He stood by his decisions and convictions

Upali Ariyawansa

Cricket umpire Upali Ariyawansa passed away on November 13 at the age of 59, after a brief illness.

Born on October 20, 1948 Upali joined the Association of Cricket Umpires in February 1970 in the good old days when the ‘white coat’ was an essential part of an umpire.

An unassuming and soft-spoken individual, he soon became a respected and bold decision maker who achieved Grade I umpiring status in a matter of only seven years. This speaks volumes for his umpiring skills and dedication to acting without fear or favour. If not for his sojourn to the Middle East during the peak of his career to find greener pastures, I am sure Sri Lanka would have had another son of the soil on the ICC’s elite Panel of Umpires.

I have moved closely with him and what impressed me most was his conduct during the time he was a Vice President and Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of our association. A hard task master he was never afraid to call a spade a spade and then face the consequences.

I still remember his motto and advice to young umpires and scorers during his time in office: “Umpires and scorers are not on the playing side. We are not on any side, we do not care who wins. Such considerations would create an impossible conflict of interest for us. Truth is not some sort of prize to be awarded to whoever wins. Truth is forever – truth is the daughter of times.”

As an administrator he had no peers. He was a bold decision maker and stood by his convictions.
Farewell Ari, may the turf lie gently over you.

By Ignatius Anandappa, Retired Test Umpire & Administration Manager ACU & S-SL