14 Monday 21st February, 2011 Slimline, overall champs at National Boxing c’ship ‘Prince’ Gurunath of Chennai Super Kings Slimline SC won fame is silent, but tough the overall champi- onship at the 84th BY AL UNESEKERA National Boxing L G C’ship that held at Managing the most successful the Sugathadasa team in the Indian Premier League Indoor Stadium, (IPL) – the Chennai Super Kings - is Colombo on a challenge for 35-year-old Gurunath Saturday. Slimline Meiyappan, who says its his experi- collected 40 points ence in two diverse sports (golf and while SL Navy were motor racing) that helps him keep placed second with his cool at all times. 32 points. ‘Prince Gurunath’ as he is affec- Defending champi- tionately known, is silent, but tough ons SL Army col- and once he settles down, he relaxes lected 16 and fin- with an occasional smile of genuine ished 3rd.The warmth. Slimline SC boxing He hails from a family of the team with Dian original dream merchants of South Gomes, former Indian cinema, the iconic AVM President, Amateur Productions. Boxing He is committed and as team principal of the IPL’s most success- Association. (Pic by ful outfit, the Chennai Super Kings Kamal (CSK), he adds immense value to the Wanniarachchi) side as its mentor - CSK made the final in the first season the final four the next year and bagged the unique double of the IPL and Champion’s League titles last year (2010). They (CSK) walked away Hambantota: with the Fair Play Award twice. The remarkable success story of elcome to CWC11 Strange games the ICC Warlords are playing with the associates . CSK is due to the strong bonding in Yahaluweni and in the the team for dishing out enterpris- Wfriendly environs of ing cricket. Gurunath has zipped the Deep South. There are around racing tracks in Formula smiling faces and friendly Asia and understands the dynamics hosts, who in a sense make up of the speedy Twenty-20 variety and for the feeling of being in the the need to retain equanimity dur- middle of nowhere. ing stressful times. A region devastated by the Gurunath has a wonderful chem- 2004 tsunami, yet there is a istry between himself and skipper feeling of gratitude at how the Mahendra Singh Dhoni, with area has suddenly been Killing the Spirit Stephen Fleming too being a key exposed internationally. Why element. He describes Dhoni as a even the security getting into stong and uncomplicated man, playing smart, balanced crick- cut the bowling to shreds. His It is why competing in a not rashly throwing the bat at the venue, although tight, was ‘Captain Cool’, who likes to keep et to beat Sri Lanka, or innings of 111 off 76 balls World Cup is important for the ball: targeting one bound- efficient and friendly and things simple. He describes Sri Ireland, deserving of Test sta- with eight fours and six sixes the growth of the game. ary an over and nudging five none of the hassles of Lanka’s world record bowling maes- tus, eliminated Pakistan in was one where he took full-use Development in the smaller singles as a minimum for each Khettarama. tro Muttiah Muralitharan as out- 2007. of the fielding restrictions. nations is the way forwards. over of the powerplay. It seems the security peo- standing. What this explains, is that The Canadian-born Reducing the associates to T20 As the ICC instituted the He says that Fleming, who took ple have learnt from the past. this 2011 World Cup is being Australian, gave the West is in fact diluting it’s skills. extra fielding restriction fac- over from Keppler Wessels as coach, As the nation, there is a need run by ogres that care only Indians a taste of the swash- This the type of nonsense the tors, as a way to liven up the lays emphasis on planning and exe- for good public relations. This about money and the message buckling style of their own in ICC are trying to con the asso- 50-over format, the format cution and has a sharp cricketing after concerns expressed in of the event’s founding an earlier era of batsmen in ciates. needs careful thinking. For mind. He also describes the files in the past, the way it fathers in 1976, to have associ- the Viv Richards mould. It Little wonder Canada have the most part, it hasn’t Muralitharan as someone who can was handled in places where ate members part of the pro- was great to watch, despite slammed the decision. The worked; captains have been lift the side with deeds and words there were “enemies at the gramme to develop the game, the Canadians capitulating. It associates should table an very formulaic - it’s rare for and went up to US $1 million to gate” – Dambulla and has been erased. It is more was an innings, which alternative programme at the the bowling powerplay not to retain him and also roped in prom- Premadasa were notable past than a disgrace; it is an exam- thumbed a nose at the ICC and ICC meeting and tell the bully- be taken from the start of the ising Sri Lankan off-spinner Suraj examples. ple of how to slap down the ing warlords they too are part 11th over – while the batting Randiv and Nuwan Kulasekera, the More important a spirit of Lankan paceman who was also a needs of the game’s lesser of the cricket family. If there or “third” powerplay is gener- goodwill and with it the smart pick. constituents. is a problem scheduling the ally taken around the 40th friendly face Sri Lankans are The Chesterfield The ‘Chennai Super Prince’ as As an example, lowly event over a certain period, it over. generally noted to have. Once Gurunath is well known and his Canada yesterday played Sri Files is simple. Become professional While the 50-over format the stadium settles, it needs to wife who is known as ‘Princess Lanka at a stadium so far for a change and stage three remains a dog-eared problem be said that it is one, which in Rupa’ are well known personalities removed from the hustle and or four games a day. How long and will be changed after the size is the largest of any in with the ‘Prince’ eyeing the future bustle of island nation’s main- do you want a tournament to World Cup; for the next few the world - in circumference with optimism – making the right stream that it is like visiting be? weeks, how teams use the that is. Something the locals moves with a motor racing champi- some region pretending to be Next year, Sri Lanka are to powerplay will make for inter- on’s guts and a golfer’s patience. can boast about when you part of the cricket’s big show- stage the ICC World T20 with esting use of run-scoring compare it with venues such piece. Amid the sand dunes sixteen teams. Four or five rates. as Centurion, Melbourne, and desert like conditions, is a games are going to be played a Graeme Smith, tod South Sydney and Bloemfontein. new venue at a place called day. African media how the bat- Sadly, unless there is a Sooiryawewa, in a region To tell a player from an ting powerplay has been one Otter open volte face by the “Warlords” of where there is no genuine associate country, the best of the main topics for discus- the International Cricket cricket infrastructure. level you can expect to play is sion in team meetings, and Council, this is the last World Talking to the local young- ICC World T20 is pouring cold that ideally the South African tennis starts Cup teams such as Canada, sters, the only cricket they water on the game’s long-term team preferred taking it Kenya and Ireland make up play is among friends. What is growth. It is a poor substitute towards the latter stage of the the sides playing in the event. Sri Lanka Cricket then doing for genuine development and innings. on February 26 It might be a tad unjust to to create an interest in the the ICC think tank need to get “We’ve tried a few things call Canada last of the area. The road to the venue is rid of such foibles, and find through some of the games Mohicans, named after a fable the best there is in this part of answers to get around what is and we’ve decided to make a The open ranking tennis tour- leader of the Mohawks in the the island. by Trevor Chesterfield a disgraceful impasse. gut decision on the day, see nament conducted by Otter epic if exotic James In this southern port town Changing the topic, one of how things are going and then Aquatic Club will be held from Fennimore Cooper’s novel of that is more a fishing village their autocratic rule. the more fascinating aspects go for it,” he commented. February 26 to March 13 at the the 19th century. than a buzzing, thriving area; If the 50 over game is more of the World Cup is going to “What the guys in the middle Having an axe buried in club’s courts. the ‘future today’ brand is evi- skill-base – the ICC argument, be the use of the batting need to discuss is their execu- their back through what are According to a release issued by dent as transport to and from how come Ireland, Kenya and Powerplay.