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Cricket, by and large, has turned professional and in the last decade or so it has turned so competitive that the ICC introduced a special award which was called ‘The Spirit of the Game award’ and the first recipients of it were the cricketers from New Zealand in 2004.
I remember well, when the ICC patted Sri Lanka’s back in 2007 and made them the recipients of that coveted award, someone asked me what it was all about. I explained, “The Spirit of the Game involves respect for opponents, one’s own captain and team, the role of the umpires, the game and its traditional values.”
But since Mahela Jayawardena hung up his crown to become just another member of the team that accolade by the name of ‘Spirit of the Game’, according to some cricket pundits, has been on the wane.
What happened in that fateful over that rookie off spinner Suraj Randiv bowled may have been a culmination of events that have been coming down the line. Virendra Sehwag has said that it was not the first instance that the Lankans have fouled upon an Indian batsman reaching his hundred. He was referring to a match played at Kattack, India where star batsman Sachin Tendulkar was deprived of a well-deserved century by a Lasith Malinga wide.
Former Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardena with ICC’s ‘Spirit of the game trophy which was presented to Sri Lanka. At one point this was our national cricketing pride. |
The musings asked former National Test opening batsman Sidath Wettimuny for his comments on the Randiv incident and he was frank enough to say, “I did not see the incident. It was brought to my notice when an Indian journalist called me and asked for my comments about it. However in hindsight, if something was done against the spirit of the game during that match, it is not cricket.”
This was a matter that went against the Indians and that made the headlines. However this incident eclipsed other incidents in the same match, which need to be questioned.
No one spoke about the incident when a leading player tried to pull a rising ball from outside the off stump – intending to sail the ball over mid wicket while the ball was moving sharply -- and managed only to top edge it.
Then another batsman, after getting his eye in, played the most unbecoming sweep shot and paid the price. This too went almost uncriticised.
Even some of the events in the third Test, which Sri Lanka lost to square the series, are still a huge query. First an in-form batsman, who has the intelligence, came up to almost fourscore and lofted the ball to find the only long-on fielder at the rope. It looked the same as something that happened against Australia with another batsman way back in history.
Also in the third Test, when India was struggling at three down overnight, the Lankans brought in Welagedera, the most unproductive bowler of that game. He operated from one end for some time while Lasith Malinga and Ajantha Mendis who were fresh and ready, were ignored. An easy catch was spilled off Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman was still struggling in the series in spite of his innings in Galle.
But when Tendulkar was out finally, the Indian batting had settled down and they were on their way to victory.Besides the spirit of the game, one insider pointed out dubious bowling preferences. While Sri Lanka was playing against New Zealand in August last year Dilshan was enjoying tremendous success. He once mentioned that he only had not opened bowling for Sri Lanka while engaging in every other discipline on the other side of the boundary line. Pop! In the next match Dilshan comes out using the new ball to bowl only three overs in the whole innings and he bags the wicket of Vettori while operating in the 73rd over of the innings.
In the same match another dubious move was when Tharanga Paranavithana used the new ball for just one over. What is the purpose of operating with a spinner, especially in a test match, for just one over? I still wonder why those moves did not catch the eye of the anti-corruption officials of the ICC. At this time of age there is ball-by-ball betting at the centres. I bet the ICC official present may have made a visit to the then Lankan team manager for a little chat. However the facts are stubborn. One must admit that there is a huge deterioration in cricket in general in this country.
It begins at the administrative level. When one gets politically motivated weak administrations their main outlook is survival at any cost. We at this end hear of senior players accompanying the administrators to meet people that matter on certain issues. This means those who are used for purposes other than playing the game on the field, the administrators, tend to lose control of the players. Then at the same time the players themselves get used to taking short cuts and use step ladders for their survival. This definitely culminates in general deterioration in administration.
At the same time even the players are more money-minded and their centre of gravity is based on the next American dollar rather than the national cause. Some incidents that occurred here in Sri Lanka may have been the residue that had emanated from the last IPL.
Right now the stormy winds have taken the ship of ‘Good Spirit’ far off course. What Sri Lanka needs is a close scrutiny of things that are happening and to sift them through the smallest mesh so that they eradicate some of the sin.
We are aware that the guys from the ICC are sniffing around and the Sri Lankans better pull their socks up and clean up the stable before more stink hits the street. Right now the can of worms is too full. |
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