Monday 15th May, 2006 11 More questions to ponder and blank screens from Lord’s ove over the quiet easily disturb a Next he would write a afford cable, is how come no Sri Lanka Louisville Lip, pre-match build up list of names and give TV station has the funds available to Maka Cassius Clay, and gameplan think- this to the other selectors. screen the Tests. But when the limited alias Muhammad Ali. A ing. It was from that point overs come along, watch out. They’ll be new big mouth, And packing that the rest of the panel tumbling over one another. What a rip- Yahaluweni, has joined Jayasuriya off to would look at what type off ! the ‘shoot for the lip’ club. Lord’s instead of wait- of team would emerge for But let us move on to a topic that is He is the former Royal ing for the first Test to a new series. This think- also creating controversy and not with- Collage via Isipatana be over is not going to ing would sometimes out good reason. West Indian umpire College fast bowling spe- assist team building. take as long as six Steve Bucknor, a non-smoker, has lit a cialist Ashantha de Mel. It Whether De Mel months. As with most fire that is not going to be doused easily. seems that he spent three had much say over the tried systems because of He has charged that the TV umpire is and a half years at Royal composition of the their first-class (county often marginalised by what he is shown as part of a deal to play in team for the Lord’s and state) structure, by the producer. the 100th 'Battle of the Test is another point notably that of England Former New Zealand all-rounder and Blues'. by Trevor that needs some and Australia, it was a captain John Reid, when match referee, Of course some of this is Chesterfield digesting. Going into the steady progress in team- said something similar. Bucknor and not going to be appreciated, game without Lasith building and a lot of close Reid have had personal experience of but if he did indeed, as is suggested, Malinga was a touch foolhardy work involving the coach this phenomenon. In 2000, while han- make an observation during the and Jehan Mubarak’s top-order and general team man- dling the Sri Lanka-Pakistan Test at Pakistan series in March and April that appearance was totally forget- agement. Galle, Reid complained to the television Sanath Jayasuriya should have retired table. Does this mean that What also helped was programme producer about the public six months ago, why all the fuss about Jayasuriya, who De Mel is having a fast bowler such being shown one set of pictures during a bringing the ‘Matara Mauler’ out of alleged to have said should have as Allan Donald and run out incident while the TV umpire ‘retirement’ and rushing him off to retired six months ago, will be in swing bowlers Fanie de was shown a different set. It was spotted London to join the tourists? that side for the second Test? Villiers and Brian by Tony Grieg and Ravi Shastri who Arjuna Ranatunga is a cool operator What is alarming is another McMillan. were commentating at the time. When and when captain of the team, loved to min-collapse in the first innings. Sri Lanka Cricket sug- this became known during the lunch get up the nose of the opposition, espe- It has become a regular feature gests in a media memo break on the third day, Reid asked for an cially the Aussies. In this case, it is if you think back to the first He is the former Royal Collage via Isipatana the other day that the explanation from Richard Parker, the assumed that no one is likely to dispute innings at Feroz Shah Kotla on provincial system was producer for that series. his comments about De Mel’s remarks of December 11 last year and what College fast bowling specialist Ashantha de not an option this year Parker denied that floor producers, as Jayasuriya and retirement. If De Mel at has happened since. A marginal Mel. It seems that he spent three and a half because the Test squad they are called, doctored pictures to the time was referring to his being lbw decision against a smooth- and A team players were favour a particular side. He did so again dropped from the Test squad that played batting Mahela Jayawardene years at Royal as part of a deal to play in the engaged elsewhere. Now, in South Africa when Sri Lanka toured India, it is easy to understand his saw three wickets fall for four if Australia (with about in 2002/03 before heading for Australia thoughts. But to do a u-turn the way he runs. It wasn’t a comfortable 100th 'Battle of the Blues'. the same population), and a triangular series. This was after a did and try and hide it by talking about sight at all on a blustery, chilly Of course some of this is not going to be New Zealand and South run out incident at the Wanderers. There fitness levels, does need some explana- New Delhi day. Africa as well and is often criticism of shoddy camera tion. Then against Pakistan, appreciated, but if he did indeed, as is sug- England can play their work. There is also criticism of how a Not that he is likely to give one. As Thilan Samaraweera, three gested make an observation during the first-class tournaments tape being rewound can create a prob- selection panel chairman he has other times in two Tests gave away his when their top players lem. matters on his mind at this stage. One wicket by failing to read Pakistan series in March and April that are busy, it might be an There was an incident at Bloemfontein should be to temper his remarks about Mohammad Asif ’s subtle wrist idea to see why the sys- during the 2000/01 Test series between Tom Moody as coach. Another is that he movement and the resulting Sanath Jayasuriya should have retired six tem works for them. It is South Africa and New Zealand. The TV should be at Lord’s trying to help the side swing. months ago, why all the fuss about bringing just a thought. umpire in this case was Rudi Koertzen, and not making disparaging remarks He fell lbw on Friday, shoul- What has been shown the batsman was Jacques Kallis and the from Colombo. dering arms again, to England the ‘Matara Mauler’ out of ‘retirement’ and so far at Lord’s is that a appeal came from a direct hit. Koertzen Whether or not Moody made an offi- Test debutant Sajid Mahmood rushing him off to London to join the tourists? number of players lack waited and waited and waited . After cial (or unofficial) complaint about De and his clever manipulation of experience. And no two minutes, he asked the producer what Mel’s verbal tirade to Sri Lanka Cricket the seam and in-swing. If coach can go out and bat was wrong. The tape had jammed on the is not really the issue. What is, and this Samaraweera is going to continue to bat 1960s, would rationalise his thinking for his charges. It is a matter of advising production team and what was eventual- should be noted, is sledging the team the this way, Sri Lanka’s middle-order is when it came to selection policy. As con- the players, it is up to them to under- ly offered (three minutes later), were way he did from the safety of a Colombo going to have a serious problem. Marvan vener from 1992 until 1999, he would stand what he is telling them. The way unclear shots of the incident. office. He should have known that his Atapattu agreed during a conversation at explain why some decisions were made Samaraweera is batting these days is a When the production team was ques- attack on Moody was going to earn some Ahmedabad in India last December that to drop a player, or include a new one. He case in point. He has played enough Tests tioned, the producer tried to cover the form of rebuttal. In this case, he should Russel Arnold would have helped the once opened up during a conversation now to know that he is leaving himself blunder by making a series of gaffes over have thought before he commented. continuing middle-order hiccup. This about how he went about selection policy. open to criticism, batting the way he is, the episode. That evening, Koertzen You don’t find England’s chairman of being the case, instead of using First would be taking a list of Tests at present. It is throwing away a wicket explained in a private conversation over selectors David Graveney launching into Jayasuriya as an opener it might be bet- and limited overs games during an 18 in a culpable manner. dinner, about the tape jamming and a tirade against Duncan Fletcher. The ter to bat him at either five or six in the month period. Then he would look at the Okay, so is Chamara Kapugedera the being shown the wrong picture. When two men have worked together well and order. opposition, study hours of video materi- first Sri Lankan to get a first ball Test the run out incident was later found, over the years developed a fine under- Anyway, by throwing out one of the al and after seeking advice from a couple duck on his debut? Well, certainly at Kallis had his bat in the air when the standing.