Four-letter world of ex-spinner with a four-letter name By Mahinda Wijesinghe Judging by the vituperative comments made by former Indian Test captain, Bishan Singh Bedi, about Muralitharan's bowling action, it appears envy may have been the major catalyst for this outburst. Previously too, Bedi has displayed his green-eyed propensities on the same subject. Seems envy and Bedi go together like Tweedleedum and Tweedleedee. Even a former high official of the local cricket hierarchy has maintained similar views after Muralitharan toppled him from the perch he had built around himself. Captured 219 wickets in 18 Tests? Controversy has been closely linked with the Delhi-based colourful patka-wearing follower of Guru Nanak (1469-1538) the founder of Sikhism. The left-arm spinner who began his Test career in 1966, aged 20 years, scalped 266 victims at 28.71 in a career spanning 67 Tests. Admittedly, one of the most accomplished spinners to emerge from the sub-continent, the bearded Indian's feats pale into insignificance and bears no comparison when it can be seen that Muralitharan - at the time of writing - having played a mere additional 18 Tests has captured a mind-boggling 219 more wickets than Bedi at 5.76 runs per wicket cheaper! The Sri Lankan off-spinner's figures are currently, 485 wickets at 22.95 in 85 Tests.

B.S. Bedi — Innocence of youth

Denied allegations

Controversy No.1 took place at the Sabina Park in Jamaica in 1975-76 when the battery of Carribean pacemen injured five Indian players. As Bill Findall reported in the Wisden Book of Test Cricket: "Bedi declared his first innings closed as a protest against intimidatory bowling. At the time it was thought that he also declared his second innings closed for the same reason. He later denied this, stating that neither he nor Chandrasekhar was fit to bat because of hand injuries sustained when fielding." This incident took place in April 1976.

Fury of his own team-mates

Controversy No. 2 took place four months later at Lord's when Bedi, playing for English county Northamptonshire, met Lancashire (ironically, the same county Muralitharan was to represent 23 years later!) in the 1976 Gillette Cup final. Brought on to bowl the last of the 60 limited-overs by Lancashire skipper David Lloyd, of current TV commentary fame, Bedi was smashed for 26 runs by David Hughes as follows: 4-6-2-2-6-6. As yet another David, Frith on this occasion, commented about this incident in his most readable book, The Slow Men (Corgi Books 1984):

"One will never forget the fury shown by Northants team-mates after Bedi's final flighted over of the 1976 Gillette Cup final at Lord's had been smashed for 26 by Lancashire's David Hughes....Bedi had refused to hurl the ball at leg-stump." In other words, Bedi stubbornly refused to change his usual style of bowling to suit the requirements of his side when the situation demanded the restriction of runs.

Lost contract with English county

Hat-trick of controversies or incident No.3 took place in yet another four months later, this time at the Chepauk stadium in Madras. Bedi was leading India against England in the Third Test. Indian umpire Reuben - there weren't international umpires at that time - accused England fast bowler, J.K.Lever of using a surgical gauze impregnated with Vaseline to help him swing the ball. He considered it a breach of Law 46. Of course explanations were offered by the England management headed by Manager Ken Barrington who did admit "there had been a technical breach of the law governing "fair and unfair play", though the offence was totally unintentional." But as Dicky Rutnagur reported in the Wisden Almanack (1978):

"Fuel had been added to the fire by Bedi, the Indian captain, stating after the incident that even at Delhi, during the first Test, he had suspicions that a polishing agent of some kind had been used." While David Frith reported that "the vehemence of which protest Bedi felt eventually cost him his contract with Northamptonshire."

Silence of the singing Sikh

Incidents of this nature within such a short space of time gives a fair insight of the character of the man who called Muralitharan a burglar, a cheat and a dacoit. The Sri Lankan off-spinner has been subjected to the most rigorous and exacting physical/mechanical tests by physicians/surgeons and experts on biomechanics around the world as no other bowler in the history of the game, and exonerated by the ICC committee as well. So, any opinions to the contrary whether by Bedi, Border or Botham would hold as much water as that held by any Tom, Dick or Harry. However, the timing of these comments - on the eve of the impending Australian tour to Sri Lanka - makes one wonder whether Bedi was singing for his supper. On the other hand, Shane Warne, the Australian leg-spinner, was found guilty by the Australian Cricket Board and fined for having accepted money from a bookie, accused by a woman for his obscene and immoral conduct, and finally banned for an year after having taken performance enhancing drugs. Yet, not a word about the 'convicted' Australian from the 'singing' Sikh who called Muralitharan such despicable and unjustifiable names.

Maybe silence is gold for some.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Another go at a provincial tournament

By T.M.K. Samat

IF past lessons count for anything then a provincial cricket tournament ought to be cast among the untouchables. In the 80s, not long after the conferment of Test status, a province-based tournament was launched. Only briefly did it last. Players' disinterest, bordering on abhorrence, reduced the event to such farcical levels that its continuation became utterly pointless. At the heart of the problem was, provinces weren't able to command quite the same player-loyalty that clubs do. So, invariably matches supposed to finish on the fourth day were ending much earlier, in some instances days earlier, as uncommitted players merely went through the motions and rushed back home. It proved to be anything but what it was intended to be, i.e. a premier domestic tournament on par with those to be found in other Test-playing nations. In a word, it was a joke. So, the revival yesterday of the provincial tournament, notwithstanding the failed 80s experience, will be viewed with a good deal of skepticism.

Same indifference

Given that players' loyalty to clubs hasn't got any weaker over the past decade plus, it is reasonable to suspect that same indifference could kill off the new tournament just as it did the previous one. It has to be also asked if adding another tournament into an already crowded season is fair by the players, more so those engaged in national duty. Muralitheran has already complained that the burdens placed on him by the new tournament will be difficult to shoulder and be unhelpful to performing to the best of his ability in the coming international engagements.

Muralitheran, by the way, is the appointed captain of Central Province, and his attitude of reluctance is unlikely to have healthy influence on his team, not to speak of the tournament itself. Vaas, a man of milder disposition, prefers to keep his thoughts to himself. But watching him in the Colts v. Bloomfield final last weekend, clearly, his body language said he'd rather be in a hammock under a spreading tree resting limbs made sore by a three-Test series that ended barely five days before.Then there were times Jayasuriya was willfully wanting to get out on the final day, charging down the pitch as if his team's victory was a dozen, not 100 plus, runs away.

These, however, are personal discomforts caused to national players and any fretting from them is understandable given that they are yet catching their breath back after a stressful and tense month-long series. Ideally, it should've been played off during the near five-month break from international cricket. But in slotting it barely a fortnight after the conclusion of the English series, the new tournament looks one too many for the national players.

But as for Sri Lanka Cricket any concerns over national players' comforts don't have a place in their scheme of things. The 80s experience with a provincial tournament might have been a failure, but the truth is that Sri Lanka cricket for long has been in need of a domestic tournament worthy of a Test-playing country. To continue to have the traditional inter-club scrap as the country's premier domestic tournament isn't quite a complimentary commentary on post-Test administrations. However, to break the enduring bondage between players and clubs admittedly is not something you can do overnight. But it's been 20-plus years since the elevation, and the inordinate delay in putting in place firmly a tournament representative of the entire island suggests administrative complacency or imagination deficiency.

Against that backdrop, the present administration's decision to get a provincial tournament started cannot be faulted. Of course, things to disagree about are plentiful. Yes, the event, as said before, could've been timed better.There is also a school of thought that believes staging a provincial tournament without first bringing about tangible development in the provinces is a bit like placing the cart before the ox. Yes, it's a pseudo provincial tournament, as the teams have a fair measure of players without any roots to the provinces they represent. Clearly, the SLC 's overriding ambition is to somehow get the tournament on rails and progressively smooth the rough edges. It is brave come-what-may move, requiring 1/ the patience to continue with it long term despite the many snags it will inevitably encounter 2/ to make changes that will bring greater players and public interest, if it is to prevent the fate of its predecessor. The SLC's intention is clear: it wants a provincial tournament on the domestic calendar. But whether it's for mere namesake or a genuine effort to convert the provinces to fertile picking ground of national talent, only time will tell.

Promising start?

The SLC declaration that representation in the new tournament is going to be the next best thing to national selection makes for a promising start. The five provincial teams include the country's top 50 odd players with a fair distribution of National players among the teams. The appointment of the respective captains suggests a suitability test for those who the selectors think are the leading candidates for the next Test captaincy: Marvan Atapattu (Southern), Mahela Jayawardene (North Central), Muttiah Muralitheran (Central), Chaminda Vaas (Uva) and of course the incumbent Hashan Tillekerante (Western). It is doubtful, however, if failure in the on-going tournament by the established players - the likes of Jayasuriya, Atapattu, Jayawardene, Muralitheran, Vaas etc. - will mean the loss of their places in the national team.

But with time it could grow to be a genuine picking ground of national players. For the time being it won't. But in trying to force-feed importance to the event, the selectors have warned any absconding national player of disqualification from national selection. Such threatening stricture has the potential to create discord between players and administration, not quite the best thing for any starting venture. Some sympathy ought to be shown to weary and overburdened national players should they want to sit out a match or two. The current tournament runs until February 14, only days before the Australians arrive for a three-Test, five-one day series.

While six weeks of four-day cricket will toughen them for the Australian challenge, equally, the risk of injuries and weariness of body and mind is not small. For fringe players, however, it's a great opportunity to press their claims - and with SLC contracts given them, there won't be any lack of striving to try and oust the regulars. There's much to say for making the provincial tournament the country's premier domestic tournament. But here is the hole in the doughnut: it has to live in the shadow of the traditionally popular inter-club tournament. And be haunted by the ghosts of the 80s experiment. Clubs will always hold a psychological advantage over provinces as long as the inter-club tournament continues to enjoy its age-old importance.

Clearly, there's no room for two premier tournaments. SLC's determination to push the provincial event to the top of the list is admirable. But it makes sense to correspondingly lower the status of the inter-club. How? Perhaps, go back to the post-Test era when club tournament matches were of two or one and a half days duration. Besides, it is the most pragmatic thing to do as the present three-day inter-club tournament plus the four-day duration of the provincial event in one season is going to be too much of a hard grind. Such a change is bound bring strong anti-reactions from club loyalists, of which there are many.

Club power

Club power is quite telling, as proved the way it successfully opposed the provincial tournament authored by the likes of Michael Tissera and Sidath Wettimuny of the Malalasekera administration. The present one resembles in many ways the on-going event with one exception. The then Board suggested that it would buy out some 50-odd top players from the clubs, shifting their allegiance to their respective provincial teams. Effectively that would've reduced the importance of the inter-club tournament, which is something the SLC anyway would be required to do. If not, the new venture will likely run a poor second to a competition that is as old as the country's cricket, history itself and so heavy of sentimental value. A changing world, however, sometimes is harsh in its treatment of things sentimental, just as it has become more accommodative of the once untouchables.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Winning a sweep - Victoria style

Most people associate Victoria Golf and Country Resort with a world class golf course. stylish villas and great scenic beauty. What is less obvious to the casual visitor is the large re-settlement scheme that was undertaken at the inception of the project. When the NLDB handed over the land there were around 200 families residing there in "estate line" type accommodation. Each line housed 8-12 families. The rooms were overcrowded and poorly lit and ventilated. There was no electricity. communal latrines were either misused or generally unused.

In 1994. Victoria Golf and Country Resort initiated a major resettlement scheme on the northern tip of the project site. an area called Nitulemada. The land was surveyed and blocked out into 40 perch allotments and the plots were allocated by lottery. Roads were constructed for access to building sites. Today. Nitulemada is a thriving community of the 200 families, who now enjoy a house standing in a quarter acre of land.

The company made available low-cost building techniques developed at the University of Moratuwa and Leads and many of the houses were built using these methods. Two machines were purchased to make soil blocks using, the local soil which was stabilised with a small amount of cement. Workers were given the option of having their house built by the company or taking the equivalent amount of money (Rs.60,000/-) and building their own. The vast majority opted to build their own house putting in their savings and their labour to develop delightful cottages. The gardens were tastefully landscaped with flowering shrubs around the dwellings and the balance land was used for vegetable cultivation. Most house owners keep cattle which are fed on grass cut in Victoria. The cattle bring in quite a good income and milk production has increased in the area. Trees have been grown extensively by the residents.

There is now a bus service from Digana to the Nitulemada colony and it is hoped to provide pipe borne water to each house in the futureElectricity is available throughout Nitulemada

The local MPCS has opened a branch at Nitulamade to serve the local population. A rural bank and medical facility are also in Victoria's-plans for the area.

The possession of a 40 perch block of land and a house of their own has transformed the lives of the former NLDB workers whose house and land package now provide a purpose and direction in their lives. They have integrated well into the local community and there is the occasional good-natured teasing from the village folk who say "you people have won a sweep".

 _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Ukraine coaches to change the future of athletics in Sri Lanka

By Hishan Welmilla

Athletic Association of Sri Lanka (AASL) with the blessings of the Sports Minister is to employ three internationally qualified athletic coaches from Ukraine to train its athletes from next year.

This may be the first time in the history of athletics in Sri Lanka that AASL is to employ three foreign coaches at once paying a huge salary (US$ 1800 per month per person) with the intention of grooming the young talents in the country. According to AASL the three coaches will be in-charge of three different areas and hope to work alongside with the national coach Lakshman de Alwis.

Evgene Shvilli (58) IAAF qualified coach will be responsible for training athletes in jump while Mykola Baklanov (51) will be in-charge of middle and long distance running. The other Ukraine coach Dmypto Vanyaikin (38) will look after sprints. Other than training the national athletes AASL intend obtaining their services to train their coaches.

Sri Lanka obtained the services of a Russian coach during the year 1999 and 2000 to train our junior athletes with the objection of three Sri Lankan coaches ( Sunil Gunawardana, Dervin Perera and Yogananda Wijesundara) and it was reported that during his tenure our athletes face most number of injuries. In the same way Sri Lanka obtained the service of former English coach Harry Wilson to train middle and long distance runners during the SAF Games in 1991 and only managed to win two bronze medals while athletes who trained under Sri Lankan coaches clinched 15 gold medals at the event.

Brig. Parry Liyanage, Sunil Gunawardana,Yogananda Wijesundara, Dervin Perera, Ranjith Jayatilleke and SMG Bandara were the coaches who were responsible for 15 gold medal success in the 1991 SAF games. Taking into consideration the above facts one cannot merely say this step would not bring results for the money we spend on these three coaches.

 _______________________________________________________________________________________________

•   Kumara and Prabagaran...

 Ball boys to turn pro!

By Gamini Senadhira

B. G. Lalith Kumara and Kandasamy Prabagaran, at the age of 10 and 8 respectively were ball boys. Kumara picking balls at the Royal Colombo Golf Club and Prabagaran at the Nuwara Eliya golf club, but today, they are much talked about golfers, winning many a laurel in the local and the international golf scene.

Being ball boys, made them enormously keen in the game and wherever an opportunity arose, Kumara and Prabagaran used the respective golf course with borrowe material to practice this game that is dubbed as a sport, restricted only for the elite and the rich.

But today, Kumara has brought honour and glory to Sri Lanka by winning the Bangladesh open Amateur golf championship 2003, competing with renowned players from India, Pakistan, Napal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.

Kumara just turned 25, has earlier won the junior open three times, caddies open, was placed third in the Sri Lanka open tournament 2003 and secured second place in the Sri Lanka Amateur 2003.

An old boy of Susumayawardena M.V., Borella and employed by the R.C.G.C., Kumara is thankful to Rusi Captain, the President of the R.C.G.C., Shiran de Soyza and Mansoon for giving him all the assistance, financially and otherwise to reach this top rung that he is enjoying today in the golf arena.

Kumara is of the view that with more local tournaments for juniors and at least a practice range for the non-members at the R.C.G.C. and Nuwara Eliya Golf Club, now that Victoria Golf Club had offered this facility even to school children, Sri Lanka surely will be in a position to produce many a noteworthy young golfer in the near future.

He aims to win another couple of amateur championships and then hopes to become a professional.

Like Kumara, Kandasamy Prabagaran too was a ball boy at the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club. He too with a cherished dream of becoming a top golfer in Sri Lanka, made use of every opportunity he had to practise the game hard from the teeny weeny age of eight.

Prabagaran's dream showed signs of becoming a reality, the day he won the Nuwara Eliya caddies tournament in the year 2001. He followed it up by pocketing the Sri  Lanka junior open tournament in Digana Victoria, the same year. In 2001 he secured employment in Abu Dhabi as a course master and exhibited his skills at golf on foreign soil too.

Returning to Sri Lanka in 2003, Prabagaran fulfilled his dream by winning the 2003, Amateur Open Golf Championship in Nuwara Eliya.

Employed at the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club, Pro Shop, Prabagaran too hopes to win another couple of amateur tournaments and then intends to become a professional.