ICC Sheiks in Dubai finally see reason in the UDRS

The International Cricket Council has always been playing ducks and drakes with the Umpire Decision Referral System. They allow it to be used by Cricket Boards that can afford it and turn a blind eye on those who cannot spare the change. This column has always asked the ICC to pad up and help the Cricket Boards that cannot afford to play the system. The ICC has money bags after conducting the money spinning World Cup and Twenty20.

They must be in constant touch with the Cricket Boards attempting find sponsors for the implementation of the UDRS by coming forward to help as co-sponsors. But the ICC has been sitting in the pavilion in a mood of prolonged meditation.

Finally some of the sheiks in Dubai have come down from their Ivory Towers, especially after the umpiring errors in the Sri Lanka-Pakistan First Test in Galle and have played a positive stroke at last by recommending that all member countries to use the decision review system technology for every test and one day international. But the latest is that the ICC has ignored the decision of the Exco.

Strong supporter

Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene is a strong supporter of the UDRS and pulled no punches when he said at the post match press briefing that he has always been a fan of the UDRS because it is an opportunity for everyone to get the maximum amount of correct decisions and that it will help the umpires as well.

While umpires Steve Davis of Australia and Ian Gould of England came in for a bit of bashing, to their credit it must be said that they raised the dreaded finger, ruling a batsman out and not out the way they saw it happen.

Umpiring is an unenviable job and not very many will want to do an umpires' job. But critics are readily available. Unfortunately it was the Pakistanis who suffered most by their contentious decisions. But losing sides always have excuses to trot out for their defeats.

Sri Lanka Captain Mahela Jayawardene came in for uncharitable criticism for not enforcing the follow on. Criticism coming from those who have not handled a ball can be excused.

But when it comes from those who played the game at the highest level, then it smacks of poor thinking and a personal attack on him. Some even queried his logic. But he confounded them all by winning the Test for Sri Lanka in four days.

Galle CC splendid

After a couple of days play in the First Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan played at the Galle International Cricket Stadium - which was won by 209 runs by Sri Lanka, it was pleasant spending a couple of evenings at the Galle Cricket Club. After the tsunami the ground, the pavilion named the Mahinda Rajapaksa Pavilion and the Media Boxes have all been renovated and air conditioned, and the club house of Galle CC is now a lovely house to spend an evening of music and dance.

Keeping me company was Sri Lanka's cheer leaders Percy Abeysekera. Now Percy is a legend not only in Galle and all local Test playing venues, but all over the cricket world. Percy says he misses his other cheer leaders who kept him company Lionel Navalagodagedera and Tissa.

Reminiscing

Joining us and reminiscing was Gajaba Pitigala, the present president of the club who missed gaining representative honours, Jayananda Warnaweera who is known as the 'king' of Galle cricket. He was the architect in the renovating of the ground and is now its curator, and Charles Silva a cricketer and the club's cricket secretary.

I remember playing on that ground in mid sixties representing the Burgher Recreation Club in which year the club won the Donovan Andree Trophy under former Wesley cricketer Clive Bartholomeusz. In those days like the perennial, 'where the deer and the buffaloes roam', there were no deer, but buffaloes used to invade the field and halt play and have to be chased away for play to continue.

Efficient Chanaka Silva

Media Assistant, Sri Lanka Cricket Chanaka Silva is a bundle of energy. It is this energy that enables him to execute his job to perfection and to the full satisfaction of the Presidents and Media Managers at Sri Lanka Cricket and particularly the local and Foreign Media.

He had his education at Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Kalutara where he had a love for cricket, but humbly says that he was not good enough to further his game. But his love for the game and to serve it has not diminished.

He speaks highly of all Presidents and Media Managers he worked under and says he is enjoying his work to the full.

He is always at the beck and call of the media men and has a good rapport with the local and foreign media.

The Presidents and Chairmen he has served under are - Thilanga Sumathipala, Vijaya Malalasekera, Hemaka Amarasuriya, Mohan de Silva, Jayantha Dharmadasa, Arjuna Ranatunga, D.S. de Silva, Upali Dharmadasa.

Media Managers - Chandrishan Perera, Ray Illangakoon, Shanika Munasinghe, Shane Fernando, Samantha Algama, Brian Thomas, Niresh Elliathamby and Rajith Fernando.

We wish the ever smiling Silva many years of successful batting.

[email protected]