Sports - Dramatic events of different kinds

South Africa deciding to abandon their tour of Sri Lanka commenced the eyebrow raising incidents connected with the game, over the past couple of weeks. In hindsight their reaction was unwarranted. Overall there was unquestionably a great loss to cricket as a result of their pull out.

The rain that followed the touring Indians was a nightmare. It frustrated and in the end drove to desperation, the administrators, players, ground staff, match officials, TV and radio crews and even the handful of loyal spectators. Then, from the day following the cancellation of the games the weather began to clear.

It was freak weather alright. The mid-year monsoon usually lasts between end May and mid July. Weather patterns have changed alright and this was the case where the monsoon, particularly in Western India descended on parts of Sri Lanka.

The end result was that there was no cricket. Could nothing more have been done? Initially, four of the seven tri-nation games were to be played in Dambulla where all the while the sun shone and whilst buckets of rain fell in Colombo.

Somewhere along the line there was a breakdown in communication, a lack of understanding and human goodwill and failure to respect the very essence of the game. There are three parties involved in the issue: the temple that owns the land, Sri Lanka Cricket – the governing body of trustees of the venue. They failed to agree! In the end it was the nation and the game of cricket that suffered!

Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe Pakistan was battling to defeat England, having already surrendered the series. It all turned sour as the afternoon of the fourth day progressed. The events that took place shook the cricket world. Two men took centre stage. An umpire, Darrel Hair (famous or infamous – you can take your pick) and a gentle, generally soft spoken Pakistani Captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq.

For a moment in time Inzamam erred, perhaps acting under advice, by not taking the field after the tea break. In any form of cricket that is conceding the game. But who is the real culprit? Only time will tell. Or will it be brushed under the carpet, once the dust settles!

Time and time again men have heaped disrepute on the game, at different levels, in varied quantities. All these events may not be mightily serious. But each event keeps adding fuel to the fire, which someday may become difficult to dowse!

Amidst all this came the shocking news of the untimely demise of Wasim Raja. Wasim toured Sri Lanka twice as a player. In 1973 as the Captain of the under 23 team and in 1976, with the national team. He totally dominated on the former tour with his left hand batting and right arm leg spin bowling. He was such a natural athlete and those who saw him whispered that here was the next Gary Sobers.

He ended playing 57 tests and 54 ODI’s, but never lived up to the early promise. He somehow could not maintain the drive to sustain consistent performances and it was not easy to outdo some of the greats in the Pakistani side of his time. He also had a spells as Pakistan coach and a match referee. Wasim will be remembered as a fierce competitor on the field and wonderful company off it.