Monday 6thNovember, 2006 11 Bye, bye Hair your crew cut is trimmed Thursday afternoon about Hair's early elimination, and he wasn't future being dodgy as a Test and going into a routine that others limited overs , the source love to employ and that is point fin- had a good idea of what the ICC gers. Board would decide. He should If losing to Pakistan is bad know as he was once in a fractious enough, Jayawardene's run out Test involving the same umpire was the moment against South some years ago. This was well Africa when it all went wrong – it before the neutral panel of happens. Tomorrow will dawn and umpires became a permanent part it could lead to a better future. of the system. Interestingly, the Don't quibble too much. Lessons Australians, despite the success of have been learnt in the series. the impartial panel used for Yet to get the ICC limited overs CWC92, didn't like the idea at all. team captaincy ahead of Ricky Hair, though, as with a cabinet Ponting and Andrew Flintoff minister who continually make would give him a special feeling of errors, damage control can stretch achievement and the realisation only so far. He makes the system that generally he has done a great look ill at ease with itself and job in difficult circumstances. It is uncertain how to curb the habits of still the view of this writer that the a lifetime. Maybe he should be team he leads is a year ahead of its reminded of Law 43 the unwritten time in terms of success levels. one of common sense. Well, that was first written back in What was impressive about the March – nine months later, nothing way Chris Gayle and Sarwan bat- has challenged this viewpoint. ted the other night against South While the drug scene with Africa was how the pair Pakistan 's pace duo is still a little approached the target the way murky, and rhetoric as expected is Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh pouring forth, we'll touch on that Kaluwitharana did in 1996. The next week. But now for something South African bowlers, so lethal different, another book review to against Pakistan, couldn't put the tail off the column. ball in the right place or get the Jack Egan's book 'One Who right length. If the radar is off Will' arrived through the post sev- beam and your bowlers are both eral weeks ago and for those who sides of the wicket, nothing is may have read the Steve Waugh going to help. autobiography,this unofficial biog- A good enough example is the raphy of a great modern way Makhaya Ntini couldn't find Australian player is a bit of cheek. the right line; how Shaun Pollock While Egan gives the impression couldn't hit the right length and that he is trying to cash in on the Andre Nel was back to normal . . . South Asia market and Waugh's there are times when he looks to be fame in India, the book at times a fast bowler, only he's not very comes across as a nitpicking rant fast, or very accurate. When your against the sub-continent includ- back up spin duo is struggling for ing Sri Lanka. The moment that cost umpire Darrel Hair his job. The Australian dislodges the bails in the fourth Test between Pakistan and England at awarding form, defending that 259 is always It makes you wonder why they the Test in favour of England. The game is important than individuals and Hair should have allowed the game to continue rather than acting in an authoritari- going to be an effort, despite curb- try to look at the negative when an manner. ing the wides and noballs to nine there is so much else to write New Delhi – Opposite page 302 in that time, it can also be a life- are allowed) it would have been our a decade earlier, or even in the while the Caribbean bowlers added about. After all, writing in this of Essaying Cricket: Sri Lanka and time. It was the 'Ask your wife,' interesting to monitor's Hair's 1960s. The view is that the island's an extra two overs and four balls to genre is meant to entertain. Not beyond, there is a com- comment set off reaction. There have long been venue infrastructure was poor. their tally of fifty overs. that some totally pretentious type pelling photo of McGrath. charges that Hair is racially Well, from personal experience of It was a great feeling too to with North American links whose Australian fast bowler In stepped English biased. This being the case, why the West Indies in early 1958, the learn early Friday afternoon that cliché-riddled story displayed his Glenn McGrath in what umpire David Shepherd did he give out white South African Caribbean grounds were little bet- Sri Lanka's captain Mahela ignorance about the spelling of seems to be an abusive and dished out a warning Jacques Kallis lbw (off a thick ter. Jayawardene earned the title as Garry Sobers in a magazine. pose with West Indian that cooled boiling tem- inside edge) to make him West It is amazing that the the ICC captain of the year and Then again, he is probably not Ramnaresh Sarwan. pers; the batsman and Indian fast bowler Courtney Caribbean could produce batsmen made skipper of the limited overs the only one in Serendipity didn't At a superficial bowler skulked about: Walsh's 500th Test victim, in of the calibre of the great W trio of international side. It makes up know that Sir Garfield Sobers had glance, Yahaluweni, it Sarwan under a maroon 2001/02? Walcott, Weekes and Worrell. The partly for the disappointment of around the time of the 1960/61 tells you that the big bad helmet at the non-strik- Interesting that one, is it not. It last named in this magical group Upul Tharanga not being included West Indies tour of Australia, bully of Oz is threatening Trevor er's end, McGrath at fine also comes with as many innuen- would have become the first non- in the final selection as the ICC added a second R to his popular this tidy, dapper Chesterfield leg under his baggy dos as you wish to imply. English president of the Emerging Player of the Year. shortened first name to become Caribbean batsman. But green. Steve Waugh was Now the International Cricket International Cricket Council had Perhaps Ian Bell deserved it, Garry, which is why Garry Sobers when you get the down to earth given a midnight call by a Cricket Council have given Hair a closer he not sadly succumbed to maybe not. It is a matter of wait is the name of his autobiography. West Indian take on this incident, Australia executive member and cropped crew cut and just look who leukaemia at an early age. At least and see on this one. But when you What is seriously disappoint- it was anything but intimidatory. told to clean up the team's act. voted in his favour, why Australia, he would have fronted up to the compare backgrounds and talent ing about Egan's book though is Remember this if you will: When the truth came out, the ver- England and New Zealand. The last threatening issue of match fixing as well cricketing culture, and the Chapter 18, titled Arjuna's McGrath had not long returned bal fisticuffs episode became a side named comes as a surprise, espe- that emerged when Walcott took systems from which the two Revenge. Quoting , the from Australia where his wife Jane issue to the way the sides were cially the patronising way the over and told to ignore it as there emerge, it can be seen that it is words used are that 'Ranatunga had been diagnosed with breast playing. Aussies treated the Kiwis and their was no proof. vastly different. Sri Lanka's pushes the rules (sic) of the game cancer. Wickets were hard to get at Not that Shepherd felt it should Test status for twenty-seven years. This has moved me away from Premier League system has long to the limit. He wanted a runner, so the time and Steve Waugh was be ignored; and it wasn't either. It is sensible that South Africa the main thrust if today's column been ridiculed by those who play in is the suggestion, because he was pushing his loyal servant into Apologies were made and the voted along with the four Asian issue: Hair and how the it. unfit. Okay, that's fair enough. But bowling another over. The words issue, too ended in a draw. Maybe nations, the West Indies and International Cricket Council At least Jayawardene, as with then, not surprisingly he pokes the that flowed between McGrath and Sarwan forgot about lantern-jawed Zimbabwe. planned to handle a man who at Kiwi skipper Steve Fleming, is proverbial hot iron into the Sarwan were basically dirty toilet McGrath's personal issue problem, While the Aussies are always times has been a loose cannon and upfront about his team's disap- action talk and nothing to do with sledg- perhaps he didn't. seen to be the bad guys, remember gives umpires a bad name. It was a pointing early exit from the issue. It just shows that there are ing. The point here is that had how they supported Sri Lanka in serious subject that needed han- Champions Trophy tournament. those, as with match-fixing, Hair It was an altercation that lasted Darrell Hair been on the field (well the pre-Test status years. There dling and the ICC have done so Speaking to him last Wednesday and drug takers will not allow it to no more than half a minute, but as as Australia were playing and it is has long been an argument that the without too much fuss. was an interesting exercise. There slip away. Controversy is good if it many as thirty people can be killed a Test where neutral umpires only island should have earned the hon- When word was leaked here were no excuses about Sri Lanka's sells. Badulla FC win Senior SLRFU signs up with Adidas The brand with three ‘Impossible is Nothing,’ stripes, Adidas strength- with their autographs. League Football ened their presence in Adidas also signed up by T. Raja – Badulla Sports over with a blank sheet and on the Sri Lankan market by with the SLRFU to be the Corr. changing ends, Mohammad opening yet another sport’s ‘official sports Cadeer of Badulla FL put the exclusive brand store at goods brand’ Badulla Football League car- home side ahead half way the Crescat Boulevard, The third showroom of ried away the FFSL Senior through the second half with a Colombo-3 recently. its kind has been set up Football League Trophy and a clean goal that beat Kurunegala The showroom was in line with the Adidas cash prize of Rs. 50,000 when custodian H.H. Zulficar. Few declared open by football International standards they beat Kurunegala Football minutes later, captain N.P.M. official Manilal and will continue to Rafeek headed a fantastic goal Fernando, accompanied League by three goals to nil at retain genuine Adidas the final played at the Vincent off a pass from the left flank. J. by the President of Sri branded sports goods and Dias Stadium in Badulla on Rizwan made it 3-0moments Lanka Rugby Football accessories from the lat- Saturday. later. Union Priyantha Both teams played neat soccer The President of the Uva Ekanayake. The national est range. The Managing from the commencement of the Provincial Council Manel rugby team together with Director of Hameedia, game with Badulla dominating Ratnayake was the chief guest. the SLRFU officials were Fawzul Hameed, the sole most of the possession. S.G.D. Lokuketiya from present and endorsed the distributor for Adidas Sri Lanka Rugby team promoting Adidas, one of the world’s leading clothing and sports equipment However, the teams crossed Gampola refereed. Adidas tag-line spoke on the occasion. brands.