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Cricket
World Cup 2003: What the stars foretell… The country
is abuzz with the billion dollar question: Will Sri Lanka recapture
the glory of 1996? We spoke to
some shining stars for their views - the high points, low points
and silly points - on the most looked forward to sporting event. Sri Lanka's
most popular film star, Sangeetha Weeraratne, fresh from her honeymoon
says like films, cricket - especially the one day version - is undoubtedly
another form of entertainment. "Sanath, Murali, Aravinda, Kalu and Sangakkara are my personal favourites and I never miss to watch a match whenever Sri Lanka plays, even though I am shooting. Whenever that swashbuckling Sanath -Kalu combination walked into the field, my stomach would be coiled with tension. I'd promptly close my eyes as they take the guard, fearing that one of them might get out if I watched". "It is really unfortunate for us that Kalu is not in the team or even in the squad, despite showing considerably good form. How funny that he scored 92 and 192 in the first club match just after he was sent back from South Africa recently." "We must that our team is pretty unpredictable, but I pray and hope from the bottom of my heart that our boys will come back with that all-important cup". My message to
the team: Go, get it guys. You can do it! Silver screen's
most popular hero Ranjan Ramanayake confessing that he hardly finds
time to watch cricket matches, says that the World Cup cricket tournament
would however change his daily itinerary. "Certainly
my eating, drinking habits are going to change as the cricket fever
reaches its peak". "I have
some close buddies in our team like Chaminda Vaas and Romesh Kaluwitharana.
It is tragic that Kalu who had played in two world cup tournaments
could not find a place in the team or even in the world cup squad.
He should have been in the team but we all know that the selectors
verdict is final." "Sri Lanka's
1996 world cup victory still remains high among my most memorable
memories. The entire country was in raptures when Arjuna led his
team to the unbelievable feat. That was truly magical". "My message
to the team: All the best. Fight to the finish! The country's
comedy king, Captain Cool Tennyson Cooray maintains seriously that
the mentality of our players should be solidified before expecting
miracles from them. "Unlike
players in other countries, most of our boys cannot boast of a permanent
place in the team. Whenever they get an opportunity to play it comes
under close scrutiny pressurising them immensely. With this sort
of mentality I don't think they could play their natural game". "The case
of Kalu is a fine example. He knows that the authorities expect
wonders whenever he gets that rare chance and that prevents him
from playing his natural game. It is sad that players of his calibre
and others are tested in that manner." " I rate
Arjuna, Aravinda, Sanath, Kalu as cricket stars who are household
names around the world. The entire Sri Lankan team has seen my drama"
Captain Cool". "I feel
that talented players deserve chances irrespective of their school,
family or political affiliations. Even a boy from Dambane or Colombo
7 should be given equal opportunity if he is talented." My message
to the team: Play to win. I pray that Sanath and his team would
drive straight to bring the cup to Sri Lanka. Popular vocalist
Mariazelle Gunatileke of Kandy Lamissi fame, strangely hopes that
the upcoming world cup matches would help her shed some of her excess
weight. "I became
an ardent cricket fan because of my son and I still learn more from
him. I think our chances of winning the cup stands at about 60%,
but obviously I hope and pray that we win the cup. You know sometimes,
prayers also do get answered." " I know my eating, drinking and sleeping schedules will definitely change as I glue myself to the TV and who knows as a result I might lose a few pounds." "Though
I like the whole team, Murali stands out as my favourite. I have
met most of them." My message
to the team: Cricket is a gentleman's game, so play it well and
bring back the cup! Popular stage,
teledrama, film actor and Swarnawahini's Creative Director Jackson
Anthony stresses that like cricket our country should strive to
build a culture for cinema, drama and literature too. "Today
cricket is a craze all over the country because there is a cricket
culture which was built after we won the world cup in 1996. But
even before that, the late Gamini Dissanayake took great pains to
bring cricket to this level. Today if a cricketer injures a thumb,
the news would get through even to the remotest part of the country
but if one of our films wins the best award in Asia, the news may
not go that far. This is why I say that we need a film culture in
this country. Like the late Mr. Dissanayake somebody has to lay
the foundation with far reaching visions". "I am
also a cricket fan and so is my family. My father is so fond of
cricket and has a habit of applying oil on the TV screen from the
lamp we have lit before the statue of Jesus Christ when our matches
are telecast. He believes that would bless the team towards a victory.
It is the same in villages too. I know people making special vows
in temples and kovils seeking victory for our team." My message
to the team: We cheer you from our homes. So play well and bring
the cup home! Top fashion
designer Rozanne Diaz believes that cricket is a game of luck and
that teamwork is the key for success. "We tend
to expect too much from Sanath and Murali, but in cricket, I feel
that individual brilliance will not always click. According to the
current form I see Australia and West Indies as strong contenders
but Sri Lanka with their talent should take the cake if they strive
hard". " I am
really sorry that the vital component, Romesh Kaluwitharana is not
in the team. He is a great source of encouragement to the team and
dishes out some fine entertainment to fans when he plays. I love
to see him on fire. That thundering Sanath-Kalu combination will
always remain in my memory." " I hope
and pray that our team returns with the cup". My message to the team: Go, get it guys. The entire country is behind you! Sirasa's Programmes
chief and talk-machine Kingsley Ratnayake - a product of the school
that produced world cup winning captain Arajuna Ranatunga - says
though the team is going through a lean phase now, with a bit of
luck we should see them doing wonders. " Our
morale level now is about 75% and with another 25% of luck, we should
click well. Heavy responsibilities lie on key players like Sanath,
Murali, Aravinda and Marvan and I think even Mahela can also play
a major role." " Regarding
the team's combination, of course I wish to reserve my comments
but I can't help mentioning about the non-inclusion of Kalu and
Upul Chandana. My personal feeling is that we have not sent a balanced
team. Of course, like the entire country I am also really going
to be addicted to the TV once the matches start. Of course, my daily
schedules are certainly going to be dictated by the match schedules."....... Kingsley Ratnayake
further said "Another unfortunate thing I see is that big money
is pumped into the game ranging from sponsorships to match fees
and I fear whether selfishness would some day overtake sportsmanship
due to this reason." My message
to the team: Fight to the last. Play your game well putting up spirited
efforts! Apsaras leader
and popular vocalist M. Mohanraj says cricket is a team game and
all must put in their best to achieve success. "I have close friends in the team. Sanath and I were conferred with doctorates by an international university in 1997. I was accorded for achievements in music while Sanath got it for sports. But we both don't use it before our names." "We have
a talented side and if all clicks well we should beat the unbeatables
to clinch the coveted cup. My schedules are definitely going to
change according to match times." My message
to the team: Nothing is impossible. We want to see you emerge as
champs! Popular vocalist
and ex-cricketer Ishaq Baig, who has played for Zahira College,
Colombo, Tamil Union and Moors says that losing matches is ok but
they should go down with dignity. "As a
Sri Lankan I want to see our team returning with the cup. But even
if you lose you should do so fighting. It's so sad to see our team
buckling in without a fight. Sanath, Murali and Vaas can make a
big difference on their day." "I have
so many friends in the team and I've played with Arjuna, Aravinda,
Hashan and Asanka. I love to watch Kaluwitharana at the crease.
He is a real entertainer and it's a pity and surprise that he's
not in the team." " Cricketers
are great music lovers and most of our players love my father's
songs. Hashan's favourite is 'Sinahawen Ho Kathawen Be'". My message
to the team: Show the world the class Sri Lankans are made of. We
like to see our national flag fluttering! Dream Team
Manager and the schoolmate of Kalu, Malcolm Perera said he always
believes that the Lankan team is capable of beating any cricketing
side in the world. "And I am sure they will do wonders at the
coming World Cup. It is indeed an unfortunate moment that our friend
'Kalu' is not playing in the tournament. But he can come back to
the team with a boom like he always did." Malcolm said. My message
to the team: You can do it boys Does lightning strike twice? Do miracles really take place? They did in 1996, turning the world of cricket upside down…and why not in 2003?
An essential
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Established by tennis superstar Rene Lacoste in 1933, the distinctive
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once again, it has re-emerged as the ultimate sportswear aesthetic
based on traditional Lacoste brand values of comfort, elegance and
that all-important sporting attitude to life. It is with
this unconventional but sophisticated style in mind that the new
Lacoste fragrance was developed . Pour Homme is fresh with a sophisticated
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perfumer Claude Dir wanted Pour Homme to immediately assert itself
as masculine, full of depth and sexy intensity. He created a unique
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self-awareness, with a core that remains energetic, uplifting and
easy to wear. Men's grooming
has become one of the biggest growth areas in the beauty business.
Men communicate their sense of style and well being though their
appearance. A great haircut and a great scent have all become a
necessity rather than a luxury. The Lacoste Pour Homme collection
is designed to offer the modern man a complete range of products
created in the same atmosphere of sophistication. Besides the standard
50ml and 100ml Eau de Toilette and After Shave, the collection also
features ancillaries for a complete fragrance regime. These include
the Pour Homme Shower Gel, Gentle After Shave Balm, Deodorant Stick
and spray. Once it was all about winning the Gold, but now men want to enjoy playing the game with a sporting attitude. Pour Homme is a modern classic in the making that matches the modern man's distinct and confident persona. 'Sudu
Kalu Saha Alu' Depicts the futility of war This film is
now being filmed at a specially built village in a location 'Kalu
Visa Pokuna' in Anuradhapura. A talented group including the director, Sudath Mahaadivulwewa has formed themselves in to a "Cine Shilpa" which consists of a full-time vocational media team made of scholars and academics with wide research exposure on soci-economic, cultural and human rights aspects including displaced people. Travelling far and wide throughout the island during the past twelve years, they have collected material for documentaries and social-audio-visual works. "In our endeavour, we have not only come across various types of people, but also been able to have live discussions and dialogues on their long felt needs and matters most concerning them" said the spokesman of the group. Moreover our
attention has been focused on studying the affected communities
and individuals who have been exposed to the same kind of problems
and tragedies under different conditions. He elaborated 'all our research information and experiences particularly gained through living-in methodology reveals that all the social miseries and the human tragedies of our society are having one single root cause that is the senseless cruel war that has engulfed our entire nation over period of twenty years. The objective
of our attempt is to present this tragedy of our society thus opening
a deep intellectual discourse on the damage, caused by the war to
us both within and outside our country" he said stating the
objectives of Cine Shilpa. In the light
of the above, we seriously believe the film "Sudu Kalu Alu"
is the need of the hour and therefore justifies the reasons as to
why we wanted to make this film. We do not deny
the fact that there were many creative attempts to highlight the
negative impact of war in Sri Lanka through the audio-visual media
in the recent past. Thus we feel it is of vital importance to place human drama and the "aspects of humanity" in the 'spot light', leaving the battleground actions in the 'back-drop'. This celluloid
experience will reach the areas either unknown or deliberately forgotten
by both the government of Sri Lanka and the non-governmental aid
agencies both local and international, as these people cannot be
compensated through the basket of relief, aid and assistance aimed
at them. As a result
the theme in the film is essentially to speak about the lives of
people who have lost the colour in their lives. In a nutshell
this is what Sudu Kalu Alu has to say ; "When war snatches the lives of this world, it rids the world of its colour, hence the surviving people, neither living nor dead, are left with the shades of ash. This story talks of such people, the souls who have not been given the opportunity to die, nor the pleasure to live. Material destruction caused by war and rampage is measurable, but the destruction caused to the minds of the victims and their lifestyle is infinite". |
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Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
The heat is on. The countdown has begun as the nation starts
to prepare for the ultimate sporting event - the 2003 Cricket World
Cup.
