When Dissanayake was tops and his detractors flops (30 June 1999)

30 June 1999

When Dissanayake was tops and his detractors flops

Elmo Rodrigopulle

Minister S.B. Dissanayake, who faced a team of inquisitors from the private, media in a talk show on 'Swarnavahini', the other day, came out with his head held high after a 3 1/2 hour marathon effort.

The mediamen who had ganged up to fire questions and humiliate and destroy him, were shell shocked as he directed heavy artillery fire on them, answering all their sniper fire, questions cleverely forthrightly and at the end they left the studios bedraggled and beaten as he once and for all proved his actions right and laid to rest the criticism levelled at him.

In recent times while all his detractors were plucking, stuffing and roasting him they were conveniently forgetting the good that he had done for sports, that nine times out of ten produced winners and champions.

An athlete of repute unable to stomach the vituperative criticism levelled at him from athletics to cricket, he took on the press in a talk show on 'Swarnavahini' and in and off the cuff and no punches pulled question and answer session, he hooked the bouncers, stepped out and faced the spinners and cleverly negotiated the googlies, bowled by his detractors that made them look like village green cricketers.

To Dissanayake's credit it must be said that he has done for sport what no other Minister of sports had done. From winning the World Cup at cricket to producing champion athletes who can hold their own against the best in the world, it was during his tenure that it all happened.

Dissanayake is not one who talks. He proves his ability with work. From sport to Samurdhi to youth affairs he has been on the ball.

Bubbling with enthusiasm and one who will not throw in the towel, Dissanayake has a record that will speak for itself. He is not one who will hit below the belt or hit a man when he is down.

What is admirable in Dissanayake is that the will not cringe or move away from the wicket. He is one who faces up to any bouncer.

On the 'Swarnavahini' talk show he showed that he was master and sipping water like a batsman playing a long innings would do, he finally left the wicket after a great innings played with fineses and aplomb that finally even his detractors in the audience as well as the viewers could not help but cheer.

Dissanayake has carved a niche for himself with his great work for sport that has put Sri Lanka on the world map. His record will not be easily be equalled or surpassed. Selectors in whatever sport it may be, are known to act in mysterious ways. It is no different in Sri Lanka.

If this is not so how can one explain the preferring of Naveed Nawaz as captain of the Sri Lanka 'A' team to England, and the leaving out of promising allrounders Pradeep Hewage and Sajit Fernando.

At the outset it must be told that we have nothing against Nawaz. We admit that he is one of the most promising batsmen in the cricket firmament in Sri Lanka today.

Russel Arnold has captained St. Peter's, toured South Africa with the Sri Lanka team under Arjuna Ranatunga and was the first to score a century, but was unfortunate not to play in the triangular series and Test matches there.

Arnold has played in Tests for Sri Lanka and must be finding it galling to know that someone else with lesser credentials has been given the honour of leading Sri Lanka 'A'.

Hewage has had a prolific season for NCC with the bat. What he did in South Africa while leading the country in the Youth World Cup need not be reiterated. But surprisingly finds himself not in favour with the selectors.

Then, how another allrounder of the calibre of Sajith Fernando has been left out is also mysterious.

But it is good to see the return of pacie Ravindra Pushpakumara. 'Pushy' as he is fondly called, is one with tremendous pace and movement. After the South African tour he was forgotten and his recall will do him and Sri Lanka cricket a world of good.

Dennis Lillee, the famous Aussie paceman who coached Pushapakmara at the MRF in India predicted a illustrious career for him. But surprisingly those who matter here did not see the match winning paceman in him and he was sidelined.

Any cricketer must be persisted with to show results.

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