From sublime to the ridiculous

By T.M.K. Samat  AFTER those sublime sessions on Saturday and Sunday last in Cairns, it was excusable to reach for the phial of Valium during the closing session, Tuesday. It might have been dramatic stuff, but it befuddled our senses to reason why a batting that only some 48 hours ago had the Australians on the run should now be cringing for survival. But then we should've known better not to expect anything better. Recent history, after all, shows that Sri Lanka batting is much a ''one step forward, two steps backward" thing _ flatter-flop-flop it goes. And surely now, for the umpteenth time angry lamentations at the continuing inconsistency will be aired, followed by little or no address to the problem, as the issue moves to among life's forgotten things. For the time being let's put the problem of inconsistency aside and reflect on the concluded tour itself. It got off on the wrong foot with the squad emplaning under a pall of gloom. There was no Muralitharan to turn to, not something easy to come to terms with given the habitual reliance on him for a decade-plus.

Upul Chandana, a match bag of 10 wickets

 The pre-tour preponderance on Muralitharan's withdrawal had been so great that other aspects; including even selections (of which a few were dubious) went unnoticed. All that sound and fury over a player who wasn't going to tour anyway, clearly, went to create an impression that Muralitharan is Sri Lanka Cricket. That might be fact, but the overbearing accentuation of his absence can't be quite what the doctor ordered a team flying out to face the petrifying challenge of the World Champions.

It's not as if Muralitharan's presence would've greatly enhanced our chances, remembering, even with him, the Australians, on our shores at that, whitewashed the team just last March. So, the ultimate we might have hoped for would've been draws in both of the Tests. In other words: deny Australia the wins expected of them. Half that dream was promptly thrown out of the window in Darwin. To be fair, the pitch there reserved all its riches for the quicks; Sri Lanka's pacemen prospered as much as Australia's. It all came down to which team's batsmen were better equipped to cope with the treacherous pitch; Australia's were. And the match was over in less than three days.

The Cairns pitch was going to write a different story. Bangladesh had made 300-plus runs last year about this time, so, Sri Lanka logically ought to strike it richer. So it was thought. With that sort of promise, the wish might have been for Atapattu to call right the fall of the coin. He did, but handed Australia first taking of a pitch ripe with runs. Whether Sri Lanka fell to the old Australian trick of misleading (read as media-leading) the opposition or was motivated by a genuine belief that there was early life in the pitch, only the inner circle will know. But, as Atapattu found out, even on the second and third days, the pitch was near flawless for batting. So did Australia on the fourth day as they rushed along a sizeable lead. And when they declared on the fifth morning at 292/9, four innings had yielded a huge 1,264 runs _ better evidence that this was yet a pitch for batting couldn't be provided.

Posed with a target of 355 in just over two sessions, a victory by Sri Lanka was never going to be possible. A comfortable draw would do nicely. A draw it was, but not before Atapattu's men had shed a bathtub of cold sweat. Vaas and Zoysa, nos. 9 and 10, it were who held up a collapsing roof, surviving some thirty minutes of suffocating pressure, with all bar the bowler's breathing hissing in their ears. Ironically, many of the specialists succumbed to lesser pressure _ and not for the first time.

The long anxiety before the end draw, on reflection, wasn't necessary _ for both teams. The Australians might have been safely home and dry had they not put down four crucial catches during Sri Lanka's final-day survival bid. Though it was Vaas and Zoysa who eventually helped saved us from calamity, Sri Lanka had made things difficult for themselves on the third day. Cruising towards the 200-mark with Atapattu and Sangakkara in sublime touch _ and the Aussie bowlers helpless _ overhauling the home team's first innings 517 was a realistic proposition.

But then the familiar lunacy struck: Sangakkara, Jayewardene and Dilshan, all visibly settled comfortably for long innings, lose their heads and gift away their wickets. That we eventually got within 62 runs of Australia was entirely due to the old fashion commonsense of Thilan Samaraweera, who, like the way he bats, has quietly, patiently and imperceptibly emerged the most reliable of our batsmen. Another Atapattu, if you like _ one or two more of whom would make a more secure Test batting line up. But obduracy, not necessarily a bad thing, isn't what earned us a reputation. Rather, the bang-'n-go style, which is all right if a 'banger' like Jayasuriya and the restless talents of Sangakkara, Jayewardene and Dilshan succeed. When they do, the sight is as thrilling as a whole fireworks store on fire. But in critical situations, which we frequently find ourselves in these days, dazzlers aren't who we need _ more, batsmen of sober ways.

The trouble, though, is that the attackers carry permanent status. It will indeed take a very brave set of selectors to shed Jayasuriya, Sangakkara, Jayewardene or Dilshan for a defensively bent batsman. It's not that this quartet can't play defensive roles, but their discomfiture is easy to discern when they do. Clearly, playing out of character, they look vulnerable.

The imbalance between dazzlers and the sober is something that selectors would have to address when they choose the squad for next month's series against South Africa. For that to happen, sentimentality ought to be left at the door. The A team tour of England has brought into focus quite a few batsmen of promise, and they aren't exactly revelations. The likes of Mubarak and Daniel have been around, and likely to be lost if timely recognition isn't given, as was the case with Indika de Saram and Chamara Silva, hailed as discoveries in 1999.

One hopes though, that Russell Arnold would not go the way of de Saram and Silva. Arnold has been left out of the Asia Cup squad. Whether he will be cold-shouldered for the August Test series isn't certain. For now he remains on the doubtful list. The uncertainty surrounding Arnolds' future in some ways is undeserving, remembering that not many moons ago he was being spoken of as a candidate for future captaincy. Unfortunately though, he wasn't quite treated the way an heir apparent  ought to, not in way Atapattu, during his heir apparent days, was or Jayewardene or Sangakkara are _ I mean, the way he has be shunted about in the batting order. Consequently, he has had to long endure a confidence crisis, unfairly.

Given his quiet, thoughtful temperament, Arnold ideally fits anywhere between 1-4. But present occupiers of those slots are considered indispensable, even though the top order has been questionable. Back in the English summer of 2002 when the continuing failures of Jayasuriya prompted Arnold's promotion to opener, the defiant left-hander responded with a century, no less. But Jayasuriya is captain and he bats where he wants _end of Arnold's life as an opener.

As told in these columns a fortnight ago, there has to be a policy change in the batting selections _ from one of choosing on memories of past deeds to selecting on the basis of recent form. The latter is the sort of policy applied for the bowlers, bar of course Muralithran and Vaas _ and which has paid off handsomely. The just concluded two-Test series in Australia showcases that "deliver-or-die" policy: of the four innings, Australia were bowled out thrice and nine-down in the fourth. As well, the discovery of a sensation, Malinga. Unfortunately, there has been far less trawling done for the batting sensations. And so, we go our flatter-flop-flop way.

I WAS WRONG: Last week I said Atapattu's last Test century, discounting the ones made in Zimbabwe this year was in the 2002 in England. Not true: he made a century against the Aussies last March. Sorry, skipper.

Rohan: Another day, another win

ROHAN De Silva burnt up the Pannala tracks in his bullet-on-wheels-like Formula Ford to take the winner's flag in the premier 10-lap Suntel Wow race. No big deal, really, the man himself might well exclaim: after all, his triumph of two Sundays ago only means one more silver to a roomful of trophies and another newspaper clipping to a scrapbook of encyclopedic proportion.

The speed fiend has been around the tracks a long time, and done it many times before. And if victories here were celebrated the way it is in foreign lands, then, he might've sprayed enough champagne to float a boat. ''I quit keeping count of my wins a long time ago," says De Silva matter-of-factly. ''A count back is beyond my grasp _ and getting an accurate inventory of the winners trophies, I guess, has now become a job for the auditors."

So, another win is no big deal, really. If there's anything to marvel, it is that he's racing at all _ aged 52, the time of life when youth's reckless bravado is shunned in exchange for longer life. But there was De Silva that Sunday in Pannala, only a helmet for protection, sitting just three inches above ground in his sharp-nosed, single-seat Formula Ford _ tearing around the 1.8 km track as if there's no tomorrow, in an air turned acrid by smouldering rubber and fumes of burning oil and gasoline. Not quite the environment for any over-50 to be in.

Tell that to De Silva and he has a spontaneous one-word answer: "Passion."  He then explains the likely reason for this extraordinary longevity to his passion. ''I know 50-plus isn't the time of life to be challenging the limits of speed. If you've been in racing since, say18, which is the age most racers have their first taste of the track, then by mid-40s your passion would have been fulfilled," says the father of one, who, when not behind the wheel of his racer, steers the destinies of blue chip McLarens Ltd as Group Managing Director. ''But I was 24, and married, when I first raced."

And thereby hangs a lovely tale. It is not as if De Silva unintentionally stumbled on to racing track. ''No question about it_ motor racing had completely arrested me when I was about 10. My uncle Chandra Edirisinghe was a racer in the 70s and he would take me along to meets in Katunayake, Katukurunda, Kandy, where ever. By 18, I was ready and willing to get on the track," recalled De Silva, the youngest among four off springs. ''But the problem was my father _ he didn't like the idea and made sure I didn't have a car of my own."

The old man, one-time chairman of Colombo Ports Authority and later chairman of J D McLarens Shipping, wasn't all that a dictatorial sort of fellow. ''After marriage he gave me independence _ and the freedom to own my own car. I was ready for racing," said De Silva. ''My friends yet joke that I got married to race."  His wife, Malathi, takes that remark as a compliment. Says the hubby: ''Apart from being responsible for starting my racing career, she is as keen as me about motor racing and so, tremendously supportive. After all, which wife would agree to clear the living room, furniture, carpets and all, to make space to assemble a Ford Formula in the middle of her home? She did."  Trackside, Malathi, is called the ''lady with the sandwiches and coffee".

De Silva's first car was a second-hand 1200 c.c. Fiat 124, a purchase made ostensibly to take him to office and back _ but, you guessed it, was sawn, screwed and soup-upped to be a racer. From that first car, De Silva now has a stable of 16 Ford Formulas and 11 stock cars, used by him and his team of drivers. And that Fiat 124 of 1978 has now found its way into his collection of memorabilia, albeit only its four wheels. ''I crashed it, not on the track, but on to a wall near Galle Face at 2 a.m. while returning after Port work. I fell asleep on the wheel. It was passed for scrap, but I salvaged the rims for souvenirs," said De Silva

There was another time, his car hit the kerb, turned turtle four times and tumbled into the Kandy Lake. ''I came out of the water unhurt, but the car was a total wreck. One of the rims was bent in two and looked like a crude sandwich," said De Silva. ''It is now among my souvenirs." There are souvenirs, too, he carries with him: fragments of a windscreen embedded in his right forearm. '' You can feel the pieces of glass if you run your fingers over my arm _ something I picked up from a crash three years ago in a Super Cross in Anuradhapura."

But his 26-year career has had more triumphs than tragedies. On reflection he says: ''I won't say retirement is contemplated. I still love to zip around the track, but my passion is drifting more in the direction of taking Sri Lanka motor racing to another level. Presently, we have an anything-goes administration and loads of controversies. The public perception is that more motor racing battles are fought in the courthouse than on the tracks _ not quite an exaggerated view, " says De Silva. " The problem is that we have moneyed officials looking for a place in society _ not genuinely committed to improving racing."

His' is not the only protesting voice. ''There are about a dozen genuine people who have tried to reform the administration over the years, but without success. And our collective frustration has pushed us to forming a club affiliated to the Asian Racers Club (ARC) and are planning to hold races of our own," said De Silva.

ARC is made up of clubs from India, Singapore, Malyasia and Thailand. ''ARC has a series of meets in its member-countries. The host country lays out the requirements on the ground but ARC and its officials conduct the meet. What this means is that we'll have properly conducted races _ something that can't be said of locally run meets these days," said De Silva. ''Of course, the biggest attraction is that we'll have racers from the member countries competing here."

And will he and his sharp-nosed, single-seat Formula Ford be a part of the ARC circuit? ''You bet. Winning one of them will be a big deal, really," says the man who the racing fraternity calls, ''Uncle".

So, the armchair and a pipe to chew on are more than a few laps away from Uncle.

Franklin, Harshna get lessons on mental toughness

SRI LANKA tennis has turned to sport psychology to bring mental toughness to its players.

Davis Cup representatives, Franklin Emmanuel and Harshna Godmanne, both schoolboys, spent more than an hour last Thursday with Philip Holt, a reputed mind trainer from England.

''Sport psychology is very much a part of a player's training schedule these days in the top tennis-playing countries of the world. We too want to move in that direction, and chose two of our best young prospects for an hour long session with Philip Holt, who is an internationally known mind trainer," said SLTA General Secretary, Maxwell de Silva. ''It is an experimental exercise, and if proved successful with Frankie and Harshna, we'll obviously be exposing more players to Holt."

SLTA officials will be looking with more than casual interest at the performances of the two youngsters at next month's 89th National Championships and then the US$ 10,000 Futures tournament Colombo in early September.

Emmanuel and Godamanne will stay in touch with Holt via e-mail and telephone to build on the hour-long lessons of last week. '' Fundamentally, the job is about giving the player the mental strength to take control when things are going against him. For this you need to train your brain _ same as you need to train to master the winning strokes," said Holt. '' Frankie and Harshana were both very receptive during the lessons, and no doubt would be practicing them on court. I am sure they'll be contacting me to get further advice _ it takes a while before self-belief becomes nature."

Holt should know. Among those who consult him include Olympic medallists (''I have to respect international stars request for secrecy so I can't reveal names") and show-biz celebrities from Italy, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and the U.K. He also conducts workshops for companies the world over, including Sri Lanka.

''He has conducted quite a few successful lectures on motivation for my company staff, which is why I think he'll be useful for our tennis," said de Silva, who heads his own shipping and freight company.

Lanka - weakest of the senior cricketing nations

By Peter Roebuck 

Sri Lanka is the weakest of the senior cricketing countries of the region, a point amply confirmed by events Down Under over the last few days. Moreover, Sri Lanka has built up a needless rivalry with its strongest supporter in the game, a country that has offered advice and other forms of assistance over the years. Rather that appreciating and sustaining the relationship with Australia, , powerful elements in local cricket have played to the crowd. Sri Lanka has no need to go upon its knees to ask for a helping hand. After all it is a sovereign state and a proud nation. On the other hand it is foolish to fall into the trap of showmanship calculated to appeal only to the mob whose emotions are easily manipulated.

  Senior voices have ranted and raved about white prejudice or else colonial influence , phrases that roll off the tongueto impress only those with straw in their heads. It has been a ruse to secure popularity whilst at the same time disguising the parlous state of cricket across the country, a situation due mostly to the inactivity of those very people who complain the loudest.

  Rather than bleating about Australians and even bad umpiring- and it has been awful- these politicians dressed as philosophers should be constructing a plan calculated to give a small nation a fighting chance of holding its own against experienced opponents with great facilities, plenty of ambition and a proud tradition. Sri Lanka has wasted too much time and too many resources on squabbling motivated by a thirst for power and a love of money. Arguing never produced a cricketer. Jealousy appeals only to small minds. Visionaries and workers are needed, and urgently. By their deeds shall ye know them.

Sri Lanka has arrived in Australia missing only one player. Admittedly a few long-standing servants have in recent years been obliged by the passing of time and the slowing of body and mind to withdraw their services but this happens wherever the game is played. One man is away and suddenly the attack looks threadbare. Amongst those playing in Crocodile Dundee country only Chaminda Vaas belongs to the highest class. And he has been around a long time. When comes such another?

In truth the fall of the first Australian wicket told the story, a long hop sent down by a part- time off-spinner directed a yard outside leg-stump that an accomplished batsman managed to hit straight down the throat of a man quietly grazing at short fine-leg. It was a horrible ball and a painful dismissal. Otherwise Matthew Hayden might still be batting.

 Apart from Murali and Chaminda it is hard to imagine any Sri Lanka player being mentioned by selectors presented with a task of choosing the best side from the region. Certainly some of the batsmen have impressive records but the game has changed and figures no longer mean as much. Lots of batsmen have been filling their proverbial boots against bowlers who are Test cricketers in name only. No-one can blame them. No batsmen in his right mind throws his wicket away when runs can be collected with the ease displayed by a card shark amongst innocents. But those runs do not mean much.

Accordingly, Sri Lankan supporters need not be surprised by events in the remote parts of the southern continent. Indeed the matches have been as predictable as a fight between mighty and meek. Everyone knows that David slayed Goliath but who would you back next time? Don't you think that Goliath would come better prepared?

Far from making excuses or condemning the players, Sri Lanka Cricket should try to take leaf out of the book of the Greek soccer team that recently overcame overwhelming odds to win the European trophy. Bear in mind that Greece had never previously won a match in this competition let alone an entire tournament. But the side arrived as a well organised outfit without any pretensions and fully aware of the need to work tirelessly every minute of every match. Even now, few followers of the game could name a single Greek player- I can remember only the grey haired goalie and a towering centre-half. Yet Greece met the champions favourites and hosts ( twice) and never looked like losing.

  Soccer is a team game but Sri Lankan cricket can copy the commitment , unity, maturity and effort of the Greeks. Nothing else is going to work. Murali has been magnificent but he is not immortal. Only in his absence is Lankan cricket truly able to assess its position in the game.

Singer Mega Cup - Ladies Golf 

Singer Mega - Sri Lanka's "Truly International Brands" retailer announced the sponsorship of Ladies Section Golf Tournament 2004/2005.  Singer Mega is happy to be associated with this event, specially its, a ladies golf tournament as 60% of our shoppers are ladies. Singer Mega caters to selective consumers who want nothing but the world's best international brands.

Singer Mega Medal Cup tournament is played over a period of 12 months. The final round will take place in early 2005. The tournament took off well with over 35 active participants.

Singer Mega is speciality store concept launched in 1998, and within a short period of time has gained consumer acceptance for its concept of marketing world's "Truly International Brands". We have proved that our success has been magnified by our association with our business partners such as Ramani Fernando, The Parfumerie, Stone 'n' String, Janets, Triumph Boutique, Dankotuwa Porcelain, Nagindas Home Deco, Quantum Tele Shopping. We have created an ambiance of definite consumer preference for visiting our store for more reasons than one.

Celebrating with the best 

United Tractors  & Equipment Ltd. (UTE) once again take  the lead to  celebrate  the silver anniversary  of the Pin Fernando Golf Trophy, together with their major  principals,  Caterpillar, Dexion and BT  as  their  joint sponsors  of one  of the most prestigious golf tournaments   on the golfing  calendar of the Royal   Colombo Golf Club.

 The Pin Fernando,  Trophy  was inaugurated  in 1979,  the centenary year of the RCGC to honour Pin  Fernando, who is still considered the greatest golfer, that  Sri Lanka has   produced. Although Pin moved   on to greener courses in 1981, the RCGC  now with  great support from  United Tractors  continues  to keep the memories  of Sri Lanka's golfing legend alive.

Tournament format is one qualification  round on Saturday the  17 July  and one final round on Sunday 18 July.

The Challenge Cup is one of the challenge  cups of the Havelock Golf Club, which  was taken over by the government for the BMICH. It had been  presented by Mr N J S Cooray, an eminent lawyer, - the  vice  president  of the HGC in 1953  who had presented it for team matches HGC vs RCGC.

Prominent personalities  have won the Pin Fernando Trophy  in the past - Senaka Senanayake, the artist was the first. Arjuna Fernando the famous tennis player has won it twice - in 1995 and 2000. Champion golfers who are now professional golfers have won the Trophy when they were amateurs. These are Willie Barsenbeck, Pheroze Billimoria nad Nandasena Perera. Alain Gyi and Pin's son, Priath a one time champion have won it. Norman, Chandraratne, a past president of the club won it in 1997. Last years winner was Mithun, son of Nandesena Perera, also a past winner, who was the first Sri Lankan golfer to win a silver medal at the Asian Games.

 Victoria's monthly medal Chamil clinches the crown 

The start of new Lectra Grand Prix at Victoria Golf & Country Resort was memorably recorded when Young Chamil Wickremasinghe returned a nett 63 to clinch the crown. J J Ambani scored an excellent nett 71 whilst Priath Fernando, Srinivas Rao, Roshan Dias scored nett 72.

The ladies division was highly competitive this month. Usha De Silva walked away with the prize for the winner. She returned a nett 69. Usha was closely followed by her sister Anusha Senadhira and Niloo Jayatilake both returning a nett score of 70.

Chamil Wickremasinghe also picked up the junior monthly medal. Sidath Hemachandra was placed runner up. Sidath returned a nett 70 to clinch the position. Ravana Perera won the mini junior medal.

This year's grand prix event was once again sponsored by Apparel Technologies Pvt Ltd. The grand prix is played in two divisions with the ladies playing a nett grand prix whilst the gents vying for a nett and a gross grand prix. As before all three-division carry a grand prize of an airline ticket on completion of the twelve months.