To enhance the usage of English vernacular of our cricketers
Cricket is the world’s second most popular spectator sport after association football (soccer). The total governance is by the International Cricket Council (ICC) which has over 100 countries and territories in membership although only 12 countries play Test cricket.
Cricket as begun by the English still remains a sport where the language in use is of course English. Countries like England, Australia, South Africa, West Indies, Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) had no problem with the English vernacular where everything connected to the game was in English. Lately with the advent of Asian countries viz. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh the players, administrators had to be versed in English jargon which most did up to the end of the 1990 decade.
All our past cricketers were able to converse well in the English which was the accepted language at Test matches particularly for speaking at post-match presentations when one who is adjudicated as ‘the Player of the Match’ had to answer to questions posed by the presenter at the podium. From the beginning of the 2000 decade it has been noticed that some players from the Asian countries Pakistan and Sri Lanka in particular are not equipped to answer to questions posed at the podium. It is time the administrators to take stringent measures to train the players who represent their countries to be conversant in the English language as the game essentially is English based from the late 18th century.
With the ICC conducted T20 WC in progress some Sri Lanka novice players who contributed to the success of our team spoke well on the podium. The manner Charith Asalanka spoke after being adjudicated as the ‘Player of the Match’ against Bangladesh was fluent. Also the words expressed by Wanindu Hasaranga also on the podium, was too impressive. It should be said about Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who spoke in both languages at a post-match media conference was too impressive.
In is however prudent to mention about our own Test players in the 1990 decade like Aravinda, Arjuna, Marvan, Gurusinghe, Mahanama, Madugalle, Sanga, Mahela etc, who were well eloquent in the English vernacular equal to the counterparts in western countries. It is pertinent to mention the efforts of Madugalle and Mahanama, being elected as match referees in the ICC elite panel did bring laurels to motherland. The former is now the Chief Match Referee of the ICC.
On the contrary there had been proven instances when some cricketers were awfully scared in speaking on the podium. Once our legendary Sanath Jayasuriya when asked who are the bowlers feared most he had said none but is awfully scared when the commentator Tony Grieg comes towards him with the microphone. In another instance our elite umpire in the ICC panel of umpires, Kumar Dharmasena in his playing days as an off spinner under Arjuna, after taking three wickets had asked him ‘enough know’ as he did not want to be adjudicated as the ‘player of the match’ which would entail him to speak on the podium.
In this context SLC should train the cricketers to speak in English which is vital for any cricketer. It is learned that there are enough past cricketers who are now full time coaches, having had Level II coaching qualifications, running cricket schools are also good enough to teach a bit of English with cricket terms to those who are weak in spoken English. With women cricketers, majority cannot converse in English. The legendary woman cricketer Shashikala Siriwardena, who bid farewell at the conclusion of the final league match against Bangladesh in the recently concluded Women ICC World Cup in Australia, after been named the ‘Player of the Match’ brought laurels to motherland speaking at the podium answering questions posed by the experienced commentator Allen Wilkins. She spoke so confidently in eloquent English which perhaps was one of the best speeches made. In the context of the above, it is time when cricket resumes the SLC to take the above facts into dire consideration to make Sri Lanka proud sans any blemish, as when our cricketers speak good English on the podium for the world to hear.
Sunil Thenabadu in Brisbane