Pitch bad, our batting worse

By T.M.K. Samat  EVEN time is not likely to hide the horrible role of the Darwin pitch in determining the outcome of last week's Test. Past matches, as the mists of time envelope them, are usually remembered by what historians' write in cold, emotionless language. And the Darwin Test, only the second in history, will be recorded thus: Australia (207 and 202) beat Sri Lanka (97 and 162) by 149 runs. It will be noted as well, the Test was completed in three days, though in precise terms, not. The match ended an hour and half before the day was out. Reading of those statistics at some future time is likely to arouse some curiosity, in the way score sheets of the Bodyline series of long ago yet do. After all, not one of the four totals in Darwin dignifies Test cricket, or its duration, which, effectively, were a few hours pass half time.

Marvan Atapattu: will have to match his good words with deeds

The quick bowlers had exceptional success: 30 wickets and three five-wicket hauls. All of which make it hard to conceal that the advantages were stacked on the side of bowlers _ to a point of blatant favouritism.

There can be little argument over the pitch's suitability for a Test match _ it wasn't. Of course, you don't have to bend imagination to understand why Darwin hasn't provoked the sort of gnashing of teeth and screaming that Asgiriya, Gujuranwala or Mohali would have had wickets tumbled in a rush in those remote places. But in the cause of developing the game in the backwater that is the Northern Territories, let there be no public ridiculing of Darwin's disgrace!

To lay all of the blame for the premature demise of Atapattu's men at the door of the Darwin curator, however, would be self-delusion. It's not as if the pitch was so conditioned to suit only the Australian quick bowlers. Vaas, new boy Malinga and Zoysa, collectively, profited as much as McGrath, Kasprowicz and Gillespie. Restricting the powerful Australian batting to impossibly modest totals _without Muralitharan _ speaks of a pitch manufactured especially for the quicks. And, in Vaas' word, "all we had to do was to put the ball in the right spot" _ and bingo, the wickets tumbled out.

It was a pig of a pitch to bat on, though. And it was always going to be an awesome task for our batsmen to accumulate a two-inning total of over 400, which was the victory sum. Difficult as it was, achievement of it didn't belong exactly to the realms of fiction. But in the end it proved just that, thanks to our spineless first innings of a beggarly 97, indefensible even in a 50-over scrap. Thus, the eventual target posed, 312 runs in limitless time, became utterly impractical.

Frustratingly, a chance to show the world that Sri Lanka isn't a Muralitharan XI was carelessly thrown into the bins. Any thought that, having shot out the Australians cheaply twice, Sri Lanka ought to have won is a touch too optimistic. But to concede a 149-run margin to an opposition that barely garnered totals of 200s is rather a give-away _ and ingratitude of a colossal magnitude shown by batsmen to bowlers.

Skipper Atapattu has quite some talking to do to shore up the spirits of Vaas, Malinga and Zoysa _ not easy, especially with problems of his own to sort out. He couldn't do better than 4 runs in each of the innings, and one hopes his and the team's failure wouldn't undermine his leadership, as it did his predecessor.

Unless there's a dramatic transformation in Cairns, especially in batting, his leadership is going to be questioned, remembering that his predecessor's captaincy came in for severe roasting for lesser losses than this. If anything his failures are going to be shown in greater glare than Hashan Tillekeratne's, simply because the batting dependence is greater on him than it had been on his predecessor, ensconced as he was in the middle order. It doesn't do Atapattu, and his team, any good to be the first man out, quickly too, and trigger panic in the dressing room.

It has to be said, however, that he's saying the right words in the aftermath of the defeat and approaching the second Test. "As Test cricketers at this level we should recover and come back for the next Test, otherwise I don't think we should be playing Test cricket," he said. To the ''recover and come back" part, he might have added, ''beginning from me." Though unsaid, there's little doubt that's what he's saying to himself. One who began his career with enough ducks to start a farm and then went on to make plentiful double hundreds, there's little doubt that Atapattu would eventually get on top of his problems.

But time and patience is not on his side. Being a member of the team, led by Sanath Jayasuriya, that was no. 3 in the 2000-01 Test rankings and reeled off ten successive Test wins, the current standing of seventh rankings brings no comfort. To climb up to no.5 by conquering the Aussies in their own backyard is an unrealistic challenge. What were hoped for were two solid performances in the Tests against the world champions so that a platform would have been laid for the battles over the next six odd months: against South Africa here, New Zealand there and India across the waters.

Darwin was lost quickly, and anything less than a draw in Cairns is, inevitably, going to bring demands for changes in personnel. Not that the squad on tour is perfect. The inclusion of Kaluvitharne initially didn't make sense _ it has become nonsense now. At best he is  'emergency' wicket keeper, a job that Dilshan can do anyway. The future of Kaluvitharne, however, isn't half as problematic as considering the future of some of the more established names.

Lest, the disaster in Darwin is passed off as ''a part and parcel of cricket" _ it has to be reminded that the inconsistency of our top order remains a continuing worry. During the home series against Australia, inconsistency plagued us in all three Tests. One or two batsmen might have saved the blushes, but never did the batting click collectively _ and never in both innings of a Test. Consequently, all three Tests were lost, after being in highly promising situations in all. Discounting the irrelevant successes in Zimbabwe, things have gotten only worse, as Darwin proves.

In that backdrop it makes sense to review our top order. The Darwin pitch might have had a lot going for the bowlers, but as Lehemann, Martyn and Gilchrist showed, with application, significant contributions were possible. Mahela Jayewardene showed some gumption, and the rest, none. In both innings Sri Lanka had lost early wickets in a rush and then struggled. And not for the first time either. The top order _ of Jayasuriya, Atapattu, Sangakkara and Jayewardene _ are experienced campaigners and are expected to shape the innings. But they are getting to be anything but reliable; Atapattu and Jayewardene haven't scored a hundred since 2002, Sanagakkara even longer, and Jayasuriya, last year, his first ton in some seasons. The many 100s recently against Zimbabwe have to be disregarded for obvious reasons.

The disposal of any from the top four is unthinkable owing to lack of a worthy second line, a situation brought on by the questionable adherence to the established lineup. Memories of past centuries seem good enough to keep faith in the old order. Which makes it tougher for new blood to breakthrough. Nothing less than a string of centuries first up can earn newcomers some sort of permanency, e.g. Thilan Samaraweera. The same, however, is not demanded of the experienced.

It's been quite another policy for the bowler. Muralitharan and Vaas apart, it's been much a free-for-all for the other places. Buddhika, Nissanka, Pulasthi Guneratne, Kaushaliya Weeraratne, Suresh Perera, Nuwan Zoysa, Gamage, Ruchira Perera, Dinusha Fernando, and to complete an eleven, R. Pushpakumara. A more comprehensive search would unearth a sizeable list of reserves as well, all of who have been briefly experimented with and then discarded.

Clearly, the selectors have been harshly impatient with bowlers seeking permanency. But it has to be said that the ''perform or perish" policy for the bowlers has worked far better than the more accommodating principle by which batsmen are chosen. Selector de Mel and co so ought to put a reasonable shelf-date on batsmen's deeds of long ago. Unless those distant achievements are renewed, it makes sense to bring in a fresh stock.

Moment of Sourjah's life - and Police Rugby's, too

BABA Bagoos Sourjah wasn't a pretty sight when we last saw him. That was back in 1968, one day in May, at Police Park. ''My right foot was acting like 'Bombay looking, Calcutta going' _ I was walking towards the Flats end, but the right foot was taking me towards High Level road. It had wrenched out at the knee," says the one-time Police rugby fullback, now 68 years and grandfather to eight. '' I didn't know at the time that I was leaving the rugby field forever. It wasn't the sort of way players want to leave the game."

And so, the player who contributed most to the conversion of Police to an A division side went out of the headlines and into obscurity, doing duty in lonely, remote stations of Jaffna, Batticaloa, Nuwara Eliya and Badulla until his retirement in 1986. By then he had of course risen to the rank of inspector, from constable. His legacy from rugby, though, was only fading memories of old deeds, which, to some three succeeding generations are tales of old men with nothing to do. 

The Police Rugby Committee, however, wants its old faithful stars to know that they are yet remembered _ and in Sourjah's case, memorably. They've made it possible for him to walk the ground that he limped off that day in May thirty-seven years ago _ as Guest of Honour at Police's final league game on August 6, against CH & FC.

''We thought we should pay tribute to players who have contributed to Police rugby in the past _ and there was no argument who should be first on the list. If there's one person responsible for the Police's promotion to A division it is BB," said DIG Nimal Lewke, chairman of Police rugby and initiator of the tribute-the-old stars scheme. ''After all, his extra-time penalty that put the Police into the 1967 Cup final is part of rugby folklore."

Folklore indeed. To fully comprehend the magnitude of that semi-final win over the then defending champions, CR & FC, it's best to metaphor the scene of 38 years ago into present-day rugby. The Police, led by S Sivenderan, was a B division team in 1967, and under the tournament rules of the time, the winners of the B division, which Police were in '67, qualified to play with the big guns in the Clifford Cup knockout round. Had that rule not been discarded, what it would mean is, the present-day B division champions (Sabaragamuwa, Ruhunu, who ever) meeting and defeating the 2003 champions, Kandy SC, in the 2004 semifinal.

An impossible scenario, you'll agree. But '67 was then and this is now. The quality of second division rugby quality in mid-60s was far superior to now. But yet, for a B division side of 1967 to defeat the A division reigning champions was thought to be, if not impossible, extremely difficult. ''No one, us included, gave Police a chance against the CR. But that didn't mean we weren't going to give it one hell of a try. We didn't have the technical sophistication of the champion team and we were not going to match them in that aspect. Our plan was simple: prevent them from scoring, wait for a few penalties to come our way and let BB do the job," recalled Sivenderan.

''The plan worked and what followed was merry mayhem _ it took us a good two hours to travel the quarter mile between the Havelocks (the semfinal venue) and the Police Depot. Havelock Road was a mass of heads (of supporters) and immobile cars and buses. one huge traffic jam _ not surprising 'cos officers on traffic-duty, they told me, pocketed their whistles and joined the happy celebrations as well. All of Colombo Police was swept to another world, mostly to where Bacchus lives." The 1967 final, however, brought less happy tidings as the Police lost to a youth-filled Havelocks team, led by Gamini Fernando.

That semifinal memories, no doubt, will be re-lived after the August 6 match, when past players reassemble at the Officers Mess to ceremonially award Sourjah a cheque of Rs.100, 000 for his contributions to Police rugby _ in times when it was played, unlike now, not for a salary. ''What BB gets as a token benefit (for nearly a decade of service to Police rugby) is the sort of money some present-day players earn from a month of playing. I am sure old BB won't count this tribute in rupees and cents, but will value the sentiments behind it _ that he and his deeds are not forgotten," said DIG Lewke.

Sourjah remembers that semifinal all too well. ''CR were leading 6-nil (Joachim's penalty and Thiruchitampalam's try) for much of the game but we managed to make it 6-all a few minutes before full-time through two penalties by me. The team that scored first in extra time would win, and I felt we had the advantage here because we were fitter," said Sourjah. ''I remember there was a scrum near midfield, in the CR half, closer to the Isipathana-end touchline. We won the scrum. Our no.8 Anton Benedict held the ball long enough and put (flanker) Sari de Sylva off side. The moment had arrived _ from then on I can't remember the details; the tension was too much and I did things mechanically, in a trance."

Skipper Sivenderan remembers better that moment between awarding of the penalty and the kick. ''I gave the ball to Sourjah, looked him square in the face and said 'you and Police are close to history _ now go make it'," recalled Sivenderan. ''I stood by him as he placed the ball and came back for the kick_ and then watched it sail between the posts. I embraced Sourjah, and then lost contact with mother earth _ we were carried off the field on hundreds of shoulders and to the waiting chaos in club house."

Getting back to that ''moment" of Police rugby: flanker Ratnasingham, says Sivenderan, raised his arms to the darkened skies and ''like a Katagarama devotee yelled for help from Lord Muruga for victory". Out in the stands, however, there was tragedy as one inspector lost his life in that '' moment", succumbing to the fevered tension. That 'moment' of 1967 is everlasting.

It was an extraordinary match, and rewarding its hero 37 years later isn't an outdated tribute.

SLTA cements Rs.1.5 m. deal with Lafarge 

THE SLTA has clinched a three-year sponsorship deal, worth Rs.1.5 million, from Lafarge Mahaweli Cement (Pvt) Ltd. last week

Under the agreement, the company will be the main sponsor of Sri Lanka's premier tennis tournament, the National Championships, for three years, beginning with next month's 89th annual edition to be held on the SLTA courts, Green Path.

''Lafarge Mahaweli will invest Rs.500, 000 in each of the next three annual National Championships _ a part of which will be diverted to the development fund and the rest in the event itself," said Lionel Almeida, SLTA's CEO. ''It's a healthy package we've obtained, but then with an 89-year history, the Nationals was always was going to fetch a good price."

The feeling is mutual. Says the company's Managing Director, Rex Hatherly: ''Lafarge Mahaweli is obviously delighted to be associated with the country's most prestigious tennis championship _ and the depth of its tradition is, well, a bonus."

The National Championships has been staged since 1908, interrupted only by the World Wars of 1915-18 and 1942-45. During much of the colonial years, the event was staged in Nuwara Eliya in April as part of the Easter holiday season. Its reputation of an enjoyably competitive event was spread beyond the country's shores, attracting competitors from the sub continent, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore in the past.

Organizers are hopeful overseas competitors will make reappearances, if not this year then certainly in the years approaching and the centenary championship itself. ''We had some inquiries from India last year, and this year we've officially invited national associations in the subcontinent as well as Singapore and Malaysia. We're hoping they'll respond positively," said CEO Almeida.

The championship will carry a prize purse of Rs.175, 000 with the men's and women's singles champions taking Rs.25, 000 and Rs.20, 000 respectively.

Meanwhile, the TransAsia tournament, a C Grade ranking event, gets underway on the hotel courts tomorrow. The finals are scheduled for July 18. Thirteen titles, for under-12s to adults, along with prizes of cash, gifts and weekend holidays will be at stake.

Bitter Lemon Tri-Nations South Asian Regatta
- a huge success 

The finals of the tenth Tri Nations Asia Yachting Regatta sponsored by the manufacturers of Bitter Lemon, Elephant House and John Keells Holdings, were held at the Ceylon Motor Yacht Club on Bolgoda Lake on Sunday 4 July. This event which has been revived after a lapse of 23 years due to the tireless efforts of the Yachting Association of Sri Lanka evoked an enthusiastic response from both participant and spectator alike.

The regatta saw teams from Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan vying for the SAYR trophy which was sailed for the first time in Trincomalee in 1970.

This year's tournament was another milestone with the introduction of the Optimist class where the youngest participant was nine years of age.

The team race for the Lipton Trophy was won by Pakistan with Sri Lanka and India coming second and third respectively.

The Optimists Team race was won by India with Sri Lanka's B Team coming in second, Pakistan third and Sri Lanka's A team finishing fourth.

Optimist Individual senior was won by Akshan Jirasinghe of Sri Lanka, Suraj Singhe of India was placed second and Oshan Weerasinghe of Sri Lanka was placed third.

Optimist individual junior's Ishan Abeysekera of Sri Lanka was placed first, Devin Gunawardene of Sri Lanka was placed second, and Waled Toben of Pakistan was placed third.

The Lewis Brown team even was won by Pakistan, with India second and Sri Lanka third.

Sri Lankan Sailors Anil Gunawardana (GP14 class), Akshan Jirasinha (Optimist class, over 13) and Ishan Abeysekera (St. Thomas' Prep. School, Optimist class, under 14) succeeded in winning all the individual events in the tri-nation South Asian Yachting Regatta held at Bolgoda from 2-4 July sponsored by Bitter Lemon. Gunawardana succeeded in relegating Asian Games silver medallist Mamoon Sadiq of Pakistan to second place.

Sri Lanka was relegated to silver, however, in the team racing events, being beaten by India in the Optimist class and Pakistan in the Enterprise class.

All but one member of the national Enterprise team were drawn from the Sri Lanka Navy Sailing Club: W.P.K. Janaka crewed by K.D.S. Kumara; L.P.K. Gunatilaka crewed by W.A.R. Nishantha; and Sarith Pethiyagoda (Colombo International School), crewed by D.P. Newton. The silver-winning Sri Lanka Optimist "B" Team included Akshan Jirasinha (St. Thomas' Prep), Devin Goonewardena (Safford), Indrajith Abeysena (Lyceum International) and Oshan Weerasinghe (Royal College).

The next South Asian Yachting Regatta has been fixed to be sailed in Karachi, Pakistan, in July 2005.