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Friday 10th June, 2011 Doyen of Cricket Writers CMJ speaks on cricket writing four decades ago and now Sri Lanka’s warm-up game against Essex today REX CLEMENTINE selectors to join Rangana MCC President tells why REPORTING FROM LONDON Herath for the last Test. Essex play in Division Sri Lanka’s three day Two of the County warm-up game against Championship and are led Essex begins today by wicketkeeper batsman Sangakkara was chosen (Friday)at the County James Foster. Other promi- Ground in Chelmsford. Sri nent members of the Essex Lanka will rest five players side are Alastiar Cook, Ravi who played the second Test Bopara and Owais Shah. The against England at Lord’s county’s overseas players earlier this week providing are Dutchman Ryan ten for Lord’s Speech Doeschate and South other members of the squad an opportunity ahead of the African Lonwabo Tsotsobe. Weather interruptions REX CLEMENTINE REPORTING third Test Match against are expected throughout the FROM LONDON England at Rose Bowl next ‘Having been a prominent crick- week. three days of the warm up World renowned cricket broadcaster and While captain game. doyen of cricket writers Christopher Martin- et writer for four decades, what Tillakaratne Dilshan has Sri Lanka: Tharanga Jenkins added another feather to his cap when advice would he give the been ruled out after sustain- Paranavithana, Lahiru he was appointed as the President of the presti- ing a hairline fracture on his Thirimanna, Kumar gious Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the body younger generation? “It’s a very right thumb, fast bowlers Sangakkara (Captain), that’s responsible for cricket’s laws and owns the Suranga Lakmal and Dinesh Chandimal, Thilan historic Lord’s Cricket Ground, last year. difficult profession to get into Chanaka Welagedara will be Samaraweera, Prasanna CMJ, as he’s fondly known, has a colourful because there are lots of people rested from the game along Jayawardene, Farveez history as a cricket writer and broadcaster hav- with left-arm spinner Maharoof, Thisara Perera, ing covered cricket in all parts of the world. He who would love to do it. But, I Rangana Herath. Former Suraj Randiv, Ajantha has not missed an Ashes series since 1972 and would say if you write well and if captain Mahela Jayawardene Mendis and Dilhara possibly is the only journalist to have covered all will also take a break, team Fernando. ten Cricket World Cups. you are passionately interested sources told ‘The Island’. Essex: (From) James The son of a Northamptonshire business- Kumar Sangakkara will Foster (Captain), Ravi man, he graduated at Cambridge and did his in the game it will come one day. lead the side in the absence Bopara, Maurice Chambers, first cricket writing for The Cricketer Magazine Michael Comber, Alastair before moving to the BBC, then to The Daily Keep trying and the door will of Dilshan with the warm- up game providing several Cook, Billy Godleman, David Telegraph and finally to London Times. open somewhere if you really Masters, Jaik Mickleburgh, “It’s the passion for the game and a determi- young players an opportuni- and badly enough want it.” ty to shine. Graham Napier, Max nation to write, if I possibly could, that brought Osborne, Mark Pettini, Tim me into cricket writing,” CMJ told The Island. Sri Lanka are likely to Phillips, Owais Shah, Ryan “I got a lucky break. I took some catches at play two spinners for the ten Doeschate, Lonwabo short leg off an off-spinner called Jack Davis, the agenda I think.” third Test at Rose Bowl and who once got Bradman out for naught. He played After television, the invention of internet both Suraj Randiv and Tsotsobe, Matt Walker, Tom for Cambridge. While I was an undergraduate at meant that reporting on sports changed com- Ajantha Mendis will have an Westley, Adam Wheater and pletely as publications provided almost equal Chris Wright. Cambridge, I got talking to him about how am I Doyen of cricket writers Christopher Martin- opportunity to impress the getting into this profession. He then spoke to importance to their website as much as what Jenkins receives his MBE from Prince Charles comes on print. As a result the role of a cricket E.W. Swanton, who mentioned that there might in 2009. He’s currently the President of MCC be a job coming up at the Cricketer Magazine. writer changed too. “News has come very and was responsible for inviting Kumar Eventually I applied and got that job. That’s soon instantly than it was ever before. Earlier, If you after I finished my university,” CMJ further said Sangakkara to deliver the Lord Cowdrey try to read a morning paper, the summery of the Sri Lanka can cope without talking about his early days. Lecture on Spirit of Cricket at Lord’s on July day’s play, you’ve got to be aware that your read- Ernest William (Jim) Swanton, who died 11 4th. ers might not have known anything that had years ago, was a Cricket Commentator at BBC’s gone on. But nowadays, they are very likely to sible. MCC still sends about four tours a year to know everything that had gone on. So you’ve got Dilshan, says Murali Test Match Special for 30 years and worked for funny place like Chile and Hong Kong. There has to approach it in a very different angle.” The Daily Telegraph as well. Neville Cardus was been a tour to Greece at the moment. But I think Former Sri Lanka spin the World Cup. another distinguished cricket writer before him The gradual change of the nature of job people were slow to recognize just how solidly meant that the atmosphere at the Press Box too ace Muttiah Muralitharan is That leaves the uncapped and CMJ would have certainly read a lot of their based cricket has been for many many years in confident that there is pair of 21-year-olds, Lahiru writing. Did he have any role models in the early changed as journalists needed to update the hap- Sri Lanka.” penings instantly for their publications’ inter- enough leadership and talent Thirimanne and Dinesh days? “No role models as such. But I really read Does he have in the Sri Lankan camp for Chandimal as the candidates a lot,” he said. net version. “From the professional writers’ any favourite Sri point of view, internet has taken the fun out a them to hit back in the third to replace Dilshan at the top “I probably Lankan crick- Test against England, despite of the Sri Lankan order. didn’t read as bit. You are never off duty. There’s always a eter? “Oh, that’s responsibility to inform the people all the time. the absence of skipper “The other players can much as I a tough one. Tillakaratne Dilshan, ‘crick- take a chance,” added should have I don’t think press box is much fun as it used to That’s very diffi- be. There’s no time to talk because everyone is et365.com’ reported on its Muralitharan. done on crick- cult to answer. website, Wednesday. “It gives another opener et. Soon after I looking at their computers. Those days we used But I suppose to be much more relaxed and had much more Sri Lanka fought back an opportunity so they can joined The Murali has been and held out for a draw in the grab it - that is the way to Cricketer, I time for talking and joking. That’s a shame we the biggest match don’t have it today. But I guess that’s how life is second Test at Lord’s and look at it. used to read winner. But of head to the Rose Bowl in “We have played well. We Swanton these days.” the batsmen very At the age of 67, CMJ has now ceased to be Southampton with their just had one collapse, which among others hard to differenti- hopes of levelling the three- meant they lost first Test, but obviously. He the Chief Cricket Correspondent of London ate between Times. Former England captain Michael match series still very much otherwise, they have been gave me a Aravinda and the alive. They are likely, howev- doing pretty well. copy of an Atherton has succeeded him. CMJ still writes two current the occasional piece for the paper but has been er, to be without Dilshan Anthology of heavyweights; after he suffered a hairline “Of course, you do miss Roberts and involved in BBC’s Test Match Special. Having Jayawardene and been a prominent cricket writer for four fracture to his thumb during senior players a bit. But you Glasgow’s writing on cricket. That was a very a Sangakkara. They are all genuinely great play- his heroic knock of 193 at cannot say that without good example of writing.” decades, what advice would he give the younger ers, but Murali is one of the great geniuses of generation? “It’s a very difficult profession to Lord’s. Dilshan Sri Lanka will lose a Over the years, CMJ also has been a great cricket.” Muralitharan - presently match. There will be other admirer of Sri Lankan cricket. “I do indeed. get into because there are lots of people who CMJ reveals that for him the toughest chal- would love to do it. But, I would say if you write playing for Gloucestershire players who can replace That doesn’t mean that I don’t try to see as objec- lenge in covering cricket was coming to terms in the FriendsLife T20 com- him.” tively as I can.

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