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WC in Australia and New Zealand:
Lankan cricketers must take aim from now on
 While
it will take a long time more for the euphoria and celebrations of
winning the Twenty20 to end, it will not be too early for those who
matter to think about of 50-over World Cup to follow in February/March
next year co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
There is a saying that one must not count the chickens until they are
hatched. While that saying is true and will remain true, the authorities
must do their very best to prepare the team for 50 over World Cup mood
from now.
While the Sri Lanka cricketers will always remember Bangladesh and
its wickets, conditions and its crowd support and would wish for similar
conditions, conditions in Australia and New Zealand will be a whole lot
different.
Today, sadly the established game - that is Test cricket -has been
relegated to a far second best, thanks to the poor thinking by the
guardian angels of the game the International Cricket Council.
The ICC, the Cricket Boards and the cricketers are all straining
every nerve and sinew to play the 'hit and run', the 'cowboy game' or
the 'pyjama game' more often because it floods in the mega dollars.
As it is the IPL is played every year, the 50 over World Cup once in
four years and the Twenty20 once in two years. All will like to play the
50-over and the Twenty20 every year if possible because the dollars will
follow. One has nothing but sympathy for the established game.
Having said that, we now move on to the big money that each member of
the Sri Lanka cricket team that won the Twenty20 World Cup is to
receive.
While we don't begrudge the cricketers the windfall because it is
their right, we would want to ask Sri Lanka Cricket whether it is
ethical to make public the amount.
It is said that each player will receive nearly 30 million. Some of
the cricketers and cricket fans we met were not happy with SLC for going
public with the money earned by the cricketers.
We wonder whether SLC in their apparent move to show transparency are
also trying to make a case to secure for more funds from ICC
tournaments.
If the above is the case, then it its very unfair to mix the two. The
cricketers played their hearts out in winning the Twenty20 World Cup
beating the strong Indians who were thought unbeatable bringing great
credit and honour to the country.
The spontaneous reaction from millions of fans who lined the streets
from Katunayake to Galle Face to show their appreciation shows how much
the country acknowledges the feat of our cricketers. Its time therefore
for our cricketers to be rewarded even more handsomely.
Having batted for the players, Sri Lanka Cricket is on record saying
that all the money won will be distributed equally among only the
players. They say that none of the support staff is eligible.
We consider that that is a 'doosra' and SLC is not playing fair by
the support staff, especially the coaches and former coaches and the
Masseur.
While the cricketers played the lead roles in this epic cricketing
film won which was the Twenty20 World Cup, it was the support staff
that in film parlance put on the make-up on the cricketers and also
showed them how to win. And on this aspect the cricketers must not sit
happy with what they receive, but put on gloves and fight for the
support staff.
Then Percy Abeysekera was in Bangladesh proudly waving the Lion Flag
and shouting words of encouragement to the players on the field urging
them to give of their best and win the Twenty20 trophy.
Regardless of how support staff are compensated there is one
"supporter" who should be recognized. And that is the irrepressible
Percy Abeysekera.
I met Abeysekera and he could hardly speak. He had gone hoarse after
constantly shouting in the din that was the scene in Dhaka. Once victory
was achieved, Abeysekera was a forgotten man.
But he was not frustrated or disappointed. He has enough experience
in being forgotten or sidelined once the victory has been achieved or
the trophy won. But Abeysekera won't quit.
He has been following the fortunes of the Sri Lankan cricketers for a
near 50 years and as he says he will keep on batting proudly waving the
Lion Flag, because for him the game's the thing. We wish Abeysekera many
more years of cheering for the country.
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