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by SRIAN OBEYESEKERE

For a cricketer, who could arguably lay claims to an unmatched distinction of having taken Sri Lanka to new heights, it was for once a moving scene as former captain, Arjuna Ranatunga evoked something of a Shakespearean tragedy last week.

For a cricketer, who could arguably lay claims to an unmatched distinction of having taken Sri Lanka to new heights, it was for once a moving scene as former captain, Arjuna Ranatunga evoked something of a Shakespearean tragedy last week.

Far from familiar times when he beamed behind a mike in such confines as the Cricket Board or a five star hotel when he dealt the aces as the skipper, Ranatunga, who drew the focus of mediamen in different climes behind the four corners of his Nugegoda residence down Pelawatte Road, kindled an `et tu Brute' of a stab in the back by his former club which was not backing his candidature at the forthcoming hustings.

But the man who led his country to one-day cricket's World Cup in 1996, vowed to someday change things at the SSC like `I changed the image of the Sri Lanka cricket team' where a club for which he had given half his life had gone back on him.

Ranatunga, while not blaming the entire 700 strong SSC membership, the majority of which he claimed were behind him, but helpless because of eight ex-co members who had not even given a chance to the remaining 4 ex-co members to voice their protest at not backing him, contended that he had come forward to contest to head the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) in spite of the hopeless situation he was in, so that `the world would know that there is one person like me who is standing alone'.

As he spoke, his club - SSC, down the so cricket seeped `lane' that is Maitland Place, nestling just adjacent to the game's citadel to which he is hoping to enter at its head chair, where the burly Ranatunga once held centre stage in the middle either leading the club or with the bat, for once looked distant as ever to the former doyen. He charged that the situation was such that if his own club of which he was honoured as a life-member after the late President, J. R. Jayewardene, could be swayed against him due to a few vested interests, it would be no wonder if the smaller clubs did so.

If Ranatunga remained a lone campaigner in a different match, the fact that his former vice-captain, Aravinda de Silva, known in cricketing circles as close friends apart from the laurels this old partnership has earned their country, was this time around in opposing camps, saw an unruffled Ranatunga as he answered questions as to how it affected him.

De Silva, regarded as the best batsman produced by Sri Lanka and among the best in the world during his time, who retired from international cricket after the recent World Cup, has already been elected a vice president uncontested on Sumathipala's ticket. 'Captain Cool'

Renowned as `captain cool' for his achievements on the cricket field during his time, Ranatunga, who has won the hearts of the cricketing globe as a captain led and won against the odds, while conceding his chances in this off-field match looked remote, `batted' for the future, pledging that `someday surely I will make it there to lead from the front when I would be able to give back to my country which I revelled in'. He was answering a question by the `Sunday Observer' as to his chances at the upcoming June 6 annual general meeting of the BCCSL where he is challenging Thilanga Sumathipala for the presidency.

As for Aravinda, while he was happy that such a figure who had given so much for Lankan cricket as a player was ready to give his services in an administrative capacity, it was left for him (Aravinda) to decide whether he was in the right camp. Ranatunga refuted a claim by De Silva that although he (Ranatunga) was a good cricketer, he was not a good administrator in comparison to Sumathipala saying, "I wouldn't agree with that statement. Because to have led Sri Lanka for 10 years successfully could not have come without a knowledge of administration".

Ranatunga said that in the hopelessness of the odds he faced in this `match', he wanted the public to know that he was coming forward in the greater interest of the game, of delivering it from the pitfall that Sri Lankan cricket had fallen into. Where he could redress things to desired viability. From talent related to a broader spectrum of the country's cricket to a better deal for the cricketers.

Areas such as the format of domestic cricket would be streamlined to an inter-provincial basis on line with leading cricket playing countries while school cricket would be addressed to giving the schoolboy his rightful place from today's sorry state where the failure to tap such talent to the national team had been one of the biggest drawbacks.

Today, many were talking of the importance of money for cricket without identifying what was wrong with the game. There were some officials handling schools cricket who just wanted to stay, put on their jobs which had to be changed.

Bad run

Lamenting the state of the national team, Ranatunga said that deserving talent was not finding its rightful place which was a big contributory factor to the national team's bad run today. The fact that Sri Lanka had failed to qualify for the finals of the recent home triangular was a sorry reflection of how selections had been done which had not changed from the time of the World Cup.

He was coming forward to change all this as much as redressing the financial mess at the BCCSL. Today, none of the aspirants to run the Board had spoken against the US $ 300 allowance to BCCSL officials going abroad because they did not want to change this irregular system where only officials benefitted unlike the cricketer who it was who performed in the middle and brought home the money to the kitty. But sadly, a player was given only US $ 50 on a tour. He wanted to change this system as well, against which he had voiced his objection when he was captain.

"But I was asked to shut up by the Board officials who said that I was only a player," lamented Ranatunga.

Asked as to whether he would join hands with Sumathipala who had reportedly stated that he was ready to extend his rival an olive branch to serve in a technical capacity, Ranatunga said that his conscience would not permit him to join hands with somebody with whom he did not see eye to eye.

There was the former roly, poly Ranatunga, a hero to many for his exploits in the middle, hated by most Australians who though grudgingly respected him for his achievements clad in a red tee shirt and a colourful sarong, the familiar streaks of gray hair evidenced in the greying days of his cricketing career, perhaps a bit greyer in retirement, underlining the unmistakable black flocks as he looked to padding up to what would most certainly be the most testing of matches as the cricketer turned politician ventures on a new career.

In his words, "of salvaging our cricket from worse disaster before we lose to minnows Bangladesh as well like we lost to Kenya which I predict will happen before long if we do not redress things".

To serve cricket

Ranatunga quit cricket in the year 2001 and entered politics, being elected to Parliament at the last general elections, but has claimed his desire to serve cricket has spurred him on, which saw the former Lankan captain find a court ruling in his favour to contest for the forthcoming BCCSL AGM.

Rival candidate, Sumathipala, from a well-known business family is regarded by the cricketing fraternity as a young and dynamic figure known to getting things done.

He has served twice as president of the BCCSL, but was unseated in the first year of his second term in 1999 after his rival candidate, Clifford Ratwatte went to courts challenging the legality of the elections. In the ensuing legal wrangle, the BCCSL was consequently run by an interim committee headed by top bank executive, Rienzie Wijetilleke.

Since, two more interim committees have managed the affairs of the BCCSL. The second was headed by a former Royal College star Vijaya Malalasekera followed by the most recent committee headed by Hemaka Amarasuriya who runs the Singer Company. Elections to the BCCSL come after a break of nearly 4 years which has been unanimously hailed by the cricket clubs as a means which would enable them to voice their grievances at the correct forum of an ex-co constituted of members elected by the clubs itself.

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Voting at BCCSL AGM - 'a show of hands'

Voting at the annual general meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka on June 6 will be by 'a show of hands', according to the Secretary to the Ministry of Sports, G. Punchihewa.

"The Sports Law is specific as to the voting of a sports body where there is no secret ballot like in the parliamentary general elections. This is because individuals vote as representatives of the clubs which decide as to whom to vote for", explained the ministry secretary.

To a question by the `Sunday Observer' as to whether an individual could defer with his club and vote as it did happen at the 1996 AGM of the BCCSL against Ana Punchihewa who was defeated by Thilanga Sumathipala, the ministry secretary elaborated that there was nothing to prevent an individual from changing his choice of vote.

"But the transparency in the voting is that the particular club would be aware of such an event, and therefore it is left to the club whether to take action or not against such a member," he added.

There will be a ballot only to elect a president to the BCCSL which post is being contested by Sumathipala and former Sri Lankan cricket captain, Arjuna Ranatunga. The rest of the office bearers, all from the Sumathipala camp, have already been elected uncontested. Ranatunga is the sole contestant from his side. (S.O.)

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