Monday 14th September, 2009

!Comment Focus on toss as India and Where have all spectators gone? battle for Compaq Cup by Rex Clementine by Rex Clementine both instances. They will be happy If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, is a famous English The undue advantage of the toss that opener Sanath Jayasuriya idiom, but no effort seems to be good enough to make of the coin which has provided returned to form with a swashbuck- the officials of Sri Lanka (SLC) realize this. teams in recent encounters at the R. ling 98 and some of their middle These days you are made to wonder what makes spec- Premadasa Stadium has made it the order batsmen clicked at the right tators keepaway from attending matches. SLC in focus, leading up to the final of the time. While Thilan Samaraweera their attempts to find a suitable answer, have beaten Compaq Cup tri-nation series where made a century in the curtain-raiser around the bush, but have failed to identify what Sri Lanka will take on India today against New Zealand, Thilina exactly keeps the spectators away from games. under lights. under lights at Kandamby hit an entertaining The two Twenty-20s against New Zealand were the R. Premadasa Stadium has been unbeaten 91 as Sri Lanka posted a played in near empty stadia while very few were that much difficult in recent times mammoth 307 for six in the second interested in the first two ODIs of the Compaq that captains winning the toss have ODI against India. Series. opted to bat first without any hesita- Sri Lanka last won here chasing Until Saturday, it was said that New Zealand tion and have gone on to win. two years ago and since then have weren’t big crowd pullers and SLC promised that the Of the last 12 ODIs played here, played 14 games, winning six (bat- stands will be filled to capacity when India play. 11 have been won by the side that has ting first), while they have lost all But alas, only half the stadium was full when Sri batted first. eight games while chasing. With the Lanka played hosts to India on Saturday. Indian Mahendra Singh middle order batsmen showing It’s such a pathetic sight. Cricket is the number Dhoni, after losing the final group application and big guns Mahela one sport in the country and the Indians have attract- game to Sri Lanka by a massive 139 Jayawardene and Kumar ed crowds all over the world. So what keeps specta- runs admitted that the toss played a Sangakkara yet to fire, they could go tors away from the R. Premadasa Stadium? massive role in day-night games on to reverse the trend with the firm Our answer is SLC’s clumsy security arrange- here. “It’s a bit of a worry, but you belief that targets can be chased suc- ments. The hardships spectators are made to go can’t control it,” Dhoni told cessfully with application. through in the pretext of security are close to harass- reporters. , recover- ment and going to the R. Premadasa to witness a “Of course once you win the toss, ing from a groin injury, didn’t fea- cricket match has become a nightmare these days. the match shifts 60 percent or so in ture in the first two group games Here are some of the hassles that SLC has made your favour. After that you have to while Thilan Samaraweera was rest- spectators go through. Every spectator who comes score 250 or so and then you are sure ed for the last game due to a ham- into the ground is body checked at least twice and if of winning about 80 percent, unless string strain. The hosts would not you are not holding a valid car pass, you’ll be made someone like Sanath Jayasuriya or risk the two players unless they are to walk nearly one kilometer before entering the Tillekeratne Dilshan or Yuvraj hundred percent fit with the ground. Singh has a big game,” the Indian Champions Trophy in Security has received unimaginable importance captain added. Sri Lanka cricket captain checks his bat during a practice session just a few days away. these days and you certainly laugh out when you ahead of the Compaq Cup final against India today, at the R. Premadasa Stadium. (AP) India, meanwhile, are likely to realize that even during the height of the terrorist ised to put up a spirited play an unchanged side. activities it wasn’t the case. effort. Sri Lanka: (Probable XI): SLC has hired Retired Major General Lawrence “The toss does play a Tillekeratne Dilshan, Sanath Fernando, as its Security Consultant. Fernando has role, but then what are you Jayasuriya, , been allocated a gigantic security budget for the going to do? Are you going Kumar Sangakkara (Capt), Thilan cricket series that started with the arrival of to think about the toss and Samaraweera or Chamara . The amount allocated for security for a not think about how you Kapugedara, Thilina Kandamby, period of three months is so huge that it’s sufficient are going to win the game?” , Thilan Thushara, to pay Sri Lanka’s foreign coach for the entire year. Kumar Sangakkara won- , Muttiah Fernando has been telling us that he should leave dered. “We’ve got to get the Muralitharan or no room for whatever remnants of the LTTE to sabo- attitude right. We know and . tage cricket activities. He has spoken of the 2011 what the reality is and we India: (Probable XI): Dinesh World Cup being in danger if anything happens. need to fight harder and Karthik, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Had Fernando shown this prudence sometime harder to try and change Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, M.S. Dhoni, back during the height of war, the LTTE wouldn’t ond in recent times, the Sri Lankans the trend,” he added. Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, have overrun the Mulativu army camp killing as After being at the receiving end have worked extremely hard on Sri Lanka won both group games Harbhajan Singh, R.P. Singh, Ishant many as 1400 soldiers. For the record, Fernando was of losing several games batting sec- chasing under lights here and prom- by huge margins, batting first in Sharma and Ashish Nehra. the Brigade Commander when disaster struck Mulativu in 1996. It’s also worth mentioning here that the so called Under-15 Division I semi final All Island Schools BB ‘excellent security measures’ put up by Lawrence Fernando are far from perfect. We have seen Lyceum fight back to take on Sebs in final instances where spectators arriving in vehicles not Royal book final berth by Roshen Steelman being body checked even once. There are definite holes in security plans. after close affair Lyceum International Fernando is not the only one to be blamed for the School, Nugegoda staged low turn out of spectators. The Tour Organizing by Reemus Fernando Poorna Aluthge shared seven a remarkable recovery Committee (TOC) appointed by the Interim between them to keep the pressure on after being outplayed for Committee should take a fair share of the blame too. Royal College edged out Wesley Wesley, who, after restricting Royal to 175 37 minutes in a 40 minute Their decision to not to sell tickets during match College by six runs in the Inter School runs, couldn’t get off to a winning mood. game to record a 70-63 days at the venue showed lack of experience. By Under-15 Division I semi final match Deciding to bat first, Thaveesha win over St. Micheal’s restricting the sale of tickets on match days to the which went to the wire at the CCC Sanjeedaga top scored with 43 runs for College, Batticaloa in the posh board premises, the TOC showed it was insensi- Grounds yesterday. Royal to reach their eventual total as the semi-final of the Under- tive towards the common man. To expect the folks Chasing 176 to win, Wesley lost seven other batsmen failed to top 20 runs. 19 All Island Schools close to the R. Premadasa Stadium to go all the way wickets for 138 runs with four overs Sanjeedaga hit three fours and a six in National Basketball tour- to Maitland Place to buy tickets is simply ridiculous. remaining in the game when their formi- his knock that came in 73 deliveries. nament played off at It also showed a lack of touch with reality. dable batsman Ashail Kariyawasam who The match was played as a 48 overs a Darley Road, yesterday. Rochana Jayawardene, the man who runs the show was batting with an injury threatened to side affair due to wet ground conditions. St. Micheal’s started must be thinking that cricket is still a luxury that take the game away. Royal College will meet St. Peter’s well and were ahead 37-29 belongs to Royalists like himself and his Thomian Kariyawasam, bating late down the College in the final to be played at CCC at the half way mark and CEOs. order hit 19 runs in 10 balls and was out on Thursday. provided virtually no It came as some consolation when SLC announced caught by Gaurav Deva off the bowling Scores: room for the opposition on Saturday that it was opening up more outlets of spinner Poona Aluthge. Then a direct Royal 175 all out in 46.3 overs (Imal to counter attack. They ahead of the final to attract more people. And guess hit by Aluthge himself broke a threaten- Liyanage 16, Ronaka Ahangama 19, were 13 points ahead at Rumesh Senanayake of Lyceum International the locations they chose, Cinnamon Grand and Taj ing between Rahul de Silva Thaveesha Sanjeedaga 43, Gihan Kalhara one stage, but Lyceum who top scored with 40 points attempts a basket Samudra. If one Ranatunga made every effort to take and Sharika Edirideera as he ran out 16, Athif Nazeer 16; Basith Musammil fought back to secure while N. Thananjayan of St. Micheal’s attempts to the sport to grass root levels, another Ranatunga Rahul de Silva to leave Wesley requiring 3/27, Rahul de Silva 3/17, Shail their final spot against defend during the semi-final match of the U-19 All seems to be taking it in the opposite direction. 12 runs in nine balls with one in Kariyawasam 2/31) St. Sebastian’s College, Island Schools National Basketball Tournament With this kind of thoughtless approaches and hand. Edirideera reduced the gap to Wesley 169 all out in 47.3 overs Moratuwa, which will played, yesterday. (Pic by Kamal Wanniarchchi) men such as Fernando and Jayawardene calling the seven runs in six balls. But Gaurav Deva (Sachin Wickramasinghe 23, Migara get underway this afternoon at for St. Micheal’s, scoring 28 shots, it’s not a surprise that there’s hardly any inter- called to bowl the last over after an Wickramsinghe 16, Basith Musammil 19, the St. Benedict’s College points. est among spectators these days. unsuccessful first spell, struck in his Tharindu Karunarathne 27, Sachin courts, Kotahena. Meanwhile, in the other During Test Matches, SLC had competitions to third ball as he clean bowled Edirideera Jayawardena 21, Ashail Kariyawasam 19; Rumesh Senanayake led the semi-final played between St. attract more spectators, but during the ODIs they to book the final berth for Royal. Prabath de Silva 3/34, Devin Lyceum recovery netting 40 Benedict’s College and the St. have done every bit to chase away spectators and Earlier, skipper Prabath de Silva and Pathmanathan 2/38, Poorna Aluthge points. Sebastian’s, the Sebs won by 82 more importantly, the common man. spinners Devin Pathmanathan and 2/31). I. Venito played a lone hand points to 72.

Published by Upali Newspapers (Private) Limited, 223, Bloemendhal Road, 13 and Printed at 195/187, High Level Road, Homagama on Monday 14th September, 2009