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Sunday, 10 February 2013

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Warne on the wane, looking for cheap publicity

The former leg spinning Australian legend Shane Warne has fondness to revel in controversy, which probably gives him the publicity that he is looking for, now that it is not forthcoming from big time cricket. In the Big Bash which probably was his last fling in the game, he was involved in a spat with West Indian Marlon Samuels and then rubbed the Australian Cricket selectors on the wrong side condemning their rotation policy. Now there is no doubt that the rotation policy is a highly controversial issue. It has a divided vote among the cricketing fraternity in Australia. One side is in favour while the other is not.

Australian selectors

The Australian Selectors led by former Australian opener John Inverarity reckon that with the players indulging in too much cricket, rest is vital to avoid injury and burn out. The other school of thought is that the rotation policy deprives the players of momentum and playing as a team. But the selectors are convinced with their decision and are determined to stay put with their rotation policy.

Warne also wants a change in the limited over cricket system. He wants bowlers to be allowed five overs each in the Twenty20 format instead of the four overs a bowler that is now the rule. He also wants the field restrictions to be changed in the 50-over format.

The Indian cricketers who were once a team to be reckoned with in the Test cricket scene, have now dropped form as their defeat by Alastair Cook's England team showed by beating them in the recently concluded Test series in India.

The defeat must certainly have been anathema to them and they must be fine tuning and charging their batteries to fire all cylinders at the Australians who will arrive shortly for a Test and one day series. Now that England outplayed India in their own backyard, Michael Clarke's Australians to would be arriving determined to put the Indians to second best at the end of the series.

In Australia for two months

After having been in Australia for nearly two months covering the Sri Lanka-Australia series, I can vouch for the fact that the Aussie selectors have picked the best warriors to battle for them in India.

The Aussies are a terrific all-round side led by one of the best captain's going in the game today in Michael Clarke and every player respects the captain and when on the field will give their best for captain, game and country.

In recent times the Australia-India series have evoked more than ordinary interest. Remember the Andrew Symonds- Harbajan Singh spat, the removing of umpire Steve Bucknor half way through the series with the Indians refusing to play if Bucknor is not replaced?

Fight fire with fire

But in this series the two men who fight fire with fire and brings the series alive, Symonds and Singh would be missing. But there is the possibility of Singh returning. If he returns who would tease him would be interesting to watch.

But the Aussies who have perfected the art of sledging, which they term mental disintegration of their opponents, will want to give continuity to that. But the Indians will do well to return fire, which could see the mental disintegration of the Aussies, because when fired back they can't take it.

From the Indian point of view the cynosure of all eyes will be the form of that once in life time cricketer Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. He has given up the shorter formats of the game to concentrate on the established game.

Against England he could not put on show his usual run making act. He will be determined to prolong his Test career by scoring heavily against the Australians. It remains to be seen whether the Aussies would allow him to cut loose. But one thing is certain. The series will be a no quarter asked or given series with the Indians wanting to raise their game and the Australians wanting to add to their stature after their convincing series win against Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan women cricketers led by Shasi Siriwardena are crowning themselves with glory in the Women's World Cup tournament now in progress in India.

They produced a giant-killing performance to push aside the reigning champions England and then proved that, that effort was no flash in the pan when they shot down the Indians to earn a place in the final eight.

One lady who must be enjoying the success of our lasses must certainly be former President of Women's Cricket Association Gwen Herat. It was Herat when she was at the helm who showed women's cricket the way. With her persuasive ways she helped the game enter the big league and also made many tours possible. Today the game is enjoying the fruits of her labour. Although not actively involved in the game, she keenly follows the destinies of the game.

She was also the President of the Chilaw-Puttalam District Cricket Association and also served on the Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket when Thilanga Sumathipala was at the helm.

Gold Coast in Brisbane was stunning

Meeting Pat Sela and his lady Maxine at the Gold Coast in Brisbane was an interesting experience. Incidentally like I mentioned in my 'COMMENT' column on Tuesday, the Gold Coast is hurrying to have all venues ready on time for the next Commonwealth Games in 2018. In conversation with Sela a former Josephian athlete, he told me that he was one of the athletes who were fortunate to come under the tutelage of the famous coach and now legend Anthony Abeysinghe. I think it was in the late 1950s and early 1960s that Abeysinghe took athletics at the Darley Road School to hitherto unattained heights. It was the then Public School Athletics Championships popular known as the 'Pubs' that the Josephian athletes shone.

The Sir John Tarbat Trophy was their property for a record number of years. No athletes from any school could equal or surpass their superiority. Some of the athletes who made them undisputed champions and whose names that come to mind are - Adolph Silva, Winslow, Priya Perera, Tissa Zoysa and several others.

In the latter years when I was the Sports Editor of the 'Daily Mirror' and 'Times of Ceylon' I cultivated a good rapport with Abeysinghe, giving his achievements the publicity it richly deserved. One day Abeyinghe walked into the office carrying a parcel and gave it to me saying it was in appreciation of the publicity given him to him and his achievements on track and field

Something that cheers

I took the parcel home imagining it was something that cheers. But to my surprise when I opened it, I found find that it was a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes.

I rang Abeysinghe the next day and thanked him profusely for the wonderful gift. To this day the statue is in my room and I venerate it and ask for blessings every morning and night and I must admit I have had great blessing and reward.

Sela said he was fortunate to be a part of that Josephian athletic history and said that he still keep himself fit by doing a lot of marathon running in the Gold Coast. He showed me and Upula the trophies and certificates that he won. After an enjoyable stay with the Gonsals in Brisbane, we flew to Perth in Western Australia for a bit of leg stretching after a strenuous tour covering the Sri Lanka-Australia cricket series and a few days with Mahes Herath and wife Nagina in Canning Vale.

After a visit to a Buddhist monastery which I described in detail in a previous article, Mahesh's brother Tissa drove us to the King's Park and Cottesloe Marine Parade. The King's Park is simply wonderful and a walk on the Tree Top Bridge was really exciting and unforgettable. A walk on the Marine Parade was thrilling and it was a lovely beach front with many locals and tourists sun bathing.

It was an exciting two months in Australia covering the cricket at the Manuka Oval in Canberra where I stayed with my niece Angela and partner Fred Koelmeyer, Bellerive Oval in Hobart, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Sydney Cricket Ground and the 'GABBA' in Brisbane.

Finally my grateful thanks to my sponsors EZY Racing, Dialog and Edirisinghe Brothers for making my tour possible with their generous co-sponsorship.

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