Atapattu's cricket career in danger of ending - Cricket enthusiasts

Pavilion View By Ranjan Anandappa

CRICKET: Many cricket enthusiasts feel that the international cricket career of former Sri Lanka skipper Marvan Atapattu is in peril because he had made himself unavailable after being selected to represent the country at Test level against the touring Bangladesh team. Atapattu who had a nightmare at the recently concluded World Cup, not playing a single match and reduced to be a mere spectator, opted to represent Lashings, a club in England making himself unavailable - for matches against Bangladesh and citing personal reasons while being on contract with Sri Lanka Cricket.

The Sunday Observer was able to pick up a few spectators out of the handful that was present at the First Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh concluded at the SSC grounds on Thursday, to find out their views regarding Atapattu's decision to opt out of the matches against Bangladesh.

An ardent Sri Lanka cricket supporter Gayan Manjula from Polgasowita, said that Atapattu's fate is in the balance due to his injudicious decision in playing in England rather than answering the national call.

What happened to Asanka Gurusinha in 1998 will happen to Atapattu when SLC authorities take action against him at some time or other. SLC will have to take strict disciplinary action against this type of attitude, to prevent repetitions of this nature in the future. Former Sri Lanka one drop bat Asanka Gurusinha was playing club cricket in Australia when he was selected to represent Sri Lanka in a Test series against New Zealand in the New Zealand in 1998.

He made a request to the then Cricket Board to fly directly to New Zealand from Australia for the series. But the Cricket Board insisted that he should be in Sri Lanka at least two weeks prior to the team's departure. Gurusinha did not oblige and he was neither present for the inquiry filed by the CB calling for explanation there after.

"After a bad patch, it was an ideal opportunity for Atapattu to get back into his stride playing the Bangladeshis. He should have given first preference to the country, than playing in England for personal benefits. There are future Test tours and this Test series against Bangladesh should have enhanced his place for the rest of the matches," said Manjula.

"Sanath Jayasuriya was not named in the Test squad against Bangladesh. He was only named in the ODIs. With the return of Muralitharan who was playing county cricket in Lancashire, Jayasuriya was a replacement sent by SLC and he too should represent the country in the one dayers," added Manjula. Another spectator Mohammed Nilam said that losing a player of the calibre of Marvan Atapattu is a great loss for the country and he was shocked to learn of his decision not to play in the Test series. Sri Lanka Cricket should know best to deal with the situation and decide on the cricketing future of Atapattu.

He is a player with sound technique and it is an education for youngsters who are watching him even on television.

Lakshman Jayasekera, a keen spectator from Borella believes that Atapattu should have left everything behind and given the country first preference like the other two players who came back in time for the Tests.

Atapattu not playing in a single match at the World Cup is a different story. The authorities should have tried him out at least in one match before the semi-final. However, after being selected to play in the Test series, excusing himself out is not the right thing to do, said Jayasekera.

Mahinda Ranasinghe from Talawathugoda, another cricket fanatic said something different from the others. He said that he would have loved to see both Sanath Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu continue to play.

But even if both quit playing, he was happy to note that there are adequate replacements. Players like Van Dort, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera should stamp their places as regular members of the team in the future and the non-availability of the two seniors paves the way for youngsters.