinubdu Indrakabhaya,Kegalle