14 Thursday 16th July, 2009

Australian batsman Bill Woodfull faces the fierce ‘Bodyline attack’ in the 4th Ashes Test in Brisbane, 1933, as Harold Larwood bowls under instructions of controversial English the 2nd Sri Lanka vs. defeating the Aussies to Pakistan Test this week. Its tra- regain the Ashes. , Harold Jardin. (Files) ditional name Oval came to the The small Ashes urn later fore once again and international became a symbol of one of the TV coverage tried to grasp the greatest rivalries in international much cherished moments of this sport. A great story well document- oldest venue in the island ed. The MCC cricket museum at by focusing their cameras on an Lord’s still displays this Ashes urn, old set of photographs showing Sir an inspiration for generations to Don coming to bat and Mahadevan come. Sathasivam going out to toss at the Until of course ones like the Oval. Cardiff business community and Interestingly, those shots mixed for that matter the propagandists with the shots that showed some hoveing around the grand Oval in disconcerting advertisement Colombo make it to centre stage. hoardings. There was cricket amid savings accounts and Bradman, “Well done, Cornstalks! Whipt us Jayasuriya and ice cream and Fair and square Sathasivam in the midst of gar- Was it luck that tript us? “In affectionate remembrance September 2, 1882. The British in Wales said: “This is terrific for ment commercials on the ground. Was it scare? of media dubbed the next England Welsh business from a couple of When England toured Down Kangaroo land’s Demon, or our ENGLISH CRICKET, tour of Australia in 1882-83 as a different levels. For the local econ- Under the same year to regain own which died at the Oval quest to regain the Ashes! omy, for local businesses and sup- their lost stature and the symbolic Want of ‘devil’, coolness, nerve, on 29th August, 1882, When the first Ashes Test was pliers working on it as an event, ashes of what was their deceased backbone?” deeply lamented by a large circle played at Cardiff, Wales, for the the game will be very positive. And colonial cricket, their skipper Ivor of sorrowing first time after over one hundred for economic regeneration and Bligh received some actual ashes This much celebrated poem friends and acquaintances - years, there was a fear that an agi- inward investment, it is a major from a set of Melbourne girls, appeared in the British press R.I.P. tated business community in that win for Wales. For brand Wales, it including Florence Morphy who (‘Punch’) on September 9, 1882, N.B. – The body will be cremated city would grapple with the great has to be good.” - ‘Business view later became the wife of Bligh. eleven days after England suffered and the ashes taken to Australia.” traditions of this oldest Test series of the impact of the Ashes Test A 6-inch tall small terracotta a shocking loss, under Ivor Bligh, The celebrated mock obitu- in a bid to exploit its prestigious in Wales’ by Aled Blake, urn, which is believed to contain for the first time against one of its ary of English cricket written by historical value. ‘Western Mail,’ Jul 8, 2009 the Ashes of a burnt cricket bail, colonies, Australia, in a cricket Reginald Brooks appeared in Robert Lloyd Griffiths, execu- A similar effort was evident was a gift received by Bligh, who Test, to trigger a massive public ‘The Sporting Times’ on tive director, Institute of Directors when the P. Sara Stadium hosted later became Lord Darnley, for commotion.

Schiavone U - 19 Basketball tourney kicks off reaches Ponting wants to focus on Lord’s quarterfinals in Prague Test, not ‘gloves incident’ PRAGUE (AP) - Top- seeded Francesca by Ricky Ponting, playing in the spirit of the Test without picking up any Schiavone routed game. injuries, and we should be in Polona Hercog of Australia cricket captain I can’t really understand good shape for Thursday’s Slovenia 6-2, 6-2 on what he is talking about there, game. It was important that we Wednesday to advance I have been a bit because I have never been in left Cardiff behind as quickly as to the quarterfinals of blown away by all trouble with the umpires on possible – at least as far as the the Prague Open. the fuss over my that score, but I don’t want to result is concerned – but there The 30th-ranked give Fletcher too much atten- were plenty of positives to take Schiavone, who comments on tion. He is a very irrelevant per- out of our performance. The reached the quarterfi- England’s physio son in my life and probably in batting unit was terrific and I nals at Wimbledon last and 12th man in the cricket world at the think Nathan Hauritz really month, will next face moment. Everyone has got his stood up in that match and Germany’s Kristina Cardiff. or her opinion and if I listened showed a lot of people that he Barrois or Kateryna to them all I would never get to can play. From L-R A media briefing was held regarding the U-19 Schools Basketball tournament, sleep. The tricky thing for me the which commenced yesterday, involving 43 teams. Those present at the briefing were; T. Bondarenko of As I tried to explain that The Australian cricket team other night was that I was Srimanie Widhana, Rev. Bro. Joseph Jayakanthan, Secretary, SLSBA, Senani Hewage, Ukraine. night, I was disappointed when Fourth-seeded Carla seems to be a soft target when it dragged out of the dressing President, SLSBA, Lal Indrakumara, Vice President, SLSBA and W. A. K. Sepalika, they came back out on to the comes to behaviour issues. room so quickly to speak to the Suarez Navarro of field for a second time, but it Tournament Secretary. (Pic by Nishan S. Priyantha) Spain also advanced Some people talk as if we are media that I didn’t get a great had no bearing on the game. always sledging or losing our chance to spend a lot of time to after defeating Barbora Now it seems as if we’re all talk- Zahlavova Strycova of rag. But in recent years our soak up the feeling around the ing about that one little inci- record of players being report- group. Tuesday morning was Under-19 Inter-school Basketball League Tournament the Czech Republic 6-1, dent, when we’ve just witnessed 6-4. ed or stepping over the line in the first chance I had with one of the great climaxes to a international cricket has proba- everyone together to talk them Later Wednesday, sec- Test match. bly been as good as anyone’s. In through how I felt and the Lyceum in flying start ond-seeded Sybille It’s all done and dusted, it this case, the whole debate is things we need to address for Bammer of Austria was over within a couple of part of the hype and hysteria this next game. The challenge of Both Romesh Senanayake (28) and The Nugegoda lads were ahead 47-12 faced Alla minutes, and the players have that goes with an Ashes series. international cricket is to keep Angelo Jayasuriya (15) shared 43 points at the end of the first half. Kudryavtseva of all moved on. A lot of people In most cases, I think these inci- on coming back and perform- between them to guide Lyceum Meanwhile at the same venue, Wesley Russia and seventh- have had their say on the issue dents are made out to be much ing, not just in one match but International School, Nugegoda to a 86-45 College, Colombo defeated Ananda seeded Lucie Hradecka since then, including former bigger than they actually are. time after time after time. win over Mahanama College, Colombo in College, Colombo by 46 points to 32. of the Czech Republic England coach Duncan To return to cricket matters, (C) The Telegraph Group, an Under-19 Inter-school Basketball The tournament which began on took on Karolina Fletcher, who accused me of not we have come out of the first London, 2009 League Tournament Group-A match Wednesday will conclude with the finals Sprem of Croatia. played at Otters yesterday. scheduled for the end of August. A fantastic Test debut it was for de Mel by M. A. Cyril missed off the of de Mel. thunder in the first Test at Lord’s played in 17 youngsters saying that we are appointed as Chairman of the As no such comment was made in 1984. However, with injuries to Tests taking 59 . In 57 ODIs, going to groom them, but they are National Selection Committee. by the Sri Lankan captain when the three main bowlers, Ashantha he captured 59 wickets, his best never given a chance to play on the However, controversy continued to (Continued from yesterday) handed (sic) the bowling figures at de Mel, D. S. de Silva and Vinodhan performance being 5 for 32 against tour. They come back and by the dominate due to most of the hen Sri Lanka played New the end of the New Zealand John, Sri Lanka were in a New Zealand in the 1983 World next tour they are left out.” actions de Mel took and in May Zealand at Bristol on 13 innings, and as both scorers were quandary. However, they bowled Cup. As a lower order batsman, he Commenting on the criticism 2007, called for WJune, 1983, it was de Mel adamant that they had identified their hearts out to give Sri Lanka a was capable of making valuable made by de Mel, Charlie Austin his dismissal, following a dis- who dismissed skipper Howarth the bowler correctly, the original first innings lead of 121. De Mel contributions with his aggressive wrote (Cricinfo): agreement between the board and for 76. But the scorers credited the version is believed to be correct.” and John captured four wickets style. “Sri Lanka’s selectors are tra- de Mel over comments he had to . It is sad because officials, how- each. De Mel’s contribution to Sri ditionally a secretive breed, all too made about the three match Abu When skipper ever eminent they maybe, when Ashantha de Mel was a mem- Lanka’s sports has not been con- often afraid to make public com- Dhabi series against Pakistan. signed the scorecard, he had not presented with facts and figures, ber of the team which beat India fined to cricket. He represented Sri ment and reluctant to explain their More controversy was to follow observed the mistake. At the end of should investigate to ascertain the for Sri Lanka to record its first Lanka at Bridge, including an decision making. Thus, the cur- after Marvan Atapattu was left out the day, when you are so tired, one truth. The scorers maybe two ever Test win. Sri Lanka were appearance at the Commonwealth rent chairman’s astonishing of the ODI series in Abu Dhabi. De cannot expect a losing captain to Englishmen who will hardly be deprived of victory in the first Test Games. He still continues playing broadside at the team manage- Mel would have got the biggest go through a scorecard so carefully able to differentiate the identity of played at the SSC due to rain. De Bridge. “My father’s sister Manel ment, during which he labelled shock of his life when Atapattu to check the number of wickets two Sri Lankan bowlers who were Mel played a prominent role in this Trepte is a Bridge teacher. She senior players ‘selfish’, was as decided to vent his anger in a sud- that the bowlers had taken. yet unknown to the cricket world. match by capturing five wickets in taught me the basics and the finer remarkable as it is deeply worry- den outburst at a media conference Later, when the mistake was Is it correct to accept their word the first innings to bowl out India points of the game,” said de Mel. ing. Asantha de Mel’s attack came in Brisbane. discovered, the Manager of the Sri and refuse to believe the word of a for 218. After his premature retire- out of the blue and will have left The former captain of Sri Lanka Lanka team wrote to the secretary senior administrator from the In the historic second Test ment, de Mel continued to main- the players, quite understandably, did not mince words as he lashed out of the TCCB pointing out the error. Cricket Board of another country? played at the Saravanamuttu tain his association with Sri Lanka fuming.” at the national selectors and particu- The ‘Wisden Almanack’ of 1984 After all, what should be published Stadium, de Mel was able to pro- cricket. He served on the interim Later, in a surprise move, de larly,the chairman (de Mel). has credited de Mel with the wick- in a book which is accepted as con- vide the early breakthrough in committee of the Cricket Board for Mel was sacked from the selection Even after the Interim et, but Bill Frindall, the eminent taining the gospel truth is the both innings. He finished with a sometime and was appointed a panel by the then Minister of Committee headed by Arjuna English statistician, in his ‘Wisden truth and not facts which have match bag of five wickets. National Selector. Sports. De Mel lashed out at two of Ranatunga was dissolved on the Book of One-day International been challenged. After the 1987 World Cup, de In 2004, de Mel was appointed his fellow selectors, claiming that orders of the Minister of Sports, de Cricket - 1971-1985’ has credited It was during this tournament Mels promising career was cut Chairman of a new, bloated seven- they were serving “vested inter- Mel continues to function as the Rumesh Ratnayake with the wick- that de Mel lost his father. His short by a serious knee injury man selection panel. His tenure as ests” and “promoting their own Chairman of Selectors. To the credit et but has added a note which says: mother kept the sad news from (Runner’s foot). He was just 27. the Chairman of Selectors has agendas.” of Ashantha de Mel, it has to be said “Five weeks after this match reaching Ashantha, as she knew “Total recovery after surgery been a tale of controversy. Once, In May, 2006, one year after he that he has always been outspoken was played, T. Murugaser, manag- that he would cut short his cricket would have taken about three during a tour of Pakistan, de Mel was sacked from the Selection and is always prepared to explain er of the Sri Lanka team, wrote to and rush back. years. So I decided to call it a day,” launched a surprise attack on the Committee of which he was chair- his actions. the Secretary of the TCCB Sri Lanka’s batsmen stole the says de Mel. team management. “We send the man, de Mel was once again (Concluded) announcing that Howarth was dis-