Nostalgia of late Gamini D.’s ‘brawl’ to conquer Test status
Arjuna Ranatunga shares the joy of winning the ICC World Cup in 1996 with former skipper Sunil Wettimuny
When Sri Lanka seized the World Cup from the Australians in 1996, they unequivocally proved to the World that the Sri Lankans were a powerhouse in the cricketing world. The whole country was jubilant. Youth danced in delirious delight. The moment was ecstatic. Grateful as Sri Lankans usually are, many a mind recalled with joy and profound gratitude, inter alia, the one man who made the Sri Lankan dream a reality. In silent appreciation they remembered the name of Gamini Dissanayake (GD).
GD was born into a family of dignified lineage in Kandy. He qualified as a Lawyer. Forsaking what would have been a lucrative Legal practice, he entered politics and soon was given the coveted position of Minister of Mahaweli Development. Having forsaken his lucrative Legal career to pander to his innate desire to help the masses, he achieved significant success in emancipating the masses from poverty, enhancing the lives of the poverty-stricken. Despite these laudable achievements in the field of Agriculture, his noteworthy contribution nationwide was the uplift of cricket. Thereby securing the world’s endorsement of the Sri Lankan brand of cricket and its stature as a Test-playing nation.
When he took over as President of the then BCCSL (now SLC), it was in a chaotic situation. He, like any other leader, believed chaos precedes order. He systematically tried to restore order, infuse discipline, demolish the distorted machinery in operation at the time.
He changed the infrastructure of our cricket, which remained unchanged for years. He set new trends and values in conducting the activities of the then Board. He inaugurated the Sri Lanka Cricket Foundation and was adamant that, at any price, he was obtaining full International Cricket Council (ICC) Test status with full membership. He then embarked on a programme of exertion with a visualisation, to accomplish what he felt was of paramount importance to Sri Lankan Cricket. This included the construction of a modern building to house the headquarters of cricket at Maitland Place.
Construction of contemporary indoor net facilities, development of the Asgiriya and other grounds at provincial venues to play international and domestic cricket, inaugurated a programme to send young cricketers for training overseas, launched a cricketers’ benevolent fund, simultaneously commencing intensive training for Umpires, Curators and Coaches.
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Initial discussions with the reticent ICC failed. The veto power of Australia and England was commanding. These white Test-playing nations harboured an aversion to new Asian Nations entering the Test arena. Undaunted, he tried again and was met with the same stubbornness. Abandoning his individual approach, he tried a collective approach. This time he had the support of A.H. Kardar, President of the Pakistan Cricket Board. They together formed the Asian Cricket Council.
The late GD as BCCSL President, an impeccable orator, stood robust against the unbending and rigid resistance of the officials of the ICC. He did not duck at the ‘bumpers’ hurled at him at the ICC meetings. Instead of ducking them, he retaliated ferociously with his stiff Legal background. His counterattacks and labours helped Sri Lanka to be admitted as a full member of the ICC on July 21, 1981, to play Test cricket, joining the elite congregation as the 8th Test-playing nation.
This achievement was even more remarkable in the perspective that he had ben the BCCSL President , only for a couple of months. The ICC officials knew very well we were well apt and eligible to pierce into the elite congregation. But at each annual meeting they meted out step-motherly treatment to us. But we had to linger, despite performing all the spade work. It was the fashionable dynamic attitude of the late leader, GD, which aided us to be designated as full member, after his mesmerising speeches and brisk answers made, which had the ICC audiences constantly spellbound. Another significant contribution he made to international cricket was the desperate plea to the ICC for India and Pakistan to host the 1987 World Cup, away from England for the first time. Addressing the ‘chair’, he said there are millions and millions in the sub-continent, obsessed and passionate about this game of cricket. He further said, “You have already staged 3 World Cups in England, from its inception in 1975, are you going to deprive those living in the sub-continent, the opportunity of viewing an ICC Cricket World Cup It is a moment in time that we globalize this event in the best interest of the game of cricket?”
In the context of the above, the fanatical cricket fraternity in Sri Lanka and overseas should be indebted to the late GD who was totally liable on our agitated pursuit for full membership of the ICC. It was ill-fated that we lost him in a terrorist bomb attack in 1994, when he was canvassing at a meeting for his presidential candidature.
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