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Editorial9th May 1999 |
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47, W. A. D. Ramanayake Mawatha Colombo 2. P.O. Box: 1136, Colombo 2.
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Bouncer from press-boxThe baptism of fire that the captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team received at the airport when he flew into Britain may be just some indication of what awaits the Sri Lankans when the defence of the World Cup begins. At least some sections of the British press will put this team to the torch, and that's a certainty Arjuna Ranatunga and his lads have to contend with. Ted Corbett the respected columnist writing for Sport Star magazine, made a well argued case for the Sri Lankans recently. He saw the Sri Lankan cricket team lacking a professional press relations machine. This made Arjuna's boys easy meat in the hands of British tabloid artistes, whose reputation as professional gutter- snipes needs no special introduction here. What's on our minds is not the professionalism or otherwise of the British media. But, how the World Champions of cricket are able to withstand the roasting of the adverse press machine is a matter of considerable importance to anybody who has any interest in the future of Sri Lankan cricket. As Corbett suggests, the captain who is a trained professional cricketer, should not necessarily be the sacrificial lamb who should be sent out there to tackle the gentlemen of the press. He is bound to have other things on his mind. But public relations is an essential part of the team effort, especially for a team that has acquired world champion status . A positive image of a team that plays fair carries a long way in the psychological department of the sport. A team that's being perpetually accused , unfairly albeit, of using unorthodox tactics will eventually run the risk of caving into mean spirited opposition. That's not to say that Arjuna Ranatunga and his band of young men are not upto taking a beating from the press, or even more formidable detractors. But, there is something to be said about the fact that constant criticism by the press or foreign audience's can, at sometime, cause the malaise of sagging team-spirit and lack of morale. The answer is to tackle the press, and to do so with some vision and a sense of purpose. If a team can have a physiotherapist and a professional psychologist, there is no reason why a team in the modern day and age cannot hire a professional public relations expert to complete the pack. The PR team can handle the bouncers that are bowled at the team from outside the playing field, leaving the players to concentrate on the deliveries that bounce off the turf. What's more depressing about the Sri Lankan team getting lambasted by partisan critics and columnists, is that they generally have the facts on their side, and should be able to refute the criticism with solid factual arguments. But, that opportunity is passed up, because there is a problem of articulation for which the skipper or any of his talented young men cannot exactly be blamed. Professional sports is a mega million dollar business in the modern age, and it would be indubitable that any professional sports playing nation cannot aspire to play professional sports without getting into the whole big bad world that goes along with professionalism. This is a world of professional agents and handlers, sports handlers and PR handlers included. Modern boxing for instance has some legendary handlers such as the famous Mr. King, who is known for his hair as he is for his thoroughly unorthodox managing methods. Maybe we in Sri Lanka can do without that kind of martinet; but it would only help the game if the authorities take professional public relations as part of the goal in their effort to get their act together as the country's cricket is concerned. If that's done, half the battle may be over as lack of morale seems to be one of the serious concerns of the Sri Lankan cricketing outfit which went from being world champions to being serial losers.
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