THE SPIRIT OF THE GAME

In the very first year New Zealanders were recognized as those cricketers who preserved the spirit of the game while England and Sri Lanka were the subsequent winners of this title.

Sri Lanka who won ICC accolades for preserving the ‘spirit of the game” for their conduct on and off the field and especially their reactions to umpiring decisions takes on England in a five match ODI series. It was England who were bestowed with this honour when ICC met for the same task last year.

So during this series may be that one would be able to witness a series of a game that was once meant to be played by gentlemen.

In the very first year New Zealanders were recognized as those cricketers who preserved the spirit of the game while England and Sri Lanka were the subsequent winners of this title.

Speaking of the spirit of the game there has been a lot of water under bridge between the two countries especially when they met each other on Lankan soil. In 2001 there were a series of incidents involving umpires and players which culminated in match referee Hanumant Singh booking players of both sides for bringing the game into disrepute.

Then upon their return to the island in 2003 ex-English captain Nassar Hussain’s ‘F------- cheat’ outburst against Lankan off spinner also caused a lot of heartburn. So things have not been that hunky-dory down the line and when a contest of this intensity takes place it can bring out the worst in players without any prior warning.Spirit or not, now the series is on the way and it is up to the home team to prove their worth as the runners-up of the World Cup. Since the World Cup exploits, the Lankans speak of a series loss against the ultimate 20-20 runners-up – Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and an easy almost walk over against Bangladesh in a severe back yard bashing.

England on their part ended up in a high against the West Indies, but had a near thing against India by making it home at 3-2 in the ODI series.

To their credit England, who lost their way through a spate of injuries in 2006 and lost the ODI series 5-0 to the Lankans have transformed themselves into a battle worthy outfit especially while playing at home lately. However Paul Collingwood admitted that the task of playing in Sri Lanka was not an easy one. He said “The squad that we have is exciting and this bunch of young guys are excited about coming to a country that is difficult to play cricket. “He also added “Not many English sides in the past have come to Sri Lanka and done well”. In spite of this initial statement he later went on to observe that they had also found out in the past that in spite of the slow turning wickets that Sri Lanka is generally known for, they have come across some fast bouncy wickets especially when playing in Colombo.

England in this squad of fifteen have several players who have been performing very consistently in the recent past with batsman Ian Bell leading the pack. Besides Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Alastair Cook and skipper Paul Collingwood have also performed well with the bat. Two cricketers of Eastern origin Ravi Bopara and Dimitri Mascarenhas are also consistent performers, but, how they handle the hot humid turning conditions in Sri Lanka in their maiden outing is still to be learned.

In bowling James Anderson and young Stuart Broad have made it a habit of picking up wickets early while tall Chris Tremlett and Ryan Sidebottom also have been regularly among the wickets. But, the trump card the Englishmen hope to use against Sri Lanka is a spoonful of their own medicine. This they are hoping to deliver courtesy left arm spinner Monty Panesar of whom, the Englishmen have a very high regard. Collingwood commenting on Panesar’s role in the series said “I think he will do very well out here. Monty is learning a lot especially in his one-day bowling. I think the conditions here will suit his type of bowling and he is working on his change of pace and certainly the work that he has done so far in the nets has been fantastic”.

The Sri Lankan management is banking on their players to prove themselves once again as one of the hard nuts to crack while performing in their own conditions. In the past, oppositions like the Australians had to do something more than a huff and puff before blowing the Lankan house down, while the others have found it well neigh impossible to cope with the pressure plied on them by their hosts.

However I hope what I intend saying is only a lot of hot air and has no basis at all. The aftermath that is filtering in from the South African safari is not encouraging at all. There are reports of dwindling discipline especially among the young and famous and the battles by the hierarchy to quell the unpleasant situation. They must remember the press is always like a mirror to the public, it will be bright when the sun is shining and dark and grey when rains come down. We here at this end are bound by a singular oath to give the public the truth so by that very oath we hope the bothering whispers will only be confined to just that.

Since skipper Mahela Jayawardena took over the Lankan have always entered the field with a very positive approach and that was the very basis that brought them those positive results against many oppositions in the few past moons including the World Cup.

Another fact that was accented after he took over the reins is the policy of taking the maximum use of the seniors while providing the best possible opportunities to their juniors. However the juniors also should learn that the opportunities that they have now got have come their way not by chance, but, the commitment that they have put in to do better along with their inborn natural talent. However we have seen many a young player passing into oblivion through their own seeking. At this very moment they do have living examples of players who have reached the top of the ladder amidst many a drawback. It is not too late for any of them to get down from that phoney pedestal and shoulder the wheel like the rest of the seniors just because they are the very players who will have to take on those responsibilities very soon.