Sri Lanka; The best of the scandal is yet to surface (11 Nov 1997)

Tuesday 11, November 1997

The best of the scandal is yet to surface

comment from the Daily News

With each passing day the cricket board bribery scandal throws out more stunning revelations and with more tapes to be released the best of the scandal is yet to surface.

The allegation has without doubt split the Cricket Board. No constructive work could be done what with this shame hanging like the sword of damocles.

The scandal will no doubt be a long drawn out innings and ultimately it will be the good name of the Cricket Board and perhaps of Sri Lanka cricket that will be besmirched.

Wherever cricketers, cricket fans and sportspeople gather the question is: why in heaven's name do not the cricket board members resign and allow a just and fair inquiry?

Sportspeople insist that the actors whose names are mentioned in the bribery drama should resign forthwith. Not that they have already been found guilty. Certainly not. But to maintain the good name and the reputation of the Cricket Board it is paramount that they do so.

The fans also say that those whose names have been mentioned should not be allowed to contest board elections, nor have anything to do with the game. This is a fair call and to maintain their dignity and honesty those actors involved must heed this call! Sri Lanka stalled

Sri Lanka's cricketing juggernaut led by captain cool Arjuna Ranatunga was deprived of the Independence Cup in the four-nation tournament played to celebrate Pakistan's independence.

A long drawn out postmortem is not needed to find out the cause. It was obvious to everyone that the cause was bad fielding. This sudden slip in this most vital aspect of the game is not acceptable.

It was Sri Lanka's out of this world fielding that contributed most to make them world champions in the cowboy game. Then what went wrong to cause this sudden drop in the aspect?

We need not reiterate that - catches win matches. A mediocre bowling side could be made to look the best bowling side if the half chances are grabbed. And when this happens, it rubs on the rest of the fielders. But in Lahore it was saddening to watch some village green fielding by some of the Sri Lankans.

It is obvious that only Chaminda Vass and Muttiah Muralitheran are match winning bowlers with the ability to get the opposition out twice. If they fail the team is floating.

But wasn't it with this same attack that we won the world Cup? While the fielding let us down, the batting too failed to live up to the form shown in the game against Pakistan and so the defeat when it came in the final was no surprise.

Arjuna Ranatunga the responsible captain that he is quickly praised the South Africans for the total cricket they played. Right throughout the tour of Pakistan the South African for the total cricket they played. Right throughout the tour of Pakistan the South Africans proved that they are a force to be reckoned with in the game at all levels.

How they fought back to win the final Test against Pakistan was amazing. In the Independence Cup which was a limited-over fling, they showed that they are well equipped in every aspect and they fully deserved their success.

Under Hansie Cronje they are serving notice of ruling the game for a long time to come.

Ranatunga came in for a bit of stick for not batting first after winning the toss against the South Africans in the preliminary game. Critics reckon that had he batted, he would have given his bowlers, especially spinners Muralitheran and Dharmasena a feel of how to bowl with a wet and slippery ball.

While we admit that this was sound reasoning by the critics, Ranatunga answered his critics, by bowling Muraliltheran after only a couple of overs from the pacemen.

It proved that Ranatunga had mapped out strategy and knew what he would do in the event of having to bowl second.

In the end the 209 made by the Lankans proved inadequate to force a win.

While Muralitheran bowled economically, it was nauseating to watch him bowl no ball after no ball. In the end he bowled an extra over. No balling by spinners is unforgiveable. It would have been irritating to coach Yardley to see Muralitheran overstepping.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)