14 Monday 7th June, 2010 THE CHESTERFIELD FILES More ad-hoc machinery to run this SLC farce... What a ministerial joke! denying the club world falling about in hysterics. administrations What it underlines again, is the and players their tourist catchline, ‘A land like no right to take other’. responsibility for It results in banter along with handling their satirical comment and justified BY TREVOR CHESTERFIELD own affairs, as criticism. The question to be they do in other asked here is why. And is it lice (to no one in particu- countries, and because of CWC2011 that these lar at the Mad Hatter’s without interfer- guys want to remain at their ATea Party): “Curiouser ence from bullies, posts strutting like pretentious and curiouser.” through board peacocks with their Allen Perhaps parodying characters elections. Stanford style braggadocio out of the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party When smirks, among the so-called elite might not go down too well with Ratanayake was when they arrive, showing off some, but events in Maitland interviewed for their de rigueur over-staffed Place a week ago suggest that the an international security entourage to view comments made is how it is news website at games for free and taking up indeed the tea party table from the time he D. S. De Silva space of others. which they were all dining. appointed It would be interesting to There was the new Minister Aravinda de Silva as the new World Cup) is over and not know if any of the ad-hoc admin- of Sport, C. B. Ratanayake, selection panel convener, it was before. Until then, whether quali- istrators can tell you, off the top Yahaluweni, telling world cricket suggested he was to wield the big fied or not, which is a question of their head, who was responsi- and the nation, what most of us stick regarding the interim com- that should again be asked, ‘The ble for running the first World have known for a long time, and mittee. When asked about board Men from the Ministry will run Cup and how it came about to that is what a corrupt bunch of elections, he said there were the show’. being staged in the first place; fellows are those at the helm run- “legal issues to address” before Asking around and clubs and who were the sponsors; also who ning Sri Lanka Cricket these they could be held and clubs the word is they haven’t seen any scored the first World Cup final days. It was finger wagging and reclaim their rightful administra- annual audited balance sheet. Is century and against which coun- rhetoric at its thespian, or politi- tive roles. this the reason why SLC has been try. Even down to what does Law cal, best. At last Monday’s media con- labelled the third most corrupt 1 of the game explain and how Among comments made is ference, Ratanayake, with typical organisation in the country? Or, long it has been the first law in how he refused a ‘bribe’ in what political obfuscation said it was- as a visitor here a month ago the game’s statute; or what year was the offer of an all-expenses n’t the time to hold board elec- said, the stench of corruption was over-arm bowling legalised paid trip to the Caribbean and tions. His so-called reasoning is often becomes like a cistern tank, and when did the term first-class the ICC World T20 event. that the 2011 World Cup is too overflowing with filthy effluent find its way into the laws and The fallout from all this how- close to worry about such mat- through familiarity and overuse. why. ever, is as though he was reading ters. He wanted more (non-elect- A former colleague of long While the gathering at the the script upside down, as did the ed) ad-hoc appointees from the acquaintance from England, long Mad Hatter’s Tea Party was tak- Mad Hatter, and has had the body he labelled as corrupt in associated with the Barmy Army ing place in Maitland Place, effect of his firing a blunderbuss: place to present the shining and on a rare holiday sojourn to other regions where the game is a lot of noise but full of rhetori- image of SLC to international the island, made the above com- played were being effusively lit cal blanks in terms of action and administrators, players and ment having felt decidedly by those whose classical skills behind the scenes obsequious- guests, tourists and other visi- uncomfortable during his visit to and adrenalin-pumping acts ness that have since followed. tors, while clubs are pushed into the SLC offices. This time Dave made for more pleasant memo- So, instead of the big clean up the background and reduced to came to check details about seat- ries. following such incendiary com- pauper status when it comes to ing plans for two of the three In Harare, Dinesh Chandimal, ments as a third most corrupt CWC11 and associated events. venues for next year’s World Cup a young man who has featured in institution in the country, what Are we missing something for some friends in England. At these columns in the past do we have? Why, yet another here? Five years ago, Sanjeev the time these were not available, because of his undoubted talent, (non-elected) government ad-hoc Kumaratunga cited more than which makes you wonder about became the youngest Sri Lankan body is placed in charge of the once “legal reasons” and corrup- the ticketing launch last week in to score an ODI century. His sub- game, and where the board elec- tion charges as reasons for the Mumbai. lime class act of style and calcu- tion issue is again sidestepped ad-hoc boys being in charge; this What he did find, once pass- lated aggression against India in with obfuscating remarks. Apart was repeated by Gamini Lokuge ing through the cheerful security the Zimbabwe capital was from the removal of those who who said a report why board elec- check, was how the atmosphere watched by an enthralled, appre- Dinesh Chandimal can be seen as little more than tions were being delayed would among those he met was ciative audience at the venue and scapegoats of the previous ad-hoc “soon be made.” It was all a mat- unhealthy and odious. As former treading in quicksand: getting What this suggests is how on TV. At Lord’s and also on administration, they have been ter of collating details. business editor of the Daily Mail, dangerous with ambiguous some members of past ad-hoc Saturday at Old Trafford, replaced with no-name brand This is like one of the many Dave is quick to pick up vibes answers to questions. You are left committees behaved like Bangladesh opening batsman, if types whose cricket knowledge is annoying ads they show ad-nau- and these made him feel uncom- wondering as they give the grandiose SLC cabinet ministers. slightly older Tamim Iqbal, who suspect. seam during televised cricket fortable, one was during a discus- impression of looking around, as It is why the only legacy this non- at 21 years, has had his name It begs the question of trans- games and you miss the first ball sion with an SLC official followed if they are being spied on and elected government appointed inscribed on the honour’s board parency (and accountability), as of the next over – it becomes so by a visit to offices associated what can happen to them if organisation running the sport’s at those venerated venues with well as the professional handling boring and you know what they with the local World Cup found out giving details I could affairs has created is to become outstanding centuries. of the sport when it comes to an are saying is as transparent as Organising Committee. easily get elsewhere, which I the third most corrupt organisa- Hashim Amla, a South ability to administrate fairly for the waters of Beira Lake. “It is all about ego and why did.” tion in the country. What an African whose roots are those all, and it should be remembered What are these so-called ‘legal these guys are so full of them- Such chilling remarks image to show the international from Gujarat, but as he will that it is not just about hosting issues’? What are these corrup- selves. Yet, asking a couple of reminded us of a page out of a cricket community, and with the politely inform you is decidedly World Cup events, Asia Cups or tion charges levelled at the board questions about a former player low-key moment in a John le World Cup months away. South African, and you cannot triangular series and tours. in 2005 when it was hijacked by (name withheld) and requesting Carré espionage thriller, except By retaining three of that blame him, has during the slogs There is something called domes- the ad-hoc coterie of his (handphone) number to set Dave wasn’t enjoying the sce- non-elected body, Somachandra in the Caribbean, earned 402 tic cricket as well. Or is that seen Kumaratunga’s buddies? All this up a meeting, and it is like get- nario at all and pleased England de Silva, a move that has left runs and two centuries, and aver- as a minor issue by the ministry? seems to be a convenient excuse ting involved in secret society have no World Cup games in the many of the Diaspora in age of 80.40.