Feud and fireworks behind the farewell
View(s):Last week by this time, the inner structure of Sri Lankan cricket was about to split into smithereens like the big bang. There were rumours galore. The rabble-rousers and the tale carriers were having a field day. It looked as if the Lankan cricket was sliding into an irrecoverable impasse.
Monday, the last day of the Test match at the Sinhalese Sports Club Grounds, where one of Sri Lanka cricket’s living legends Mahela Jayawardena was to bid adieu to his gleaming white cricket gear forever was another big occasion for the cricket administrators. Besides, there was a plethora of VVIPs and VIPs and self-appointed important people watching the proceedings that incidentally lasted for less than an hour in the middle.
Among the dignitaries was President Mahinda Rajapaksa flanked by Sri Lanka Cricket President Jayantha Dharmadasa and National List MP A.H.M. Azwer, another genuine cricket enthusiast. Standing beside them was Matara District MP and Cricket Selection Committee Chairman Sanath Jayasuriya. The scene was that much more interesting because it was rumoured that soon after Mahela Jayawardena’s farewell ceremony which was to follow the match, Jayantha Dharmadasa and about 16 other executive committee members would resign from their posts.
While they were watching the proceedings during that playing time what transpired behind that glass partition can be anyone’s guess. But, the controversy that had come to the fore by then would and should have aroused the interest of the first citizen of the country and there would have been at least some polite inquiries as to what was happening in the hot cubicles at Maitland Place.
As soon as the match was over, Sri Lanka Cricket Secretary Nishantha Ranatunga who was supposed to be Dharmadasa’s rival made his appearance at the Presidential Box and even kissed Mahela Jayawardena on his cheeks when the cricketer arrived at the spot. Then when it was time for the prize distribution the two contenders stood at a safe distance from each other till the President arrived at the podium at the last minute.
At the Jayawardena farewell, one of the most watched sports spectacles in recent times, there was one missing VIP. Maybe because of his heavy work schedule, Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, who three days prior to the grand farewell at the SSC grounds put the two feuding parties together and asked them to exist in peace, could not make it.
Every cricket fan that thronged to the SSC grounds that day stayed on till the Lankan team left the field after the awards presentation. Thankfully, as expected the big bang also did not take place.
The next morning, the mandarins were at work again. Reports from Maitland Place said no one was going to relinquish their position and the status quo of Sri Lanka Cricket would remain the same – at least for the time being.
One insider who has a sense of humour said, “No one here is ready to give up. They have come here to help develop the game of cricket in the country and they are doing just that. Maybe there would be an eye brow or two raised along the way, but, that does not mean that there would be an exodus en masse.”
Now it is the aftermath. In trouble or in peace, the cricket wagon has to roll on. How it is going to happen also would be an interesting spectacle.
First and foremost it is interesting to note how the SLC employees are going to perform their day-to-day work amidst this melee. If the president and the secretary – the two strongmen — are at loggerheads, these employees are going to be in a quandary. Could they carry on with a certain duty without one feuding faction looking at the document at hand and reacting with a barrage of questions?
There are many important issues to be taken up at the highest level. The most important issue on the agenda is the selection of the next national coach.
On this issue there are a few things that have to be discussed and a consensus arrived at. The first thing the Lankan cricket administration should do is to have a candidate who will not do an eleventh-hour Farbrace. The second is that the prospective coach should be someone who has better credentials and a success record than incumbent coach Marvan Atapattu.
Maybe Atapattu’s appointment was blithe with some untoward issues. But, once the challenge was thrown at the person he made his claims read positively. The England tour was a complete success. If the last wicket of the Proteas fell before the last ball was bowled in the second Test that series also would have been a partial success. Now the Lankans have moved to the fourth position of the ICC rankings after the Test series win against Pakistan. In short, Sri Lanka has had one overseas series win and a home series win in three outings. I suppose this would be sufficient to hold any other national coaches’ job.
Yet, at this end in Sri Lanka, the proceedings are more complicated. There are more implications than the eye could see in this exchange of ideas. Besides, one faction of the administration is adamant that Sri Lanka needs a foreign coach to take their cricket forward. The reason put forward: A local coach invariably would get involved in administrative politics and team politics. In short both factions have enough rope to argue on the issue till the cows come home.
The other question is: Will a man of the right credentials be interested in associating with an administration that is ridden with problems?
Even a snick can result in runs. Amid all these conflicts and confusions, there is one positive factor. Now both parties would always look out and think twice before any move is made. No untoward moves from either party would be entertained or tolerated.
Yet, the bottom-line is that all this time it was the president and the secretary who represented the ICC in all dealings. Even the CEO conferences were attended by Secretary Ranatunga. With the new developments would the co-existence be conducive?
Here the most important commodity is cricket. At the moment the Lankan Cricket is amidst a wave of success. Can we let this euphoria be held to ransom because of the feud between the two top officials? Let sanity prevail and let cricket be the ultimate winner!