Expendables
View(s):Expendables – this is not the theme for my next bestselling paperback or hardcover. This is a narrative on this English word and how it was used to impact two different objectives in the game of Cricket — the game and its administration. Nevertheless, in both assertions, it has made a huge impact – truly, much bigger than one can ever imagine.
It was way back in 1981, we first experienced the brand of pinch-hitting dished out by Indian opening batsman Krishnamachari Srikkanth who partnered Sunil Gavaskar at the top of the order. He became known for his aggressive style of batting. If the ball was within his range he was not afraid to thump it as hard as he could. It was a successful ploy and became benchmark for things to come, though Srikkanth used this style mostly while playing Test cricket.
In 1992, New Zealand opening batsman Mark Greatbatch who was not selected to play in the first ODI, against Australia, opened the inning against South Africa, in place of injured John Wright.
During this game Greatbatch used the pinch-hitting strategy and proceeded to bat aggressively, taking advantage of fielding restrictions early in the innings. The strategy worked, and was repeated throughout the World Cup, with Greatbatch becoming one of the first ‘pinch-hitters’ to open the innings in ODIs. Yes, with that strategy, New Zealand made great strides during that tournament.
Later in the same year, Sri Lanka’s Romesh Kaluwitharana was playing in his maiden Test match against Australia at the Sinhalese Sports Club Grounds. Walking in at No. 7, Kaluwitharana scored (whirlwind by then Sri Lanka standards) 132 runs in 158 balls that contained 26 fours.
Then, his senior partner Sanath Jayasuriya who missed the first Test match, joined him at No. 6, in the next Test match.
Then the Lankans had a solid middle order with names such as Asanka Gurusingha, Aravinda de Silva, Arjuna Ranatunga and Hashan Tillekeratne, while Roshan Mahanama and Chandika Hathurusinghe were the regular openers.
Down the line, the Lankan think tank came to the conclusion that, in the shorter version of the game, with a middle order like the one mentioned earlier, both Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana were the ‘expendables’ – they could have done without them in the middle order. Yet, the two youngsters did possess the natural ability to hit the ball hard, and when hit, it stayed hit.
The Lankan Cricket management used the ‘expendables’ to open the innings and the ploy worked. Then, when it came to the 1996 World Cup, the rest of the Cricketing world gaped in awe at our exploits, and the rest is history. Ever since then, the Lankans have not looked back, as far as their Cricketing fortunes are concerned.
They had converted ‘expendables’ into ‘profitables’.
Then, in the early ’90s, Gamini Dissanayake was the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL). My friend Ana Punchihewa was his Vice President.The other Vice President was Upali Dharmadasa. During this period, present Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Thilanga Sumathipala was aspiring to get into the Cricket machine of Sri Lanka.
I remember Ana Punchihewa once saying, “There was a time Thilanga Sumathipala wanted to join the BCCSL but, Gamini was vehemently against the idea.”
It was at that time the country’s cricket was dealt a blow by the sudden demise of Gamini Dissanayake. For a while, both Punchihewa and Dharmadasa joined hands to run the cricketing affairs till the next BCCSL elections. At the same time Punchihewa was the President of the International Advertising Association too. Soon, Sumathipala befriended Punchihewa and they were making great strides in their friendship.
At the next elections, Dharmadasa was expected to be in the fray, but opted out. Ana Punchihewa became President – uncontested – while the two Vice Presidents were Harindra Dunuwille and Thilanga Sumathipala.
Sumathipala’s thirst was unquenchable. Soon he became a power within.
It was the year 1996. A part of the ICC Cricket World Cup was being held in Sri Lanka and, at the same time, the two expendables – Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana were going great guns under Captain Cool Arjuna Ranatunga. They did win the Cricket World Cup, a few days prior to the next BCCSL elections.
By then Sumathipala had decided that Punchihewa was expendable. Also, by then, Upali Dharmadasa had decided he was going to contest Punchihewa, while his senior vice president would be Sumathipala.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s World-Cup-winning Cricket Captain Ranatunga had become great friends with Sumathipala. When Sumathipala threw his weight behind Dharmadasa, a part of the script was written. Two weeks after winning the maiden Cricket World Cup, Ana Punchihewa became the first Cricket ‘expendable’.
Upali Dharmadasa did complete his two years in office but, by 1998, the two allies – Dharmadasa and Sumathipala parted ways – the next ‘expendable’ was effected.
It was not long before Sumathipala stood at the opposite end of the ring against former Lanka Cricket Captain Arjuna Ranatunga. Though Ranatunga became Sumathipala’s next ‘expendable’, it became a lifelong bout in which neither was going to throw in the towel.
From time to time, there were instances when Sumathipala too become a victim of his own intensity. There was more than one instance when the State struck back and clipped his wings and even jailed him, but at every turn, he came back with more intense.
In one instance, Sumathipala had to puppeteer the Cricket administration through his lieutenant Mohan de Silva, but now, he has come back to take charge.
Early this year, Sumathipala warded off a challenge by the Ranatunga clan, with the help of unlikely allies such as Jayantha Dharmadasa and S. Mathivanan. After the Upali bout, none of the Dharmadasas was in the Thilanga camp.
Then, one time allies, the Ranatungas and the Dharmadasas, also had fallen out with each other after the Nishantha episodes of the last regime. So, this time the elder brother – Jayantha, decided to throw his weight behind Sumathipala, to fight the common foe.
But now, it seems that the ‘expendable manthra’ is at work again. There are rifts within the cricket body once again.
It is said that, the Dharmadasa faction is on the war path and is swiftly moving away from the coalition. It is learned that the boss and his one-time lieutenant Mohan de Silva, who is now SLC Secretary, does not drive down the same motorway.
Now Sumathipala’s closest ally in the melee is his relative and Treasurer Shammi Silva.
Will there be another load of ‘expendables’ heaped on the SLC tables soon?
Some may scream “This is not Cricket”. Yet, I say, that’s the way the cookie crumbles.