Saturday 21st May, 2011 15 Arjuna Ranatunga gets into an argument with Australian umpire Ross Emerson after he called Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing during a One-Day International in Adelaide in January 1999. Roy Dias, who was the coach of the side at that time, says that eventually what unfolded in Australia was a case against Ranatunga and not against Muralitharan. do that. “At the height of the Question: What was Arjuna like as a chucking controversy in captain on and off the field? Roy: He is a very strong character. Australia, there were Whatever decision he took, he stood by it official functions and and the players knew it too. His strong leadership qualities are one reason why Arjuna couldn’t come we won the World Cup in 1996. No one on time for those func- expected Sri Lanka to win the World Cup at that point. Talking of the World Cup tions. He was late and win, people talk of Aravinda (de Silva), he used to have a Sanath (Jayasuriya) and Kalu (Romesh Kaluwitharana) for playing a major role, quick bite and get but one guy who doesn’t get mentioned in the same breadth is Asanka Gurusinha. back because the He was the guy who stood there in the lawyers were waiting middle at number three and delivered. He’s the unsung hero of that World Cup for him. He went campaign. We had a fantastic fielding side through hell in too. In 2011, we all expected the team to win the World Cup and that put pressure Australia. Arjuna you on the boys, but there weren’t any expecta- know is a bubbly tions in 1996. The way Arjuna stood up for Murali character, but on that was amazing. After that England series, tour, you could tell we toured Australia later that year and I know what Arjuna went through when all the toll it was taking the trouble was taking place. You see, ulti- mately things turned out in such a way on him, because he that there was nothing to do with Murali, was no more that but it was Arjuna’s baby after he pointed the finger at the umpire. Murali’s issue bubbly character. ultimately became a case against Arjuna. I His face was pale must say, at that point, the then Cricket Board Chairman, Thilanga Sumathipala and he was down. stood by Arjuna as well and he got the best Sometimes till 11 or lawyers. Ultimately, we won the case. Question: How did he eventually come 12 in the night he out of that case? was in the room Roy: He (Arjuna) went through a lot of hardships. At the height of the chucking with the lawyers controversy in Australia, there were offi- cial functions and he couldn’t come on discussing things time for those functions. He was late and and those were he used to have a quick bite and get back because the lawyers were waiting for him. hard days in He went through hell in Australia. Arjuna, Australia.” you know, is a bubbly character, but on that tour, you could tell the toll it was tak- ing on him, because he was no more that bubbly character. His face was pale and he was down. It was very tough for him and I must say Ranjit Fernando as the manager backed him to the hilt. Question: Did that affect his batting? Roy: Maybe, yes. I know that Arjuna is a strong character, but definitely mentally he was down. Sometimes till 11 or 12 in the night he was in the room with lawyers discussing things and those were hard days in Australia. It wasn’t easy.Here we had come on a tour and he was sitting with lawyers and discussing the next step to be taken. The day the case was called, we had a day off and Thilanga also went with Arjuna. He called me and asked; “where are the boys?” I said that the boys were in their rooms. Then he told me that the verdict will be out in an hour’s time and wanted all the boys to come to the ground. The verdict was given at the Adelaide ground and I went to all the rooms and the boys were there. I told the boys we are leaving for the ground in 10 minutes and we got some taxis and all of us were at the ground. Arjuna was there and you could see his face. He was gone. It was so tense for us also. We were there for one hour or so. Suddenly, Thilanga came and said we have won the case and that was the time for celebrations. I must say the team stuck together. Those are fantas- tic memories you know. Question: A few months after that Australian tour, Sri Lanka had a disas- trous campaign in the 1999 World Cup in England, crashing out in the first round. What went wrong? Roy: I think all the batsmen, starting from Sanath to Aravinda to all the other batsmen, no one scored. Then we expected a lot from Murali, but he never fired. Everyone had a bad tour. It’s unbelievable. I must say that there was nothing wrong with the team or anything. Question: The previous summer in England, Sri Lanka had done exceptional- ly well to win both the tri-nation tourna- ment and the one off Test Match. You BY REX CLEMENTINE were the coach on that occasion and less (Continued from yesterday) than one year later you were taken off from the position after crashing out in the n this fifth and final interview with first round. How disappointing was it? Roy Dias in our segment ‘Lords at Roy: It was sad in the sense that just ILord’s,’ he speaks on the wonderful after one tournament, my name was taken bond the 1998 Sri Lankan team had built off. I was appointed when Thilanga was up and believes that unity helped the side Here are the excerpts: ers trying to take our places. We had to Chairman and I was taken off when an to overcome some tough moments. Dias Question: That 1998 tour of England perform. But now, maybe not even a Interim Board was there. The sad part is also says the understanding he had with was a feather in your cap, as the team won couple of guys from the Under-19 level that they should have called me and said captain Arjuna Ranatunga and Manager both the tri-nation tournament and the can walk into the national side. Earlier, “thank you, now we are looking for anoth- Ranjit Fernando helped the team to reach Test Match. Would you say that the myth when we played, we had a cabinet full er management.” I knew Dav was coming. great heights. that foreign coaches were the best that of great players who could walk into Sri Lankans knew through the papers. I He goes on to state that during Sri suited Sri Lankan cricket was broken by the side. But now, that’s where we must thought the people running cricket at that Lanka’s 1998-99 tour of Australia, after that success? focus. time should have spoken to us. Letting us Ranatunga staged a dramatic protest fol- Roy: I wouldn’t say that. We as coaches Question: In the 1998 tour of know through the papers was wrong, I lowing the no-balling of Muttiah are there to help each other. I don’t want England, Arjuna Ranatunga was the thought. Personally, I will not do that to Muralitharan by umpire Ross Emerson, to say so and so is good or bad or whatev- captain of the side with Ranjit another Sri Lankan. Look, I didn’t have a he (Ranatunga) went through quite a few er. Once you start playing at Test level, Fernando as manager. How did that bad stint in the end. I only had a bad hardships and ultimately the case wasn’t what requires is motivation. You can’t combination work? ters, but we brought in the whole group. World Cup. Overall, we had a good run. against Muralitharan, but Ranatunga. change the style at that level. You have to Roy: Arjuna respected Ranjit a lot. At this level, you don’t have to tell people Question: How did you know that Dav Dias also feels that off-the-field happen- encourage them and talk to them and give Ranjit is a thorough gent and he knew what has to be done. They know what to Whatmore was coming? ings may have had an adverse effect on them confidence. Earlier, when you asked how to work with Arjuna. He was always do. In junior teams, you may have to tell Roy: During the 1999 World Cup, before Ranatunga’s batting. me about the subject of technique, I feel there to help us and the important thing is them, but not at the top level. Even when I the last game, Dav came and told me that After a highly successful tour of the coaches should be keen about tech- that he gave Arjuna a lot of confidence. was coaching Nepal, we had meetings and he had been asked to coach the Sri Lankan England in 1998, a disastrous campaign nique, because that’s where the base is. There was a time when Aravinda was we discussed things and it’s up to the cap- side again. He said, “but I don’t know followed during the ICC Cricket World Earlier, when we played, we had a lot of taken off the vice-captaincy.Both of us tain to decide what to do.