Thursday 17th February 2011 15 ‘When victory was imminent, Richie Benaud came up to me and offered to do my stint so that I could go down to the dressing room to be with the lads. All hell broke loose and Sri Lanka would have erupted when skipper Ranatunga scored the winning runs. The World Cup was ours. There was no question of ‘I did it or he did it’ ‘We Sri Lankans had done it together’ was the theme.’ In 1964 when Polonowita and I were appointed national the final in Lahore? Michael Tissera’s cricket coaches, of course on honorary team toured India I capacities. I had the great pleasure of Ranjit Fernando: I tell you there is was the youngest mem- working with the Under-19 teams in the nothing more emotional than to see inter- ber in the squad. When early 80s and toured Australia and national sportsmen stand to attention we beat India led by England with them. Among them were with clenched fists against their hearts, Nawab of Pataudi Aravinda, Roshan Mahanama, tears rolling down their cheeks and sing and returned to Gurusinghe, Hashan, Hathurusinghe, their national anthems with such great Sri Lanka we Jurampathy,Gamini Wickremasinghe, fervour and pride before a packed stand of thought there may Don Anurasiri and Marlon von Hagt. countrymen in a World Cup final. I, for be a welcome of That was a very good side. years dreamt in vain of the day when we some sort. Believe Sri Lankans would savour such an experi- it or not, all we got was a thor- ough search of all our bags and duty imposed on a few sarees and a tin or two of Nescafe each play- er bought for our mothers and wives from the measly fee of Rs 15/- per day we received. Things have changed dra- matically today from 1964. Ranjit Fernando in conversation with Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya. The 1996 World Cup winning team credit Fernando for helping them to reach fielding excellence. rein- troduced. He had had a few no ball prob- lems in the first game and received some (Continued from yesterday) stick from the press. It was reported that some of the press had faced his wrath, when he was being scrutinised by a num- BY REX CLEMENTINE ber of TV cameras focused on his bowling n the second and final part of an inter- at the nets before the game. He looked an view, Ranjit Fernando tells us some of angry man and Wettimuny and Mendis Ithe untold stories during the inaugu- bore the full brunt of it. It was ral cricket World Cup from why David Sunil who first got hammered Heyn was left out from the game against on the foot and when he was Australia at The Oval to the team getting hobbling about in pain, the calculations wrong by giving Tony Thommo threw down the Opatha, Sri Lanka’s best bowler in stumps and appealed for a Part 43 English conditions according to run out. He was jeered by Fernando, only nine of his allotted 12 the crowd, which made him overs. even angrier. The way Duleep collapsed was frightening and when He also speaks on working hard with Question: Guys like Aravinda de ence. When Arjuna and his team stood the Australians rushed around him we the national teams in his capacity as a Silva and Hashan Tilakaratne credit before a full house and hundreds of mil- all thought coach to improve fielding levels and you for the improved standards of lions of television viewers the world over Richie Benaud offering him to do his fielding within the team. What made and rendered the beautiful ‘Namo Namo commentary stint as victory approached you to motivate the players to aim for Matha’ it was a dream come true for in the 1996 World Cup. excellence on the field? every Sri Lankan, who was part of that glorious memorable moment Here are the excerpts: Ranjit Fernando: When I saw the team being annihilated at the 1987 World I remember it was a small television Question: So after all the prepara- Cup, it broke my heart to see the commentary box and it was cramped tions, you got thrashed by West Indies appalling standards of fielding we dis- with some of the greatest legends of the in the first game of the tournament, played. After seeing the debacle on televi- game. Imran, Ian Chappell, Tony Greig, but did extremely well against sion, I went over to the NCC where the Gavaskar, Shastri, Richie Benaud, Australia in London in the second left over players were training and spoke Holding, Boycott and there was Mick game. What are your memories of to them about my dream of Sri Lanka Jagger. Mark Mascarenhas the President that match? being the best fielding team in the world. I of Worldtel and I were probably the only said that I saw that they had the potential mortals. I stood in front of the box and Ranjit Fernando: We got back to to get there and if they were prepared to joined loudly in the singing not allowing London for that game. In Manchester it work that I was prepared to take them to my misty eyes and the lump in my throat was bitterly cold and we got a real drub- that goal. That was the beginning. Things to deny me of the wonderful sensation. bing. Australia under Ian Chappell was a weren’t difficult as a number of the bril- very formidable side and had all the liant Under-19 cricketers were already in Question: What was the feeling ammunition to match the might of the the squad. Things just started getting like towards the closing stages of the West Indians. David Heyn, who returned better and better with a complete change game? to the team hotel, not too late after curfew Question: in the culture. I managed the Sri Lankan You were left out from the 1979 World team to the 1992 World Cup in Australia Ranjit Fernando: Towards the end, time, the night before was left out from that some- Cup squad. Why? and New Zealand, where we beat every run was cheered with great gusto the eleven. Discipline you know was thing very serious had happened. He Pakistan who went on to win the tourna- and with intense patriotism in the stands always a top priority in our cricket, was immediately rushed to hospital but Ranjit Fernando: It was a huge dis- ment in a practice game. We also beat as Arjuna and Aravinda clawed their way where personalities and reputations of was back with us the next day. appointment in my cricket. I was vice- South Africa, and a fully fledged towards the target. I saw before me every players did not matter at all. Thank God Thompson’s figures that day were phe- captain to Anura and was the established Zimbabwe side. All this by some brilliant Sri Lankan in every nook and corner of for that. I believe that is why our cricket nomenal, 1 for 22 in 12 overs. We ended up wicketkeeper in the team, having very fielding and if our spearhead Rumesh the world irrespective of cast, creed or standards are what it is today? Australia with 276 for 4. Michael (Tissera) also good performances with the bat too. In Ratnayake had not dislocated his shoul- race, doing the same. When victory was piled up a massive score and the best made a stylish 52 while Anura my last International, I had made 49 and der before the competition I am convinced imminent, Richie Benaud came up to me bowlers in our squad were our spinners (Tennekoon) got 48. Believe me, our con- Ajit (de silva), D.S. (de Silva) and Kalu was run out in the last ball of the day.Roy that things would have been much differ- and offered to do my stint so that I could sistency and determination frustrated the go down to the dressing room to be with (Lalith Kaluperuma), but June was not and I added 60 odd partnership and took ent. Australians and we gained huge admira- the lads. All hell broke loose and Sri the ideal month for spinners in England. Sri Lanka to a draw against the West tion from all quarters, and plenty of sym- Lanka would have erupted when skipper While all three bowled very economically, Indies, who had Malcolm Marshall and Question: Was the support of the pathy.It was a very proud moment as we Ranatunga scored the winning runs. The Sylvester Clarke. It was at this time that I players spontaneous to raise stan- taking wickets proved to be tough. had arrived on the centre stage and World Cup was ours. There was no ques- felt that there was pressure brought about dards in fielding? Unfortunately something must have gone earned our respect. tion of ‘I did it or he did it’ ‘We Sri and interference creeping into the selec- wrong with our captain Anura’s Lankans had done it together’ was the tion of the team with heavy lobbying Ranjit Fernando: Arjuna Ranatunga (Tennekoon) calculations that day and Question: Despite the result, you theme. I remember the champagne was from interested parties with muscle. saw the real value in this change of cul- our ideal bowler in those conditions, must have thoroughly enjoyed that produced by my good friends Ana Michael Tissera and I were the casualties. ture and backed the plan to the hilt. The Tony Opatha bowled only nine of his performance.