Laudable move by Gwen Herat

A laudable move was performed by Gwen Herat when she officially gifted two and half acre playground in memory of her husband Harold Herat to St. Pius Sports Club of Nattandiya at a simple ceremony recently.

Incidentally Harold Herat was a fine tennis player and was former Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was also a keen sports fan and sportsmen and women in Nattandiya will certainly be able to further develop their talent now that they will have a playground to call their own.

Gwen was always in the swim of things in sport, especially cricket. Gamini Dissanayake, the then President of the Cricket Board, noticing her ability and honesty for hard work invited her to head the Puttalam District Cricket Association.

Her crowning moment was when she served as President of Sri Lanka Women’s Cricket Association and saw them play in the women’s World Cup tournament in the West Indies.

Excellent work

During her tenure, she did wonders for women’s cricket and several were the girls who shone in the game. She also served in the International Women’s Cricket Association and many in the association admired her for her excellent work.

Her phenomenal rise to fame brought in its wake the green eyed monsters and they continued to work to make it uncomfortable for her and unwilling to fall prey to their machinations she threw in the towel and with it women’s cricket got on the skids and is still gasping to get back to its former glory when Gwen was at the helm.

Sport and its development still runs in her blood and she is determined to further help sport and prefers to shun the limelight, but work silently and see the game reach its pinnacle.

Sports in the country needs more philanthropists of the calibre of Gwen Herat who was in a teens one of the best actresses of the silver screen going by the name of Ayesha Weerakoon.

Nice to see Sidhu

It was indeed a wonderful sight to see former dashing Indian opener Navjot Singh Sidhu making his appearance as an expert commentator in the on going Indian Premier League tournament in India.

He had his problems and went missing for some time. But his presence in the IPL has certainly gone to make it an added attraction. Sidhu is always news whether on the field or off it.

Like he swung the willow in devastating fashion during his playing days, as all Indian commentators such as Harsha Bhogle, Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and Sanjay Manjrekar go, he was fearless and forthright as a commentator and said it like he saw it who ever or how ever powerful the individual.

Today when most commentators seem to be singing for their supper, commentators like the above mentioned are a blessing to the game and listeners crave to hear them.

Viewers enthralled

Sidhu, the few minutes he speaks before the commencement of the game, enthralls the viewers with some superb anecdotes and has been spot on with his clever comments. He should be featured more often.

At the time of writing, the IPL whether one likes it or not is careering along with some dashing and daring stroke play where sixes are hit with the majority of them with ‘come or go Chicago’ shots.

This style of game and the 50-over which is a comedy when compared to the time honoured and established game - TEST CRICKET, only helps improve fielding. Batsmen are expected to hit the cover off the ball, with the most weird of strokes forgetting the most important thing in batting - TECHNIQUE.

The crowds that throng to watch these games are like those in a bull ring, craving and shouting themselves hoarse for strokes to be made whether they are straight or reverse is no concern to them. What they want is to hear ball striking bat with a vengeance and it striking the boundary boards or sailing into the crowd.

Bags full of money

Anyway the organizers are collecting bags full of money and the sponsors, are getting enough and more mileage for their products and the umpires, officials and the participants are smiling their way to the banks. Even the commentators. But what is admirable is that this comedy cricket is played strictly to rules and regulations. And it was encouraging to note captains Kumar Sangakkara, Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir being heavily fined for slow over rates.

Yusuf Pathan played what probably could be the best innings of the tournament. He blasted a century in just 37 balls. It was an innings that was a thrill a minute experience for the spectators on the ground and those taking in the action at home on their TVs. South African Jaques Kallis, too, has been in rollicking form with the willow and at the time of writing is the highest run getter. In one match he slammed five sixes with excellent timing which lit up the ground.

Good show

The Committee of Inquiry that sat and recommended stern action headed by former wicket-keeper batsman Wasim Bari on offending Pakistan cricketers should be given a loud round of applause for fearlessly performing their task.For far too long has Pakistan cricket been in the doldrums because of the in fighting that goes on between the players. When there is no team spirit, there is no way that the team can perform.

The committee may earn the wrath of some of their former players. But they need not be upset. The cricket world is aware of the unpleasantness that exists in the team. Some of their former greats were upset and in shame watching their teams get beaten without putting up a fight.

One hopes that other countries performing badly would take a lesson from the Pakistan Cricket Board and set up similar committees to recommend measures that would help regain their lost glory.