The British sports media's witch hunt against Sri Lanka's cricketers (8 February 1999)

8 February 1999

The British sports media's witch hunt against Sri Lanka's cricketers

Ivan Corea

The British sports media's witch hunt aimed at Arjuna Ranatunga and the Sri Lankan cricket team has been denounced by sports clubs and individuals who see it as an affront to the World Champions. Certain English sports journalists have lost friends in South Asia as a result of their never ending barrage of (biased) reporting against the Sri Lankan cricketers. One businessman who has entertained these journalists in high fashion said he would never do it again, 'they will come and sup with you and your family and then go and throw egg on your face,' he said.

Some of these journalists who have been attacking Sri Lanka have even been flown in style to Sri Lanka on complimentary tickets. Although you cannot expect the media to write glowing reports about Arjuna Ranatunga and the Sri Lankan team all the time at the very least one expects fair play and justice - after all this is a game of cricket. Feeling is running high against the British sports media who have carried out this witch hunt against the World Champions.

The Times reporter, Michael Henderson who has also visited Sri Lanka during the last World Cup is being taken to the Press Complaints Commission in London, people have taken offence after reading his personal campaign against Sri Lanka's test team. They have labelled his reports in the Times 'crude and biased.'

Attitudes are hardening against these writers who have been given the 'red carpet' treatment in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and then go on to make personal attacks against the teams. Sometimes they are treated like gods at the expense of local media men. Some years ago I was taken aback when I visited a press box in Colombo to see Sri Lankan sports journalists having to stand at the back to make way for these English journalists who were given 'the best seats in the house.' Not once did the local journalists complain as they felt it it was 'not done' after all these mediamen were 'visitors to our country.' The pressmen are now repaying South Asia's hospitality in quite a different way.

They will rue the day they joined their Australian journalists who have lambasted the Sri Lankan team. In the ultimate analysis Australia and England cannot go it alone in the world of cricket and they will one day need the support of Sri Lanka and countries in South Asia on some other matter. Calls are being made for a total shake up of the ICC to reflect the changing world of cricket.

The ACB must take a share of the blame for the disastrous Carlton and United Series in Australia after all they were the hosts. Arjuna Ranatunga and the Sri Lankan team have been totally humiliated - on and off the field, the hostility they have faced on terraces and in newspapers in Australia and England has been amazing.

This hatred has been whipped up to unsettle the World Champions. Viv Richards, the prolific West Indian batsmen has written that Australia is one of the worst places to play cricket.

Clearly this was 'revenge' for being beaten in the World Cup in Lahore. Michael Henderson and other cricket writers also saw it as a tit for tat measure when Sri Lanka beat England after the Emerson episode. 'We are avenged' cried Henderson who has been constantly criticising Arjuna Ranatunga and the team. Earlier he pointed out that Sri Lanka had mud on her face.

To the Australian and English media, Arjuna Ranatunga and Muttiah Muralitharan are villains. They were booed and verbal abuse thrown at them by spectators and cricketers alike. However to Sri Lankans - they are heroes. True, things could have been better but Ranatunga was only following orders - to consult the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka immediately after Ross Emerson, the incompetent Australian umpire decided to call Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing. Ranatunga was actually supporting a member of his team in very difficult circumstances.

People have challenged Alec Stewart, the England captain whether he would have kept quite if he was in similar circumstances. Stewart, speaking to the media, slated Ranatunga stating that the Sri Lankan captain should have accepted the umpires ruling. Others have pointed out that the England team were involved in controversial incidents where the England cricketers have actually walked off the field when they have played against Australia. Ray Illingworth and the England team did so in the Ashes series in 1970-71 over incidents with Australian hooligans in the crowd. There again an incompetent Australian umpire was 'in control.' Rowan, the former test umpire who was involved in that controversy, recently criticised Ranatunga and stated he should be banned altogether from cricket.

At least Ranatunga did the 'decent thing' by apologising to the world of cricket in a statement issued to the international media.

Muralitharan is a much loved member of the team. Ranatunga stood up and defended Murali, a dedicated unassuming man who wants to play cricket and yet Australians and Englishmen persecute him at every stage, accusing him of cheating - back in England, Glen Hoddle, the English football coach is sacked for daring to allegedly suggest that people with disabilities are suffering for past sins in a previous life. But it's alright to go on persecuting a young Asian cricketer with a deformity who has taken 200 test wickets and is in the top 20 bowlers of the world. This is hypocrisy in action.

The last thing Murali would ever want to do is to deliberately cheat and to go down in history as a cheat. Countless tests, scientific research, reels of film and video footage are with the ICC who cleared him. But the media pack are after blood he will be constantly hounded because he is a match winner and some pundits cannot stomach that fact. He could turn a match in Sri Lanka's favour so it is better to get rid of him.

Alec Stewart, the England captain has come under heavy attack for acting like a thug on the field by barging and bumping into players and insulting Arjuna Ranatunga. This is disgraceful conduct, the South African umpire Van Der Merwe was selective in his punishment, Stewart was once again let off the hook and Ranatunga was given a fine and a suspended ban. Double standards in the ICC have been widely denounced and many people are calling for the Indian sub-continent to speak with one voice to make changes - for the better.

Incompetent umpires must be asked to leave - it does not matter if they are Asian, Black or White, incompetence is incompetence. If only the Australian Cricket Board had taken this into consideration before the Sri Lankan team packed their bags and left Colombo for Australia - there would have been a different atmosphere - instead they were hissed and booed, Muralitharan was persecuted by an over-stressed umpire who should have been in bed after taking extended leave from his job and we are left with bad feeling between Sri Lanka, England and Australia. It has certainly affected social relationships and even the world of business.

The anti-Sri Lanka articles generated in the British sports press has encouraged animosity and hatred against the World Champions. Ordinary English people have been challenging Sri Lankans in the UK about the whole controversy, without looking at the total picture. When they read appalling articles by reporters like Michael Henderson it appeared that England and Sri Lanka were at war.

The British and Australian pressmen have encouraged this viewpoint in their relentless desire to grab headlines. Things have to change, why should Sri Lanka have to put up with this harassment whenever they tour Australia. What will happen when the Sri Lankan team arrive in London for the World Cup. Will they have to face the same appalling treatment. Will the football type hooligans harrass the Sri Lankan team when they play their World Cup matches in the UK. This issue must be addressed.

We are living in an inter-dependent world. They may attack us now but one day they will need Sri Lanka. When Sri Lanka's tired cricketers return to Colombo they should be given a heroes welcome - Ranatunga and the entire team have had to put up with so much, they circled their wagons around Muttiah Muralitharan who was persecuted by the incompetent Ross Emerson, the biased Australian public, England's barmy army of supporters and mediamen. Sri Lanka's cricketers deserve medals. What a preparation for the World Cup. At least it will harden them for the encounters ahead.

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