Securing services of Sri Lanka’s coach Farbrace:

How ethical is England in gentlemen’s game?

By Dinesh Weerawansa

Many people question how ethical it is for England to use closed-door tactics to grab Sri Lanka’s coach when its national team is due to tour England in a few weeks time.

The UK which pontificates to the world on human rights, fair play and good governance has violated Sri Lanka’s right to have its contracted coach, by tempting him with a lucrative deal. The England’s sinister move undoubtedly violates all norms and principles as well as internationally accepted fair play guidelines.

Such dirty practice in professional sport is often prevented by international associations or federations of the respective sport. Unfortunately, the cricket’s governing body – the ICC seems helpless to mete out justice as it has now become an ‘exclusive property’ of only three countries.

England, which soon forms the new almighty Big Three in world cricket with Australia and India, has made the first move even before they took control of world cricket. Though all full member Test nations had equal rights at the ICC in the past, the appointment of the Big Three now undermines the authority of the other seven Test nations, including Sri Lanka.

Former New Zealand captain-turned-commentator Martin Crowe has condemned Paul Farbrace’s premature pullout from his role as Sri Lanka coach. “He has not gone with unanimous blessing,” said Crowe, a sensible voice in international cricket arena as a respected commentator. The former Kiwi captain has described Farbrace’s move as a “disgusting act”

“He has a contract until the end of the 2015 World Cup and would be mad to walk away from that commitment let alone on the eggshells in London,” said Crowe. “If he doesn’t see his contract out, he risks not being touched again,” the former New Zealand star batsman was quoted as saying. .

Former Sri Lanka Test fast bowler and ex-Chairman of Selectors, Ashantha de Mel said if England had wanted to secure the services of Farbrace, they should have done it before he was signed by Sri Lanka Cricket. “He was involved in county cricket coaching then. If ECB was so keen, they would have offered him the contract before he undertook the coaching assignment with Sri Lanka Cricket,” he said. De Mel added that it is unfair to grab Farbrace after he had worked with Sri Lanka for only four months and proved his credentials, especially on the eve of Sri Lanka’s tour of England.

Former Sri Lanka vice captain-turned-reputed international coach, Roy Dias found fault with ECB and not with Farbrace. “I won’t blame him. But if England Cricket Board had wanted to contract Farbrace, they should have first and foremost contacted Sri Lanka Cricket and negotiated to secure the coach.

There should have been some understanding among the two employers. Cricket is a gentlemen’s game and both the officials and coaches too should maintain those high traditions,” the former stylish Sri Lanka batsman said.

When asked what he thought of the ECB approaching Sri Lanka’s head coach with a job offer, without consulting SLC first, SLC Secretary Nishantha Ranatunga had been diplomatic, saying that “it is another cricket board’s issue and that it would be unfair to comment on that”.

But Farbrace (46), England’s new assistant coach, says he understands why his former employers, Sri Lanka were disappointed by his departure but the opportunity to work with England was just too good to resist.

Farbrace had met England’s head coach Peter Moores and a handful of players in Loughborough on Thursday, less than 24 hours after his release from Sri Lanka Cricket.

The former Kent wicketkeeper enjoyed a highly successful but short four-month spell as Sri Lanka head coach, leading them to victory in both the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup tournaments in Bangladesh.

His premature departure on the eve of Sri Lanka’s tour of Ireland and England forced Sri Lanka Cricket to go for a makeshift arrangement by promoting Farbrace’s deputy Marvan Atapattu as the Head Coach.

But Sri Lanka had little or no options but to look for the former Sri Lanka captain Atapattu as there is hardly any time left for the team’s forthcoming tour.

The former Sri Lanka coach had admitted there will be some mixed feelings when his former side takes on England next month. “It doesn’t look great from the outside, someone leaving a job after four months, and I understand from a Sri Lankan point of view that there is disappointment because it was a successful time,” he was quoted as telling the BBC Radio Five.

“I understand there will be disappointment but as I went back to explain to them on Monday, the opportunity to work with my own team, my own country, and be working from home was an offer I couldn’t really refuse. The opportunity to work with your own national team is almost beyond your wildest dreams. It’s a fantastic opportunity and a great time to be involved,” the outgoing Sri Lanka coach adds.

“It will be interesting for me and the players that the series in a couple of weeks is against Sri Lanka and there will be some mixed feelings because I built some good relationships - not just this time but the previous time - with the players.

As a coach you do make good, strong relationships and they’re not easy things to put to one side when you’re playing against them,” the Sky News reported Farbrace’s interview with the British radio channel.