Is cricket a gentleman's game any more?

Some Western countries invariably look upon smaller countries, especially those in Asia and Africa, from a different angle. Most of these countries which had been at the receiving end were colonies of the West whose leaders seem to be under a delusion that they still govern these smaller countries.

Due to the Western agendas and presumptions, they undermine the milestone achievements of these so-called smaller countries and carp on various issues in these countries and trot out concocted stories to appease their ego.

Even the slightest thing in these countries is more often than not blown out of proportion with the support of the global media mafia which is remote-controlled by a handful of Western countries. In other words, these godfathers in the West make a mountain of a molehill of issues in smaller countries.

The treatment meted out by some Western countries is not confined to politics alone. The strategies to intimidate smaller countries are used in different spheres, including sport.

If one were to consider the latest international cricket controversy for instance, many question as to why Sri Lanka should confront unwarranted issues when they play against the two godfathers of cricket. Whenever an Asian nation displays extraordinary skills or produces a player who threatens their dominance in the game, they come up with various strategies to overcome them,

When Sri Lanka was an invincible force in world cricket with an outstanding performance prior to its 1996 World Cup triumph, spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan was called for throwing in the infamous 1995 Boxing Day Test against Australia.

The Australians felt that Muralitharan was the biggest threat to their cricketing supremacy and spared no pains to cut short his international career. Had it not been for his captain Arjuna Ranatunga's bold action and Sri Lanka's medical evidence, these Western cricket pundits would have stopped Muralitharan from going for the world record number of wickets in Tests.

The Sri Lanka cricket team encountered the latest Western conspiracy while touring England as the reigning T20 World champions. When Sachithra Senanayake started to blossom in international sports arena with his off breaks, he had been reported for suspect bowling action.

Perhaps, England would have thought that Sri Lanka would go on the defensive and keep Senanayake out of the decisive fifth One Day International in Birmingham last Tuesday. Nevertheless, the entire team rallied round Senanayake who faced the challenge undaunted to come out with a brilliant performance.

Senanayake not only produced a penetrative spell but was also instrumental in the run out of Jos Buttler, England's centurion in the fourth ODI. Buttler, at the non-striker's end, repeatedly backed-up too far. When Senanayake removed the bails midway through his bowling action, the umpires offered Sri Lanka captain, Angelo Mathews, the opportunity to withdraw the appeal before they gave Buttler out. This was the first instance of Mankading in international cricket since 1992.

This was in keeping with the laws of cricket though England now makes a big hue and cry to cover up its 2-3 defeat in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. As former captain Mahela Jayawardene had openly said Sri Lanka was left with little option but to run Buttler out in the 44th over.

Sri Lanka had warned Buttler twice before appealing for the run out but Buttler continued to get an unfair advantage by leaving his ground early. Sri Lanka had given Buttler a fair chance, with two warnings before appealing for the run out on the third time.

England's captain, Alastair Cook had denounced the incident as "a pretty poor act".

It is deplorable that Cook had tried to defend a fault of his team mate when they should have played in accordance with the rules of the game. He even went to the extent of pontificating to us on the 'spirit of cricket'.

However, Cook was given a dose of his own English medicine by Mark Butcher. The former England batsman had said that if everybody sticks to the letter of the law, one need not worry about the spirit of cricket. Butcher's forthright statement was an eye-opener to the lords at Lord's who feel that cricket is their sole property. It is true that they had discovered the game but this does not necessarily mean that they are above the laws of the game.

If England's captain Cook was talking about the spirit of cricket and the ethics of the game, he should first and foremost tender an unconditional apology for the shameful manner in which his team had robbed Sri Lanka's coach on the eve of the England tour.

Many people question as to how ethical it is for England to use closed-door tactics to grab Sri Lanka's coach when its national team was due to tour England. The UK which pontificates to the world, at large, on human rights, fair play and good governance violated Sri Lanka's right to have its contracted coach, by wooing him with a lucrative deal. England's sinister move brazenly violates all norms, principles and internationally accepted fair play guidelines.

Such uncouth practice in professional sport is often averted by international associations or federations of the respective sport. Regrettably, the cricket's governing body - the ICC appeared to be a toothless tiger in its failure to mete out justice. The ICC has now become the 'exclusive property' of only three countries.

In the event the England Cricket Board (ECB) was interested in signing Farbrace, it should have done it before he inked the three-year contract with Sri Lanka Cricket. He was involved in county cricket coaching and if the ECB was so keen, it could have offered him the contract before he undertook the coaching assignment with Sri Lanka Cricket.

Although the England captain talks the hind legs of the donkey on the spirit of the game, his team had flagrantly violated all accepted norms and traditions in the Frabrace's case. If the ECB wished to contract Farbrace, it should have first and foremost contacted Sri Lanka Cricket and negotiated to secure the coach.

It would have been far better if the ECB had come to an understanding with Sri Lanka Cricket before securing the services of Farbrace. Cricket is a gentleman's game and both the officials and coaches too should maintain those high traditions.

Whatever said and done, Frabrace's controversial exit has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Sri Lanka which now opts for indigenous products, rather than spending valuable foreign exchange on foreign coaches. Former Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu proved his credentials in the first assignment itself.

England should not act like cry babies to take the shine off Sri Lanka's deserving victory in the five-match ODI series. Rather than trying to teach Sri Lanka the spirit of the game and ethics, England must play clean cricket in keeping with the laws of the game. It was certainly not a friendly school cricket match to give Buttler a chance.

In the years gone by, many considered cricket a gentleman's game. However, when one takes into account the unethical and unacceptable developments in the world of cricket, one wonders whether it could still be called a gentleman's game.