Monday 7th January, 2008 15

nurturing genuine talent creates many schools of thought. All you had to do was see how went about it yesterday. Arjuna plans It proves the point that at Test level, anything can happen and it did. Michael Clarke is better known as a batsman than a display a clear bowler and taking those three to give Australia a 2-0 lead in this series leaves a bitter image of why India are failing. They have been left with a warped coaching system and bold vision Gary Kirsten, the man in charge sitting in Cape Town watching from afar while the man they senior team management with the knowledge that Bangladesh team plan to achieve. could have had, John Dyson, is forward thinking. are now in an under19 triangular Forget the 1996 World Cup working on his West Indies plan. This is where continuity series in South Africa and twice success. That is only been part of As if a reminder, one of becomes so invaluable. Without it beat the hosts but lost to India. In this journey. For some, that wind- defining the memories of last the long-term goals are all too fact, emailed results from South fall came far too soon. After all, year, popped up again on the TV often lost. When Wettimuny Africa indicates India have been Ana Punchihewa talked elo- screen last Tuesday night as an walked away from the position of quite dominant in this series. quently well into the night at the Indian channel showed 2007 high- selection convener in 2000 While the move to have Culture Club in 1995 about turn- lights. This was of Yuvraj Singh because of sports ministry inter- Aravinda coach the Under19 ing into a world power and his six sixes off beanpole ference, the longer-term aims squad should have come sooner, by the Millennium year. They Englishman Stuart Broad at were in part side tracked. he cannot be expected to perform were brave ideas and the plan Kingsmead. Now, in the early days of this miracles either. Those responsi- was to upgrade country schools Lastly, before he headed for column, in 2004, it surprise me ble for allowing the Under19 sys- with facilities as a starting point. troubled Kenya last week, the that there was no national plan tem to get into the current mud- for the game. A design, that is, dle need to be made accountable. Ashantha de Mel with demarcated caoching and And here you cannot blame the provincial structures had been manager of the squad but the t is a fusty of cliché but even respected Michael Tissera back mapped out by Aravinda and system through which the team the allegory of how a new into the system, along with was working. But when he was was selected and coached after Ibroom sweeps clean has its , can only but turfed out as vice-president of the 2006 Youth World Cup held in uses. help create the right environ- SLC by the interim committee, Colombo. Well, Yahaluweni, as long as ment. As it is, Tissera and Sidath his format went with him. The As the late Bob Woolmer once the new broom doesn't sweep old Wettimuny have played a role as result is the chaos at Under19 explained to anyone who listened debris under the carpet and part of a committee in the rede- level that have been highlighted when Plan A went wrong, it was allow it to become forgotten. That velopment of infrastructures as all too often been in these files back to Plan B that requires the is always a real danger. The the country's Test and interna- last year and drew serious sniper 'hard yards to earn success'. In International Council did tional venues. fire because of the comments. this, he is so right. All the extra that with the early warnings of All this, of course, is invalu- Ranatunga knows all too well, work in the nets and other train- the match-fixing malpractice in able window dressing as the sys- from his own experience, as does ing earned the rewards and built the 1990s and look how that blew tem works towards the 2010 reputations, not invitations to up and left rotten egg on the World Cup when Asia have their the coach's room to smoke and ICC's image. third turn. The Chesterfield Files drink because he is bereft of But , aka Ranatunga says that he plans ideas. It breaks down morale and 'Cap'n Cool' could also soon find to run the system until then. Two respect. himself ladled with a new handle years though is not a long tenure They are like the cheap politi- (not one of the broom variety when you think of the time he cians with their coterie of thugs either) in 'Cap'n Clever' as he was ; the point here is who charge in uninvited and beat negotiates the first weeks of his that two years is about the short- up those who are honest and tenure as chairman of Sri Lanka est term available to put effective hardworking and are good exam- Cricket. He became an astute structures in place to see that ples of a system that tolerates captain of the national side and they work. The planning is built mediocrity. These are the two- as such earned much interna- around such long-term develop- legged mongrels and jackasses tional respect. ment ideas. that are allowed to run amok This is a reminder that he not This is where the help of unchecked and cry 'foul' when only has a major role to play in those he trusts, and those he cornered and plead 'innocent' sorting out the weak areas of the knows, who will work for Sri when they are given a little of game in this country. He fills, for Lanka Cricket and its advance- their own in return. a while at least, the position of ment, becomes important. It is Cricket is the game for the Arjuna Ranatunga President of the Asian Cricket not a job for those with egos, to people, not the so-called elite, and Council and in March will need throw their weight around. It is a to devise (not device, which He was jack-knifed from the Emeritus Bishop of Cape Town, to attend the ICC meeting as the team game and as such the man by Trevor Chesterfield means something totally differ- system by politics and other so- Desmond Tutu, rededicated country's member of the council in charge needs to know how his ent and that a local comic had in called administrators eyeing Newlands in Cape Town to com- and other ICC roles. All of which team works to achieve lasting one of their headline blurbs), a bulging bank balances from they memorate the 200 th anniversary means there is far more on the success. his senior playing days lieu- long-term national roadmap that money that World Cup success of the game first being played in surface that the job of running In this, hopefully, he will be tenant Aravinda, and those he is outlines the future is the sort of would earn, tried to run the plan South Africa. the sport locally. able to retain some of the nation- bringing into the system, the clear thinking and environment as if it were their own. And just What better way than a Test This last named role carries a al selection panel for the term of value of quality coaching at the sport needs in this island how typical is that? Only the between West Indies, with most lot of prestige as well as work. his tenure. One of the problems school level. Far too often coach- nation. umbilical cord lacked the oxygen of the players whose roots are There is no doubt, with his play- in Sri Lanka and India is how all es value their worth on results Ranatunga has a team of gen- needed to allow it to grow and from the horrendous slave trade ing background expertise and too often selection panels are and forget the talent factor. It is a uine, well-versed and qualified the scheme was dead long before and the new South Africa. While mindful of his own pathway to changed: on the island because of universal problem and not just a people to run the structures that the Millennium arrived. the symbols of apartheid era are the top, he should add value to some sports law decree. While Sri Lankan one. But the real dan- the SLC Cricket Committee has This time the vision is back dead, there are those who still position. Also, he has Duleep the convener Asatha de Mel has ger in Sri Lanka is that talent is in mind. His plan to take to game in the forefront of the long-term hoist the old South African flag Mendis, the SLC chief executive, been in charge since 2006, it lost to the system as well as to the schools and outstations planning, but to get the coaching to celebrate. Where else but at who will fill in the background of would make sense to retain him being wasted because of poor that have been so long neglected, system right within two years rugby matches would you find what he can expect. in this position at least until the coaching management and lack spreading it beyond the confines may be asking too much unless this blasphemous statement, giv- Yet, the man at the top can next World Cup. Maybe replace of structures. of Colombo, is a blueprint that the right people are placed in ing distorted values to a discred- only be as effective as the team some of the others, but the con- While the Sri Lanka team in needs to be supported by all. It is charge of this delicate scheme. ited sport and those who run it. he has around him. The plans to vener is the man who has to deal Bangladesh didn't do too well, not a time for brickbats but Of course developing the 'hard Writer's email: bring the popular and highly with the captain, coach and the there maybe comfort perhaps in endorsement for what he and his yards' as a way of developing and lbwbambrose@gmail,com

Heat's on Chandana Moors Centenary Tennis - 2008 Sydney grade cricket may have Ranatunga plans more lost but Atapattu's former Sri Lanka team- Joshua, Arthavan, Nethmie, mate Upul Chandana, the most recent Sri Lankan player to take 10 India-Lanka Tests wickets in a Test against Australia Jayathma in finals (2004), is expected to recover from a dramatic operation to take the ’s said he was keen that the Freedom Party (SLFP), has by Revata S. Silva Amana Takaful and The PC House. field for Northern District in (SLC) newly-appointed two Asian nations play taken over as SLC chair- The Tournament Referee is Sydney next week. chairman Arjuna regular Test matches. man when the country is Four finalists in the Under-10, Avantha Suranimala (ITF White Chandana Ranatunga, on Wednesday, He said after discussing faced with retirement of came to Sydney Joshua Jayaratne, Arthavan Badge). said he is keen on increas- the matter with the cricket top cricketers and the need to play thanks Pushparaj in boys and Nethmie ing the frequency of Tests to the influence Waduge and Jayathma Other Results: board officials he will hold to find able replacements. of Hornsby Nawalagodagedara in the girls seg- against India and will take talks with the BCCI offi- “We have the potential mayor Nick ment, were found in the 10th Under-12 up the matter with the cials and put forth the to be one of the best sides Berman, who Moors (Centenary) Junior Tennis Girls: N. Waduge, Thewuni Board of Control for views of the SLC. By tak- in the world. I will be con- doubles as vice- Tournament now being held at Devarajah and Thisuri Molligoda Cricket in India (BCCI). ing over as the SLC sulting several people on president of Baybrook Place clay courts, in semi-finals “I have just taken over. Northern Chairman, Ranatunga will further improving the Colombo. District. I am going to hold a meet- also take over as the head standard of the game. In The Tournament is held in Under-14 Berman's father, Michael, who ing with the CEO of SLC of the Asian Cricket fact some former Test play- only singles in both boys and girls Girls: Dinukshi Ranasinghe is Sri Lankan, decided to cook an and other Council (ACC) at least till for age groups Under-10, 12, 14 and and Nilushi Fernando in finals ers have even expressed extra spicy curry upon officials and work out the 16. There have been a record num- Boys: Dhanushka August this year. their willingness to coach Chandana's arrival on December possibility of having regu- 20, but the heat was so intense that ber of 151 entries this year, accord- Abeywardena and Alex Fairbanks The ACC Chairman’s the youngsters free of cost the leg-spinner had to be taken to ing to the Tournament Director in semi-finals lar exchange programmes post is now being held by for the SLC,” he said. Hornsby Hospital that night. It Rex Sylvester. regarding cricket matches Sri Lanka on a rotational In a recent meeting, was then discovered that The main sponsor of the Under-16 with India,” Ranatunga basis and the outgoing Ranatunga stressed the Chandana required surgery to Tourney is Dine-More Restaurant Girls: Kemali Herath, Roshinka said. Chairman Jayantha need to introduce a nation- remove his appendix, and he was (Pvt.) Ltd. The other sponsors are: Fernando, Ajini Gunawardena He said it will be on the flown to Melbourne, where some Dharmadasa was its head. al sports policy through Ninehearts (Pvt.) Ltd., Alba and Nilukshi Fernando in semi- lines of regular cricket fix- of his family live. The former cricket cap- parliamentary regulations Classic, The Phone Co. Ltd., Union finals tures that India has with He is recovering in Melbourne tain, now a Member of immediately. but hopes to return to Sydney to Assurance, Janashakthi Boys: Yasas Dewage, Ashan Australia and Pakistan. Insurance, ABC Shipping, Ralhum Dep and Dhanushka Withana in Parliament representing — PTI play on January 12 against The 44-year-old Ranatunga the ruling Sri Lanka Sutherland. Trading and AMG Group (Dubai), semi-finals.