The Fifth Column

13th December 1998

The Wayamba puzzle

"Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedera asked, "what do you think will happen at Wayamba?""Well," said Bindu's father, Percy, "we'll have to wait and see...."

"Why do you say that?" Bindu wanted to know.

"Well, Wayamba has traditionally been a green area...."

"Why do you think that tradition will be broken?"

"It will certainly be a tough fight for the greens to keep control...."

"Why do you say that, Thaaththa?"

"Bindu, do you remember what happened to Murali?"

"Of course I do, Thaaththa, but what has that got to do with Wayamba? That was in Australia...."

"Of course it was in Australia. And who no-balled him?"

"Darrell Hair, the Australian Umpire...."

"Exactly. So, Murali was playing in Australia on Australian pitches, watched by Australian supporters and an Australian Umpire no-balled him...."

"But, still, this is Wayamba...." Bindu protested.

"Yes, yes," Percy agreed, "and what did the Australian cricket authorities do at that time?"

"Well, they did nothing...." Bindu recalled.

"Yes," Percy said, "they just looked the other way; And, that's what could happen at Wayamba...."

"What do you mean?" Bindu was puzzled.

"Why, Bindu, the greens will have to play against the blues, while the blues control everything - the police, the newspapers, even when and where the elections will be held...."

"Does that mean," Bindu asked, "that the elections will be a mini-war with violence and bloodshed...."

"A lot of prestige is at stake," Percy observed, "so that is very likely...."

"But Thaaththa, why did they suddenly decide to have elections?"

"Why, what's wrong with that?"

"Why, only a few months ago, they were saying that the security situation was such that they couldn't have elections...."

"Now it has improved very much, apparently...."

"Why do you say that?"

"Why, they can't even fire a mortar at the General and the three Service Commanders without being off target," Percy noted.

"Thaaththa, that was the second time the General escaped...."

"Yes, and on both occasions, all three Commanders were with him. "So, it seems like he is determined to make it 'All or None'...."

"But Thaaththa," Bindu said, "you still didn't tell me what would happen at Wayamba...."

"That's a difficult question...." Percy conceded.

"Why do you think that like what happened in Australia, the blues will look the other way while the greens are thrown out unfairly?" "Now," Percy said, "I'm not so sure...."

"Why is that?"

"Why Bindu, look at what has happened in Australia now?"

"What's that?" "Now, Murali has thrown out Darrell Hair for all practical purposes...."

"So, do you think the same thing could happen in Wayamba?"

"Who knows, Bindu?" Percy asked, "who knows?"

Rajpal Abeynayake's Column

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