Cheering them on

They share the excitement, thrills, spills and loneliness that go with the game of cricket – these are the wives and mothers of our cricketing heroes

The sharp crack of the bat connecting firmly with a ball echoes across the stadium. In a moment, thousands are on their feet, cheering wildly. How does it feel to know that the man they’re cheering for is your husband or your son? And that it could have so easily gone the other way, with just one clever delivery capturing a wicket?

For some it’s a way of life. “It’s a daily thing now,” says a rueful Sonali Arnold, wife of middle order batsman Russel Arnold.
Though it is difficult to picture, cricketers’ families also gather in front of a T.V screen in much the same way as fans across the world. They watch matches, sharing the same expectations and anxieties as the rest of the cricket world even as World Cup fever spreads across the island and most cricket-crazy fans spend endless hours speculating on the Sri Lankan team’s chances of lifting cricket’s most coveted prize.

“We make it a point to watch all the matches – my husband and I watch them in our home in Kandy, or with our other children if we visit Colombo,” says Mrs. Kumari Sangakkara, mother of the Sri Lankan team’s dynamic vice-captain and wicket-keeper batsman Kumar Sangakkara. Eresha Fernando, wife of fast bowler Dilhara Fernando, echoes her sentiments, saying that she makes it a point to watch all crucial matches, and in particular never misses one in which her husband is playing.

For Sandra Jayasuriya, wife of legendary batsman Sanath Jayasuriya, watching a match is a delightfully noisy and communal affair. “There are always people coming home to watch the match with us,” she says, adding that Sanath’s friends and cousins are the most common visitors. “Often the party will get so noisy,” she says, “that the kids will wake up and join in the fun.” And there’s been plenty to celebrate so far. “I have a gut feeling that we’re going to win it this time,” says Sandra.

While the men are being featured on prime time television, in many cricketers’ families, it is the wives who must stay home and hold the fort. “I now have a son and it’s not that easy to travel,” says Madhimalar Muralitharan, wife of spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan. For Sandra as well, travelling with the children is not an option.

However, there is also a sense of personal pride in the accomplishments of their loved ones that helps them through the long separations. “I’m proud and happy that they’re playing well,” says Madhimalar. She remembers with particular fondness the match against India, for which she was present, where her husband was named Man of the Match. “Watching that was very exciting,” she says smilingly, especially because she rarely has the chance to watch her husband play except on T.V.

Often, after a match, these families will find themselves swamped by responses and feedback. While friends do call to congratulate them when things are going well, Sonali admits that it isn’t always quite so rosy. “That’s the way it is – people will support you when you’re doing well and criticise you if things are not so good. It helps that Russell and his family are very positive people,” she says, adding that they refuse to get discouraged.

Often a family will not even have the comfort of each other’s physical presence. “The hardest thing is always being apart,” says Sonali. And she is not alone. Between the demands of the game, the extensive travelling required of a professional sportsman, and the numerous commitments of a celebrity, many families are somewhat resigned. “Sometimes it’s lonely, but I know it’s his profession…and I have to bear it,” says Eresha.

Since her son still lives with them, they miss him when he is away, but have their daughter-in-law for comfort, explains Dilhara’s mother Mrs. Jeyanthi Fernando.

It doesn’t help that their lives must be lived in the glare of the spotlight, and that if you’re not on top of your game, today’s fans may be tomorrow’s fiercest detractors. For most families, staying calm and balanced is crucial. “I’m not nervous anymore, I believe that whatever is going to happen, will happen,” says Sonali. For Mrs. Sangakkara, it’s all about perspective. “Obviously we are happy and excited if he does do well,” she says, “but we also feel that it is only if each one puts in their best effort that the team can win.”

Want to watch the 2007 Cricket World Cup live in the Caribbean? It’s not an adventure for the faint of heart or the light of pocket. Senior Director Ticketing of George Steuarts Travel International Channe Wijemanne reveals that packages from Sri Lanka can cost anything between Rs. 650,000 to 1.3 million and include accommodation, transport, travel and match tickets. The duration and quality of accommodation are variables, as are the number and level of matches you want to see.

However, in this case, the early birds are the only ones getting the worms. As the official travel agents for Sri Lanka, George Steuarts have already booked over a hundred people onto package deals. Unfortunately, they have had to turn away twice that number, mostly due to processing problems. A large hitch is the CARICOM Visa, which allows the holder to travel freely between the nine Caribbean host countries for the duration of CWC 2007. (The name comes from all these countries being members of the 16-member Caribbean Community - hence CARICOM). Visas take several days as the applications must be taken to New Delhi for submission.

In addition, British or American transit visas are also required. Flights are difficult to book, especially as the competition hots up. And even if you manage to get this far, you may not have a room to call your own. Accommodation is hard to come by, with most hotels being fully booked.

We’re hooked. Yes, World Cup fever has well and truly gripped us and despite the lateness of the telecast hours (most matches beginning around 7 p.m. local time and continuing till early morning), fans stay up glued to the action. One group gathers at pubs, and clubs around the island, while others are content to put their feet up at home. “It’s so much more exciting to watch a match with friends,” enthuses young cricket fan, Dhanika Wijesekara.

At the CH & FC grounds, TNL has put up no less than 3 giant screens. There are also those fans who are literally religious in their fervour – praying throughout. “India is known for fanaticism, and I think we Sri Lankans are not too far behind, we may go down the same road if we’re not too careful,” says Shanaka Amarasinghe, sports commentator and host of ‘The Score’ on Yes FM.

He adds, “We should be proud of the team - they’ve been great ambassadors for our country, so it’s not important right now whether they win or lose. Everyone can’t be winners, but they’ve played very well and now people are talking of them in the same breath as Australia, which is quite an achievement.”