“Thaaththa,” Bindu Udagedera asked, “is it true that politics is like cricket?”
“I suppose you could say that, Bindu...” Bindu’s father Percy observed.
“Why do you say that, thaaththa?” Bindu wanted to know.
“Well, both are games where you can win or lose,” Percy said, “and these days, if you are in politics or cricket, you can make big money...”
“Is that why so many people want to get into politics, then?” Bindu asked.
“Yes,” Percy said, “and that is probably why so many youngsters want to be cricketers too...”
“But there are differences between politicians and cricketers too, thaaththa...” Bindu argued.
“And what differences are those?” Percy wanted to know.
“Why, thaaththa, politicians have to pay to get their faces on the billboards and posters but cricketers are paid to have their faces on the billboards...” Bindu pointed out.
“That is true,” Percy agreed, “but don’t forget that if you are a politician in the ruling party, you too can get a lot of free publicity...”
“But that is not so if you are in the Opposition, thaaththa,” Bindu declared.
“Yes,” Percy said, “so, being in the Opposition must be like being in a losing cricket team...”
“Is that why they say that our cricket team is very much like our opposition, thaaththa?” Bindu wanted to know.
“Why,” Percy was surprised, “who says that?”
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu suggested, “I think there are a lot of similarities between the two...”
“And what similarities are these?” Percy inquired.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu pointed out, “just like our cricket team, our opposition has also now lost so many matches in a row...”
“But I suppose that can happen to any team...” Percy countered.
“And then, just like in our cricket team, our opposition is also changing its batting order every now and then...” Bindu observed.
“But that needs to be done too...” Percy argued.
“Then, just like in our cricket team, the main strike bowlers in the opposition now appear to be ineffective...” Bindu said.
“There is some truth in that, of course...” Percy agreed.
“And don’t forget that just like in our cricket team, a key player from the Central province was under a cloud of uncertainty for some time because of his action...” Bindu declared.
“Ah yes,” Percy said, “but just like in the cricket team now he is up and running once again and attempting to cover himself in glory...”
“Then, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “just like in our cricket team, our opposition also does not want to drop the captain despite losing contest after contest...”
“Well,” Percy said, “just like in our cricket team, they think they can win matches just by bringing back Jayasuriya...”
“But, thaaththa,” Bindu asked, “why do you think they keep losing match after match, just like our cricket team?”
“That,” Percy said, “might be because of a simple reason just like someone from the cricket team tells us so regularly...”
“What reason is that, thaaththa?” Bindu queried.
“It maybe because when Uncle Ranil was small, JR told him, never lose an election...” Percy said.
“And then what happened?”
“Later, Uncle Premadasa told him, never have an election that you will lose...” Percy suggested.
“And, thereafter?”
“Then, maybe Satellite told him she will never allow him to govern even if he wins an election...” Percy proposed.
“So, what is happening now?” Bindu wondered.
“Now,” Percy said, “Uncle Ranil must be thinking, ‘why is everyone trying to restrict me all the time with all these plans of theirs? I will lose whenever I want with no restrictions whatsoever’...”
“And just like our cricket team,” Bindu said, “Uncle Ranil must be saying, ‘mama hemadaama paradina peththata maaruwuna’...”
“Eka kochchara simple plan ekakda?” Percy asked.