The dashing Cowdreys and Kent

By N.T. Kumarasinghe

E. W. Swanton pays tribute to the Cowdrey family, Colin and his sons Christopher and Graham, who between them have given 47 years of dedicated service to their County.

Family relationships have always been especially plentiful in Kent cricket, one thinks of - or rather one is reminded of in Howard Milton's admirable Kent Cricket Records 1815 -1993. Other father and son combinations which have taken the field for the county: the Ealhams, the Downtons, the Fenners, the Fairservices, the Fosters and the Marshoms. George Colins, who took 378 wickets on either side of the First World War, had a county cricketing father and grandfather. There have been scores of brothers, and within modern living memory two trios the Days (C.S.E. Arthur and Sam) and the Bryans (Jack, Ronnie, and Godfrey), several of these families did great deeds for Kent. None, however approached the length, quantity, and quality of service as that of father Colin and his sons, Christopher and Graham. There has been a Cowdrey in the Kent XI from 1950 to the present, 47 seasons in all. Our 1997 beneficiary's career of course, continues, this, therefore, is the family record for Kent as it stands at the end of the 1996 season.

Colin (1950-76) 402 matches 651 innings 23, 779 runs, 85 not outs. Highest 250 average 42.01, 58 100's 129 50's.

Chris (1977-91) 280 matches 430 innings 64 notouts 11, 869 runs 159 Highest 32.42 average 21 100's, 56 50's

Graham (1984 - ) 170 innings 269 innings 29 not outs 8, 416 runs 147 highest 35. 06 average 16 100's 45 50's.

In addition Christopher took 131 wickets at 39 runs apiece Colin and Graham a few each at a cost that I forbear to mention.

For England and on MCC tours abroad and in other first class cricket at home Colin made 42,719 runs in 692 matches average 42.89 with 107 hundreds 22 of them in Tests.

Christopher's full figures (assuming that at 39 he does not make a comeback) are 12,252 runs with 21 hundreds, average 31.90.

Colin, a prodigy if ever there was one, was first blooded for Kent aged 17 in 1950 with four matches following his fifth year in the Tonbridge XI. He won his county cap the following summer, after which for three years his services were shared as between Oxford and Kent. It was in Australia in 1954/55, and in particular in the third Test at Melbourne where, soon after his 22nd birthday, he made a flawless 102 out of England's 195, that his high quality burst upon the world.

Kent were a weak side in the 1950's and it was seven years after he was appointed captain in 1957 that there was a return to anything like the old traditions. There followed a halcyon period of eight years where in first the Gillette Cup and then in the county Championship were won. There was one tragic fall from grace in 1969 when a torn Achilles tendon sustained in late May, batting in the new Sunday league had a crippling effect. Not only on Kentish fortunes but on Colin's England's reigning captain, with a successful tour of the West Indies and a halved rubber against Australia behind him, was out of action for the rest of the season and saw the honour pass to Ray Illingworth. Thus the crowning ambition of leading England in Australia, though he went there a record six times, was never fulfilled.

Alike for Kent and England, Colin showed most of the virtues of leadership to a high degree. He was the soul of tact and considerations to his men, a sound tactician, and gave a high-class example both as batsman and slip fielder. I would qualify this estimation only to say that like Len Hutton and his great contemporary Peter May his tactics were at times over-defensive.

It was the players he brought on, notably Derek Underwood, Alan Knott, Bob Woolmer, Brian Luckhurst and Mike Denness who, with the distinguished imports John Shepherd and Asif Iqbal, brought glory to Kent throughout the 1970's. Of all the laurels that he won over a long career few were as significant as the final call to arms from Australia in 1974 when, coming up to his 42nd birthday, at the urgent request of a beleaguered team, he flew out of the English winter to confront the speed of Lillee and Thomson. He was still in the players' view technically England's best batsman, as he was to illustrate finally. The following August at Canterbury he scored 151 not out to win a glorious victory over the Australians in his last innings against them.

As Colin in 1975 was bowing out his son Christopher, eldest of three, was averaging 80 and taking 30 wickets in his last summer as captain of Tonbridge. He led England Young Cricketers to victory at Lord's and in 1976 aged 18 and younger in age and experience than, Allott and Athey, captained the Young Cricketers to an unbeaten tour of West Indies and outscored them all.

In his disarmingly modest "Good Enough"? written in collaboration with Jonathan Smith, Chris records the pros and cons of being his father's, son. Was he getting preferences because of... ? He inherited to the full the self-doubt which sometimes suddenly assailed his father. If Chris in his youth was worrying on these lines no one else was. He never perhaps threatened to match his father's greatness as a batsman but he looked from the first a splendid cricketer of strong physique, abundant natural skills and evident relish for a fight. Unlike his father Chris came in to Kent cricket when it was highly successful and accordingly served an apprenticeship partly in the Second XI. In 1977 he had his first chances winning the Gold Award with a sparkling hundred which with a brilliant 94 not out by Alan Ealham enabled Kent to win a Benson and Hedges quarter-final with a score of 268 for 4 before a full house at Canterbury. Some weeks later came his first championship hundred at Swansea. Yet he was not needed for the Benson and Hedges Final. Chris was 21 when in 1979 he won his cap. The great succession of titles - 11 in 12 years had just ended and the years following were ones of transition. His part was that of a number seven or eight who scarcely bowled. The prime asset was his brilliance and versatility in the field. As an all round performer Kent, I suggest, never had a better.

Before the 1982 season it was announced that by his own wish it would be Asif Iqbal's last as captain. He had played his cricket in the best traditions of Kent but anno domini was taking its toll. The Committee added that in Asif's absence the captaincy would be taken by one of the two Christophers, Tavare or Cowdrey. This decision was the beginning of a drama which had momentous consequences for both men and for Kent.

Throughout the summer talk round the grounds contrasted the quiet dependability of the one, with the more outgoing style of the other. When it came to the committee election Tavare was appointed to the captaincy in 1983 (as was soon leaked to the press) by a single vote. Cowdrey's reaction, now batting number five, was to double his average to 56, and to play an equal part with Tavare in the leadership over a highly creditable summer in all competitions, the latter being away half the season playing for England. Tavare's second season in charge brought Kent from seventh to fifth in the championship and as, in 1983, brought them to Lords' for the Nat West final this time again unsuccessfully, though Middlesex won an agonisingly exciting match off the last ball. Cowdrey leading in the absence of Tavare against Essex the Champions at Colchester had the match of his life taking out his bat for 125 out of a total of 201 after Kent had been 47 for 6 in what Wisden described as a magnificent innings of four hours in difficult conditions. He also took three cheap wickets and held a miraculous catch Essex being beaten by 10 wickets soon after lunch on the second day. His brisk medium pace bowling was now getting a few wickets. So that when Ian Botham declined to go with England to India Cowdrey was picked in David Gower's side as an all-rounder.

While Cowdrey's star had risen Tavare's batting in all competitions so consistent since he had won his cap six years earlier declined. Even so, it came as a surprise and a shock when in the close season the committee announced that Cowdrey would lead the side in 1985.

Since the decision had such a deep effect on Kent cricket for several years - and a deplorably misguided picture of the situation appeared only recently in The

Times and facts were these. In order to simplify the administration Kent had substituted an Executive Committee for the several sub-committees, and it was a cricket element thereof consisting only of old players who unanimously recommended a change to the rest of the Executive committee. This they accepted and passed to the general committee who duly made the appointment. Chris Cowdrey has recently refreshed my memory on the approach made to him. Would he accept the captaincy if it were offered him? Surprised, he said he was happy enough playing only when he was told. A change had been definitely decided upon, did he say yes, sometimes such matters can - perhaps be too confidential and in this case things would have been much easier for the new captain if the current senior players (and , for that matter, Derek Ufton, the present Chairman of Cricket) and his contemporaries had been tactfully briefed. As it was, loyalities were split and unfounded rumours of dark influences persisted, perhaps still do. Speaking personally, I was disappointed by Tavare's appointment in the first place (partly at least because he was likely to miss so much of the season as a Test batsman) and much surprised at his demise. In retrospect Kent surely got it wrong both times.

In the next few years Chris Cowdrey led the side with enthusiasm and continued to give a sparkling example in the field. The results however remained well short of Kentish hopes. In 1986 Kent reached Lord's yet again. This time in the Benson and Hedges, once more losing at the last gasp to Middlesex by two runs, Graham Cowdrey now comes into the picture for the first time making a rousing 58 at Lord's, top score in the match. In 1987 Kent sank to 14th in the Championship.

At last, however, came light at the end of the tunnel, by the end of June 1988 with six championship wins in succession Kent headed the table. The leadership was then closely fought until the last matches when by a single point Worcestershire squeaked home. It was a team effort to which several new faces contributed, the captain being congratulated in the Annual Report for "leadership of the highest order." Gratitide was due also to a revered Australian cricketer, John Inverarity who acted as part-time highly effective guru.

This is not the place to go into detail about Chris's brief adventure in 1988 as captain of England except to remark on its likely effect on his career. Without previous experience as a Test cricketer at home against a rampant West Indies, he was denied a second chance in favour of Graham Gooch, who was persuaded to make himself reluctantly available for the forthcoming tour to India. It never took place because the Indians could not forgive his South African connections. The selectors original thinking, I am sure, was to send England to India under Chris where he had been a member of Gower's winning team in 1984/85. He had of course, all the qualities of a touring captain, as he had showed when a youngster in the West Indies.

Chris Cowdrey, until the last phase of his career, always had the spirit and the humour to ride cheerfully through the ups and downs of fortune and this sketch of his times suggests surely that he has not been the luckiest of cricketers. Bowling weakness and injuries in 1989 and 1990 meant a swift descent from runners-up to the bottom rungs of the championship, and in mid-August 1990, to the surprise of all, he resigned the captaincy. He had been worried by his own injuries and perhaps more by the disappointments suffered by Kent's members and supporters. It was a sudden decision which retrospectively he regrets, thus to end his six years at the helm. Retrospectively likewise one can see it as a mistake but also as a final sign of his commitment to Kent cricket.

I hope the beneficiary will forgive me for running a more rapid eye over his career with the county in so far as it has gone. It is in any case a more straightforward tale, not punctuated yet, at any rate, by the traumas of captaincy.

Graham followed Christopher and brother Jeremy in the Tonbridge XI which contained either one or two of them for 12 years running. In one way Graham improved on Chris in that the 1982 side which he led was unbeaten. Aged 18 he played first for Kent second XI that summer, then had three more full and consistently useful ones for the second XI before graduating to the county side in August 1985. A confident 51 against the Australians before falling to 'Thommo' proclaimed his promise. By 1986 he had become a one-day regular, and at Lord's in the Benson and Hedges top-scored with 58 from 70 balls in gloomy light and so brought Kent to the brink of victory.

Graham began 1988 with a tremendous 145 against Essex at Chelmsford. It was his maiden hundred and also Steve Marsh's. They made 222 together and at the end of that happy summer, his brother awarded him his cap. Going in around number five he averaged 47.39 and 51 in the next three years, then slipped back in the championship while remaining an essential one-day cricketer, aggressive alike with the bat and in the field.

In 1995 Graham had as much as anyone to do with the winning of the Sunday League and forming a great rapport with Aravinda De Silva averaged 44 in the championship. Having to give place to younger batsmen in the later matches, he nevertheless averaged 33. At 32 he may still have much to offer in his benefit year and beyond and whatever happens, like his father and brother he will remain deeply dedicated to Kent cricket.

(Courtesy Cricketer)

Murali's bowling is fair

By Hemantha Warnakulasuriya

Muralitharan made Darrel Hair famous. His fame or notoriety inflamed the cricketing world. He was notorious in the sub-continent, but loved by the sons who have descended from the convicts that inherited Australia. Autobiographies are written by the famous or the notorious. It is their fame or notoriety that sells the book.

This theory applies equally to Darrell Hair. Mr. Hair was able to write a book called "Decision Maker'', purely by a single act of no-balling arguably the world's best off spinner Muralitharan, and make a quick buck from it so that when he is removed from the ICC Panel of umpires he could live happily ever after.

In trying to understand the hidden soul of Darrell Hair it is necessary for most Sri Lankans to know the ancestry and the progeny of Mr. Hair.

In England the gaols were getting filled. It was impossible for the British to build a sufficient number of gaols in England. The convicts were first transported to America, and with the war of independence and the eventual victory of the American colonies, the judges sentencing convicted persons and the marked increase in offences caused by social upheavals, the Englishmen were frantically in search of a colony from which these dastardly criminals would never be able to escape and come back to England. They were the scum of the earth. Murderers, rapists, highwaymen and those who had committed high treason, but escaped the death sentence for some flaw in the law had to be bundled out and sent to a place where they would be in permanent exile. The discovery of Australia and the eventual colonizing of it by the English became the ideal 'gaol' for these convicts to be deported and imprisoned so that they would never return.

Darrell Hair hails from New South Wales which was originally inhabited by 717 convicts, of whom 180 were women, guarded by 191 Marines, under 10 officers. When these convicts were awaiting supplies from England, the second fleet of three ships arrived, loaded not with provisions but more convicts. The fleet had left England with 1,017 aboard 267 died on the voyage and 486 of those who did arrive were sick. Reading through the pages of 'The Decision Maker' the obvious conclusion is that Darrel Hair cannot get rid of his convict past.

The no-balling of Muralidaran takes pride of place in the very first chapter of the book by Mr. Hair. He knew the tremendous opposition that would be unleashed against him, not only by the other cricket loving people in the world, but also by the other members of the Australian public whose genealogy could be traced not to the convicts, but to the Marines and the civil servants who were employed by the British as Settlement Officers of the colony.

The conspiracy to no-ball Muralitaran began at Sharjah where he was officiating in some one-day international where Sri Lanka leap-frogged and beat the West Indies. The manner in which Sri Lanka attacked the bowling of the West Indies speedsters and following an impossible target of over 300 runs to win was a real shocker. The spectators at the Sharjah Stadium and the world over watched the spectacle with utter disbelief. Romesh Kaluwitharana, about half the height of Mr. Hair and most of the West Indian bowlers, made the miscreants ponder about a strategy to make Sri Lanka pay for their unbelievable stroke making and commitment shown on the field. The balls roared to the boundary with the same speed with which the bowlers bowled. It was this display that astounded the connoisseurs of cricket. Sir Richard Hadlee who had witnessed this murderous onslaught at once predicted that Sri Lanka would become the world champions. Unlike Sir Richard Hadlee, Mr. Hair saw this improbable onslaught only 22 feet away from the place it was happening. He saw the unbelievable hand and eye coordination of some Sri Lankan batsmen, including slow dogged Hashan Tillakeratne.

It was still the belief that Australia would without much difficulty wear the crown of world cricket. The standards of batting, bowling and fielding of Australians had been put through a gruelling and uncompromising athleticism and had thus reached dizzy heights. South Africa was the only other team that looked close to snatching the crown from Australia. But they were newcomers to world cricket, after being banned for a number of years. They had not had the international exposure which was necessary for the killer instinct. Only the patriotic South Africans gave their cricket team a chance to win the World Cup. No one outside South Africa had predicted that they would win the World Cup. But the pronouncement of Sir Richard Hadlee and some other experts who had seen Sri Lanka reaching the Himalayan heights had predicted that minnows of world cricket would become giant whales of cricket and reign supreme. They would no longer be there to fill the numbers. There was something very uncharacteristic in the manner in which they played the game. The mediocre sub-standard bowling attack was complemented with a brilliant display of fielding. Some of the fielders virtually picked the cricket ball leaping to the sky as if plucking it from the azure blue sky, when the TV crew and the others thought that the ball has whisked past the fielder's head and was racing to the boundary. But in a moment the spectators were transfixed when the fielder threw the ball to the sky in ecstatic jubilation, to the agony and bewilderment of the opponents.

They played as if some superpower had given them and given the team some extra zip which made them perform super-human tasks. The conspirators knew that this trend was dangerous and some method should be found to belittle them and drain their spirits out. There was one man called Muralitharan who had a peculiar rubbery wrist. He could spin the ball even on a glass sheet. The ball spun so viciously, at times it hit the stumps at a 90 degree angle. He was the only bowler in the side.

There was nothing anyone could do about the fielding and catching. As long as the ball did not touch the ground the rule book says that the batsman is out. There is nothing any one could do about the batting. One could inspect a bat and make a statement that the blade of the bat is wider than the permissible width. But amazingly when the Sri Lankans bat, the ball hit the super soft spot in the meat of the bat which produced a sound equivalent to an imposing note of a Beethoven sonata. It was so pleasing to the ear, the connoisseurs knew only once out of ten times would a batsman hit the sweet spot. But the Sri Lankans were doing it all the time, as if they were waving an unbelievable magic wand. It was hinted that some Sri Lankan bats were so made to conceal a thick metal frame inside it. The rules did not permit the umpires to send the bat through an X ray machine. So logically only the bowlers were left, and of the bowlers every one of them were just above mediocrity and far below the standards of the Sheffield Shield cricketers . But there was this man Muralitharan who had an unusal action, rubbery wrists and the ball spun and stung the sticks like a vicious viper. It seems that the captain and the team mates were expecting Muralitharan to make a hole or a dent in the batting of the opposition. Something ought to be done to demoralize and defame Sri Lankan cricketers, and make them feel dejected and unwanted. No one in the cricketing community would defend the puny Sri Lankans. Hair watched the action of Muralitharan. The greatest of the present generation of umpires, Dickie Bird, and the greatest of the present umpires, David Sheppherd had found absolutely nothing wrong with the bowling action of Muralitharan.

It was hurtful that everyone always spoke with great adoration of these two umpires, and to add to the list there was Steve Bucknor from the West Indies and Venketaraghavan from India. No one not even the Australians, ever thought of Darrel Hair as among the five best umpires in the world. In fact no Australian umpires were considered to be among the best ten in the world. Dickie Bird has retired, David Shepperd, Steve Bucknor and Venkataraghavan are still officiating. None of them with their wide and rich experience ever thought of no-balling Muralitharan or of writing their memoires.

What is the most controversial decision that an umpire could make. An umpire could make any wrong decision which stares in the face of spectators who watch the re-plays on the television. Except the great Geoff Boycott, no other commentator would linchpin such atrocious decision makers. Still it would never become a controversial decision. It will be soon forgotten. If an umpire continues to make bad decisions, the ICC would politely request to remove him or not nominate him to the panel of umpires. Finally the message dawned upon Hair. After having watched Muralitharan the conspiracy was hatched in Sharjah. In fact he reported the action of Muralitharan, and Kumar Dharmasena to the Match Referee. Hair knew that Sri Lankans would be travelling to Australia for the Benson & Hedges Cup. The way that they were playing in Sharjah, he may have reckoned that this team would win and it was necessary to prevent it. Can any patriotic Australian with a convict's past ever permit such a transgression – minnows winning the Benson & Hedges Trophy and the World Cup eventually.

Sri Lankans, were known to be very docile and gentle people. They had been nurtured in the traditions of the game which developed into a fine art of gentlemanship during the Victorian era in England. The Anglicized Sri Lankans venerated and embraced anything and everything which had been spoon-fed to them by their colonial masters. They still live in an era where umpires out of sheer malicious design and racial bias made unfavourable decisions and Sri Lankans were taught never to question such decisions. It was ungentlemanly, the schools taught them. Unfortunately for Mr. Hair and the other Australian media, who left no stone unturned to demoralize the Sri Lankan cricketers they did not know that this new breed of cricketers, except for a few, could read and understand the English language as fluently as those who came from a few elitist schools where the spoken language was the Queen's language. But these young spoil-sports had inborn natural talents and an Australian called Dave Whatmore correctly moulded them into a groove and finetuned them. They were like a Formula Five racing team willing to race with any team to conquer the world title.

When Sri Lanka played against Queensland, Allan Border found that the delivery of young Muralitharan could hardly be read. He was curious how he could spin the ball virtually at right angles. His adoration of the young bowler was soon picked up by the Press. Muralitharan was made the scapegoat of the Australian media, and others who blindly and fanatically loved their cricket.

The conspiracy was such that soon articles appeared in the Press all over Australia of the impending disaster Sri Lanka would face at the hands of the decision makers.

After the first day of the test match at Perth, "Sri Lankan Cheats" beamed 54 point banner headlines in newspapers all over Australia. The pounding had begun. The Sri Lankans must be roundly condemned. Their unbelievable mental makeup which had made them to think that they were superior to all their cricketing opponents must be crushed. The tampering of the ball, the latest gimmick discovered to condemn the Pakistanis for their uncanny versatility in swinging the ball late with toe crushing yorkers, invented against the Pakistanis was now directed at the Sri Lankans with the help of a Pakistani, Kaisar Hyatt. Peter Parker was the other culprit.

In 'Decision Maker' this is what Darrell Hair said in the caption under the picture where Ranatunga, Peter Parker and the Pakistani umpire were displayed discussing a point, indicating really that Peter Parker an Australian umpire found scratches on the cricket ball which he reckoned was funny showing that the Sri Lankan cricketers had deliberately scratched the cricket ball in order to get some late reverse swing.. Even this dastardly statement imputing that Peter Parker had in fact told Darrel Hair about his observations proves that all were concerned in the conspiracy.

Briefly...

Prasad best athlete

Prasad Chaminda Silva of Vijaya House was adjudged the best athlete at the annual Inter-House sports meet of Royal College Panadura. Vijaya House emerged champions with 369 points.

Parakrama House with 353 points were therunners-up. Tissa and Gemunu Houses were placed third and fourth respectively.

The Under 11 title went to A.T.Kasun Sameera of Parakrama House. The Under 13 title was won Kasun Lakshan of Tissa House.The Under15 championship title was jointly shared by Pramod Sandeepa, Saseeka Ashen and Thanuja Oshika.

The Under 19 championship was also jointly shared by Dushmantha Amal Sandanayake of Vijaya House and Raja Rathnayake of Gemunu House.

The Under21 championship was shared by M.Sampath Priyankara (Tissa), Y.S.Prasad Chaminda Silva (Vijaya) and H.R.Saranga Jothipala (Parakrama).

The prize for the best decorated House went to Vijaya.

A sports club for rugby was declared open by the Deputy Minister Mr. Reginald Cooray on a request by the master-in-charge of rugby Rajeewa Perera.

Champion Peterite

Ashan Wijewickrema, was adjudged the most outstanding senior athlete at the Inter-House sports meet of St. Peter's College, Bambalapitiya. Beside being selected as the most outstanding senior athlete he was also adjudged the best performer in field events and the champion athlete in the Under 16 age group.

Cash awards for Bens-DS game

The winners of the eighth St. Benedict's vs D.S. Senanayake inter-school cricket encounter will receive Rs. 15,000/- in each while the losers will be awarded Rs. 7,500/-.

This match will be played on March 19 and 20 at the Premadasa International Stadium and will be co-sponsored by Singer Sri Lanka Limited. The prize money will be shared in case of a tie.

The man of the match will be awarded Rs. 5,000 while the best batsman, best bowler and best bowler of each school to receive Rs. 2,500/- each.

Meanwhile the fifth limited overs game will also be played at the same venue on Sunday March 21.

The winners of this encounter will be awarded the Rev. Brother Alburn Patrick Trophy plus Rs. 15,000/- in cash while the man of the match will be awarded Rs. 5,000/- and the best batsman, best bowler and best fielder will be awarded Rs 2,500/- each.

The series stands at two wins each, with St. Benedicts winning the first and the fourth encounters with D.S. Senanayake winning the second and the third encounters.

Ball-by-ball commentries will be given over the SLBC by Eric Gauder in English and Palitha Perera in Sinhala.

Charles Robinson Memorial Hockey

Two foreign teams; One from Malaysia and the other from India will participate in the third annual Charles Ronbison Memorial 7-a-side hockey tournament conducted by the Matale Old Thomians Association, Colombo Branch.

This tournament which is an all island invitation tourney will be held on Sunday May 9 at the Police Park, Bambalapitiya.

Entries for this tournament will close on March 20 with Jayampathy Perera, Organising Secretary, No. 12, Model Town Road, Ratmalana.

This tournament will be the very first of its kind where foreign teams will participate in a 7-a-side tourney.

Mercantile Badminton

Over 300 participants will battle it out for honours from 140 firms at the Mercantile Novices shuttle championships conducted by the Mercantile Badminton Association. This championships spronsored by Douglas and Sons Limited sole agents for Pirelli Tyres from March 19 to 22 at the St Joseph's Indoor Stadium at Darley Road.

Events will be held for nine categories including for veterans and masters.

Battle of Rajarata

The Battle of Rajarata, between St. Joseph's College Anuradhapura and Anuradhapura Madya Maha Vidyalaya will be played on Friday and Saturday March 27 and 28 at the Public Playground opposite the Central Bank, Anuradhapura.

This 12th annual big match is sponsored by the Anuradhapura District Cricket Association.

Top FIFA spot for Dr Siri

Dr Siri Kannangara has been appointed a Medical Officer from Australia and Oceania. Dr Siri is presently in Zurich for briefing purposes with regard to the running of the World Youth Cup in Nigeria next month.

FIFA is the world's biggest sporting organisation, far bigger than the Olymipc movement and the IOC, which has total control over the game of football known as soccer in some parts of the world.

This is a sport that is enjoyed by a great majority in the world compared to all the other codes of football, cricket and other aspects.

FIFA controls the World Cup held once in four years, the Youth World Cup for under 21 held every other year, the football portion of the Olympic Games which is for under 23's and also the under 17's Youth Cup once every two years. FIFA appoints personnel from various parts of the world to organise, to ensure that every bit of portocol is looked into during these tournaments, of course the World Cup being the biggest sporting event in the world.

More people in the world watch World Cup on television than the Olympics and this has been proved statistically.

To organise these events FIFA appoints administrators, coaches referees and medical personnel. Directors in Nigeria and other medical personnel would organise the medical component and Dr Siri is there to co-ordinate it and supervise that proper medical treatment is provided to all visiting teams and their personnel during the entire tournament.

Can Richmond and Mahinda go for a decision?

By Channaka de Silva

Richmond - Mahinda Big match which will be played for the 94th time at Galle International Cricket Stadium on March 19 and 20 is not matched by many in its historic significance. Being one of the oldest big matches and also one of the best known big matches of the country, the "Battle of the lovers" however has lost some of its old glamour. That is not certainly in the scale it is held or the enthusiasm shown by the boys.

But there is definitely a lot of room for improvement in the performance of the players. This singular factor has contributed much to the fact that the match has lost a lot of its appeal as a cricket encounter. For old boys, it will always remain as the main event which keeps the old school ties refreshed.

Both Richmond and Mahinda had been dominant cricket playing schools in the past but it all is history now.

The two schools which have produced a number of players who represented the country at the highest level of the game with distinction, have both fallen into the depths of Division II and simply cannot rank alongside the best of Sri Lanka.

The memories of players like D.L.S. de Silva, Athula Samarasekara and Jayananda Warnaweera of Mahinda and Champaka Ramanayake of Richmond dazzling for the country are still fresh in the minds of Sri Lankans. These achievements did not happen long ago and in fact Mahinda's Upul Chandana is turning out to be a pivotal part of the Lankan One day machinery.

But gone are the days of the cricketers who fascinated the people. The standards have certainly seen a nose dive. Even in Southern Province, there are a few schools who produce better outfits.

However, the two teams this year are evenly balanced though unbeaten Mahindians boast of a better record for the season.

They have not only remained unbeaten but also have secured two victories against Dharmapala and Maliyadeva.

But Richmond have continued on their recent downward slide, losing to St. Anne's and Ananda while failing to register a single win.

It is obvious that classy cricket is the remotest possibility at the match while another draw is the most likely outcome.

Since 1976, 23 years ago when Mahinda under Dulip de Silva emerged triumphant over Richmond, there had not been a positive result. Richmond's last victory came as early as in 1969 under Rohan Jayawardena some 30 years ago.

National junior poolist Oshad Sumathipala who has scored over 750 runs for Richmond with two centuries is the most accomplished batsman while Mahinda skipper Thushara Rupasinghe who scored a superb centruy at last year's big match is also a highly rated schoolboy batsman.

Richmond's 15 year old Omesh Wijesiriwardene who captained the Southern Province Under 15 side this year will be another main attraction with his all round capabilities.

Young C.K. Hewamanne, who emerged as the man of the finals in last year's Sara Trophy B Division tournament acts as Richmond coach while Lucky Arambewela and Danushka Denagama have coached Mahinda this season.

• TEAMS

• Richmond (From) — (Captain) Dilantha Sumathipala (Vice Captain), Oshad Sumathipala, Chamila Perera, Manoj Chaturanga, Omesh Wijesiriwardene, Avantha Rideegammanagedara, Chandimal Gunasekara, Tharindu Wickremasinghe, Dilhan Bahar, Mohammad Faizer, Eranga Ratnaweera, M.P. Saroj, Chathura Aravinda, Asanka Dahanayake, Suboda Gunaratne.

• Mahinda (From) — Thushara Rupasinghe (Captain), Rodney Pradeep Kumara (Vice Captain), M. Tharanga, Sulalith Samendra, Roshan Nalinda, Chandanan Wickremasinghe, B.K. Suneth, Ranil de Silva, Sampath Sumanasekara, Manoj Ambawatte, Isuru Suriyarachchi, Geethanga Liyanage, Ujith Hirimuthugoda, Prasanna Balage, Thusith Priyankara.

Sports at cross-roads

By Sivaram

The World Cup in soccer dominated the year's sporting events. If France won the coveted trophy, the losers were many. To the coaches and players, it was a question of 'wanting to win so badly', regardless of all norms of fairplay. Politically, America's ego was bruised following its defeat of the hands of Iran. Out in the stands, Britain took the booby prize for hooliganism. It was not, however, until the fag end of the tournament that the avariciousness of winning raised its ugly head. By playing Ronaldo in the final, the Brazilian management, the political masters in Rio and, so it seems, the multi-national sponsors of the Brazilian team were all willing to risk the life of a youngster at the expense of some adulation and prize money. One shudders to think whether Sri Lanka or India will do that to a Jayasuriya or a Tendulkar in the unlikely event - touch wood! - of similar circumstances cropping up at next year's World Cup in cricket.

The extent to which business and politics have crept into the leisurely world of golf is incredible. It has now been documented that much of the dubious construction contracts and bank loans that contributed to the East Asian currency crisis were struck on the golf course in Bangkok, Seoul and Kuala Lumpur. Two American Presidents - one past and the other current - were also seen often on the fairway. In what has come to be known as the "Bush effect", George Bush seldom lost a round - for good diplomatic reasons - during his days at the White House. Sadly, he is now finding it difficult to make any impact despite advanced professional coaching, a new set of clubs and plenty of time to practice! For Bill Clinton, the golf course served as the appropriate venue to deal with scandal management. Along with his golfing buddy, Vernon Jordan, he has been out there, not aiming for a hole-in-one (no pun intended) but quietly searching for strategies to ensure that he is not played out of office in the Lewinsky matter.

Back to the game itself, the domination of golf by the Western (read white) world is taking a dent. If Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh have emerged as leaders in the men's circuit, it was the teenager from South Korea, Pak Seri, who stormed her way in 1998 to the top of the women's camp. Yet, there is concern. The rigorous training schedule imposed on her by the domineering father includes having to run up and down innumerable flight of stairs (for stamina), watch menacing dog fights (for developing the "kill" instinct) and being left all alone in the cemetery at the dead of night (for overcoming fear). Pray, is it worth all the effort?

If cricket has had a quiet season, that is because of the plans under way for next year's World Cup. The scale of the tournament in terms of mass appeal, media coverage and bonanza for players is bound to be on a much smaller scale than in soccer. The lessons from cricket- and, indeed, other sports - are obvious. It does not need a Ranatunga to confirm that while winning the highest honour is a daunting task, remaining at the top is even more difficult. The situation is reminiscent of what happened when Italy, in the midst of an economic and political crisis in 1975, suffered a humiliating defeat in soccer. "What is there left?" lamented the country, "soccer is the only thing we had to take our minds off. And, now, that too is gone!" Not quite gone. After all, the Sharjah Cup is altogether a different ball game from the World Cup. The former is like the battle and the latter much like the war. Needless to add, the concentration should be on winning the latter.

If the cult of appalling behaviour goes relatively unnoticed in a team game like soccer, it certainly strikes out in individual events such as boxing and tennis. We have lately been spared of the disgraceful anti-social ring-side and courtside displays. With Mike Tyson under suspension and the likes of John MacEnroe taking a back seat, no ears were bit and no rackets broken this year. The trouble is that, influenced by the television age, competitive sportsmen have been transformed into mass entertainers, sometimes even surpassing the recognition accorded to film stars. Recently, this feature took a bizarre turn with the election of the professional wrestler, Jesse Venture, as the Governor of Minnesota. In his new office, the erstwhile showman is called upon to apply his "body" to his "mind" - a tall order, even by his imposing stature. Yet, he would have been an instant success in some of the legislative chambers in Asia where fistfights seem to take precedence over the rule of law!With an ever-growing crowd watching sports on television, it is only to be expected that much money has found its way into the pockets of the athletes.

* The writer is a plantation consultant and an occasional sports columnist

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