Wednesday 19th November, 2008 Mubarak boosts Country vs Sri Lanka before rain Money Do it or quit! November 17, 2008: Rain denied on 73. Tharanga helped add 61 for the The readers of ‘The Island’ can the Sri Lankan bowlers another work- fifth-wicket until he was stumped of join in this debate. Did Mahela and out before the one-day series when Malcolm Waller, the son of former Co. do the right thing? Should they their match against Zimbabwe ‘A’ was Zimbabwe batsman Andy Waller, who be permitted to act on their own to washed out after they were dismissed then picked up his second wicket when for 235. he removed Farveez Maharoof. keep their lucrative private deals The Zimbabwe ‘A’ bowlers tested the Waller claimed his third courtesy of intact? Do you feel the National Simple. Isn’t it? experienced Sri Lankan batsmen and a fine catch in the deep by Cephas team has to represent the country they were 73 for 4 Zhuwawo, but at any cost? before Jehan Mubarak Do National players have any right Mubarak and ensured the to play for the country if they tend Upul Tharanga innings didn't to give priority to their personal steered them to a fade away as he earnings at the expence of their competitive total. added 38 with National duty? Mahela Muttiah Contact us: Jayawardene, Muralitharan. Fax: 011 2 497543 back to lead the Rainsford Email: [email protected] or Sri Lankans after was the pick of [email protected] being rested for the Zimbabwe ‘A’ Post: Sports Editor the four-day match against the attack with 3 for 29 to put his name ‘The Island’ Zimbabwe Select XI, won the toss but firmly in the frame for the one-day 223, Bloemendhal the top order struggled. Mahela series which starts on Thursday. Road, Colombo-13. Udawatte fell in the seventh over when However, the rain prevented Vusi he edged to the wicketkeeper and Sibanda from showing the selectors Kumar Sangakkara, who plundered 174 how he is progressing after a hip by Revata S. Silva against the Select XI, cut to point for 5. injury. Admire Manyumwa struck twice in Brief scores: Sri Lanka 235 (J. t is so simple. No Sri Lankan may quick succession to remove Mubarak 88*, U. Tharanga 71, want the Lankan cricket team to Jayawardene, caught at mid-on, and Rainsford 3 for 29, Waller 3 for 46) v Iappear in an inter-club ‘bang-bang’ or Chamara Kapugedera with the score Zimbabwe ‘A’ - Match Abandoned. ‘hit-and-giggle’ Twenty-20 extravaganza in India while neglecting to play in inter- national Test or One-day cricket for the country. Sri Lanka cricketers are PCB official confirms Asif was caught with opium required at all times to play for Sri by Rizwan Ali Twenty20 tournament, Asif was Lanka. You’ve to do it or quit. detained for 19 days in Dubai, In 1982, the cream of Sri Lanka Test ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) United Arab Emirates, after cricket team toured the apartheid South authorities allegedly found a sub- A Pakistan Cricket Board official Africa only to receive a 25-year ban on all stance containing opium in his has confirmed that Mohammad forms of cricket. 26 years from now, the Asif was in possession of opium wallet at the airport. unfortunate incident took place in a total- when he was detained in Dubai The 25-year-old national team earlier this year and has recom- player was accused of carrying ly different context. But, still the cricket mended the fast bowler be banned 0.01 ounces (0.25 grams) of opium, administration then, piloted by the late and fined. Asif but he tested negative for drugs Gamini Dissanayake, acted so swiftly "It was proved during our and was released without being and, in a way ruthlessly, to hand in an investigation that Asif was caught with a charged. But he was questioned by Dubai unbelievable punishment on that ‘rebel- small amount of opium at the Dubai air- authorities for drug possession and lious’ set of players led by the then Test port," Shafqat Naghmi, the PCB's former smuggling while he remained in custody Captain Bandula Warnapura. Will at the airport's detention center. chief operating officer and member of its Mahela and Co. receive a similar kind of "He was actually deported from inquiry committee, told The Associated punishment due to their ‘rebellious’ Press on Tuesday. Dubai as the amount of opium was not move to appear in Indian Premier League In June, on his way home from play- enough to lay down charges," Naghmi ing in the Indian Premier League said. abandoning a Test series in England? This is the level our National cricket captain has fallen to these days in a society where Similarities - every noble thing is sold quite cheaply and starkly. Mahela is right below, under cream There are parallels being drawn bunnis, butter cake, wandu cake, and indhi appa. Should Mahela and his National team Inter Club TT Knockout Tournament 2008-09 between the 1982 Rebel Tour and the pres- members, amidst various unnecessary arguments, be allowed to forget what is primarily by Manjula D. Phillips their own umpires for the matches and ent cricketers’ move to play in the Indian required of them for the sake of the country? (Pic Courtesy Shehan Gunasekara) the matches will be played according to T-20 tournament defying even the cricket The Inter Club Knockout the laws sanctioned by the ITTF and board regulations! they were facing that time, including lack cricket’s out-of-the-ground forces. I.e.: Tournament which will be conducted by adopted by the Sri Lanka Table tennis It is widely believed that there was a of security after retiring from cricket. Media, global TV coverage, advertise- the Sri Lanka Table Tennis Association Association. draw-back of about a decade of cricket And, to add to their woes, there was a ments, endorsements, agents, brokers, will be worked off on November 27 and The entry fee for men will be Rs. 1000 development here when Warnapura, firm antagonism against them stemming regional betting, regional business, 28, at S. Thomas’ College Indoor and Rs. 750 for women. Lalith Kaluperuma, Ajith de Silva, from the local cricket board that time. regional politics, etc. Stadium, Mount Lavinia, commencing Entries close this Thursday. Entries Anura Ranasinghe, Mahesh Gunatilleke, Such a background made Opatha easy to The cricketers are engaged, if not 5.00 pm on both days. should be sent to, S. D. Dharmaratne, Hemantha Devapriya and eight others convince those players to overlook their submerged –sometimes without their The MTTA knockout tournament is Secretary, Mercantile Table Tennis toured S. Africa. They paid the price hav- National commitments for the sake of knowledge— in such a sophisticated sys- open to all permanent employees of Association, The Lanka Hospitals ing to end their careers suddenly even at millions of dollars that were offered by tem where they are being ‘used’, they are MTTA affiliated firms and clubs. Corporation PLC, No.578 Elvitigala Mw, a time when some prominent English the African administrators that time. being cashed in on and they are being vic- Participating teams will have to provide Col-5. Tel-0773497502. cricketers, including Geoff Boycott It is well known that the players of timised by such outside non-cricket received only a couple of years of pro- Warnapura’s era didn’t earn as much as forces. That is for the survival as well as scription previously by the England what is drawn by the present day ‘stars’ the thriving of those outside parties. board after committing the same offense who could easily cash in on their popular One such party is the Player – touring S. Africa under inhumane image, even if they fail to do their job Agent/Manager. All the established play- apartheid rule. well with the bat and the ball. The pres- ers today, ranging from Mahela to Some also believe that the cricket ent set of players, mainly after the ’96 Ajantha Mendis, have ‘more covertly’ ‘revolution’ triggered lately by Arjuna World Cup, became professional crick- Player Agents who get away with Ranatunga and Co. - by winning the 1996 eters. Warnapura and others were not. Millions of Rupees through brokering World Cup to create a timely democrati- Who would think that Mahela and his between the players and ICLs and IPLs. sation of the National representation of colleagues, who get away with more Other forces, of course, are the cricket here-- would have been more suc- money after playing in a single 5-day Test regional business tycoons and their cessfully staged some long years before match than what is earned by an ordi- agents like Lalit Modi who, after emerg- had Warnapura and his team been nary man or a woman by working right ing from nowhere, can nowadays dictate allowed to continue to play for Sri Lanka round the year, have financial restraints! terms on the cricketers even beyond without offering them an unexpected Will they have any insecure life after fin- their National limits. reprisal. ishing their careers during this era of The other such forces, sadly, are rep- Ironically,from a broader sociological media supremacy? Who is that crazy to resented by the unforeseen, Bombay and perspective, both teams (that of believe in such foolish arguments? Dubai centered betting syndicate. Warnapura and Jayawardene) came from Let’s forget this dispute about legal Whether we like it or not, these are the a more suburban Sinhala-Buddhist barriers, deals and contracts. It’s time to key forces that control international Nushad Perera, Chief Marketing Officer, Dialog Telecom exchanges the agreement with SSC ‘Ananda-Nalanda background’ creating a put those words “… my international cricket at present.