Rover Pinpoints

Cover up, is it ?

There was much hue and cry going on regarding the WorldTel Affair since the names of two prominent figures - one a VIP and the other a Head of the a sports body were dragged into it. But one wonders whether this unsavoury incident has been swept under the carpet, for someone's benefit.

Damn the Sports Law?

Sports Ministry officials are learnt to be holding office in many other sports bodies and some of them in very prominent positions. How is this allowed now, when they were debarred from doing so earlier. Who allowed this and whose interests are they looking after?

Truth is better than vision.

Rover as promised two weeks ago could name 12 that went to England for the World Cup at Cricket Board expense. Their initials are given below: S.O.B.D., T.S., D.R., P.R., B.S.P., A.P., R.P., S.B., P.E., B.W., J.W., and N.R., the others next week. Rover learns that another 15 are to leave Sri Lanka today to witness the World Cup. God know at who's expense

Train hard to beat me

Susanthika Jayasinghe, true to her word that she could beat Damayanthi Darsha anywhere did so at the Doha Grand Prix in the 200 metres bettering the Asian Games Record, she earlier won in Osaka.

After having won at Qatar she is reported to have told Darsha and her Coach to train more seriously if they wanted to beat her. What good advice indeed..

Who is she?

The wife of a national sportsman, Rover understands, is in the habit of using the official telephone of this sport's controlling body for private purposes. Even meals are ordered for the family on official authorisation. Guess who settles the scores?

Stump Vision

World Champions Sri Lanka succumbed tamely to the five pronged South African pace attack on responsive wicket at Northampton to lose by 89 runs. This defeat, once again, exposed our batsmen's vulnerability to pace on a quickish wicket, and poses a puzzle regarding their selection.

"Horses for Courses" goes the popular English saying. But after having freely expressed fears of encountering seaming wickets in late spring and early summer, our selectors launched the established pair of Vaas and Wickramasinghe with the inexperienced Upashantha and the friendly show-medium of Chandika Hathurusinghe. Young Mahela Jayawardana rose to the occasion on the responsive wicket. He started off with admirable control, directing his attack at the off-stump, but wavered later in line and length to give away 46 runs.

Eyebrows were raised when Arjuna Ranatunaga handed the new ball to Wickramasinghe, instead of the reliable Vaas. Was it one of the surprises the Tour Management had in store, we wondered. Wickramasinghe proved that our fears were well founded. Three of the first five balls were wides down the leg side! Vaas, on the contrary, was spot on and forced batsmen on the front feet in the opening over itself.

In Vaas' second over Kirsten's bails were seen flying after making 14 runs in 14 deliveries. Boucher 'fished' twice at Vaas on the off stump but failed to 'nick' and survived. We then saw some superbly controlled bowing by the Sri Lankan pair, and the free scoring South Africans were shackled. Wickramasinghe and Vaas soon dismissed Gibbs, Boucher and Callinen. The score stood at 53 for 4. The wicket itself continued to have the 'witches brew' in it! When Vaas was rested he had taken 2 for 15 in five penetrative overs.

A third seamer with reasonable accuracy and speed would have been a God send to Arjuna at that moment. But also there was none. Mahela Jayawardana, an apology for a seamer, was introduced and the pressure was off. Cronje and Cullinen were slowly redeeming themselves and South Africa when young Mahela with a magnificent return from the square- leg boundary ran out skipper Cronje.

Jonty Rhodes joined Kallis with brisk running between wickets and then Jonty miscued Murali to give him him first wicket. Inspired Murali harrassed Kallis and Pollock and divine powers may have intervened on Sri Lanka's behalf thereafter! Shaun Pollock drove an ever-pitched off-break firmly and the ball under questionable circumstances ricochetted off an audacious Arjuna Ranatunga's boot to be gobbled up by Muralitheran. Pollock's vexation on being given out is indescribable! Prayer campaigns staged in temples, churches, mosques, schools and homes in recent times, as reported in the press, were answered next when the well installed Kallis attempted a six to long-off, only to see an acrobatic Chaminda Vaas grab the catch, gain control of it, before throwing it back on the field and collapsing outside the ropes. A catch in a million, in my opinion!

Lance Klusener, a hard-hitting left hander with atleast one Test century to his credit, entered the arena at No. 9 with the total reading 122 for 7, and the South Africans struggling. With Elworthy to support him Klusener started cautiously to put on 44 for the ninth wicket. Vaas coming for the final fling had the former snicking to Kaluvitharana for 23 in 42 balls.

Klusener took charge and cut loose. While Donald chipped and chopped for 3 runs in 16 balls Vaas, who had until then bowled admirably felt the full impact of Klusener's butchery! no less than 22 runs came off the last over as South African faces were bathed in smiles.

Vaas, except for the last ever, showed glimpses of his true form as he did against England at Lord's. Wickremasinghe too deserves a bouquet but wides and no balls devalue his contribution.

On this wicket with variable bounce and encouragement to seamers Sri Lanka's selectors erred. Admittedly Upashantha was erratic at Lord's but expecting an inexperienced youngster like Mahela to shoulder the responsibilities of first-change is the height of optimism. Hathurusinghe too would not have fitted the bill on this track. But what has been the fate of these like Pushpakumara, Mario Villavarayan, Suresh Perera etc., etc., who underwent training in India? Senior officials bragged of the seeming and swinging wickets of UA in early summer. But why were such types not included in the team?

The Northampton wicket ever the years has been batsman friendly. This writer has pleasant memories of it. This was the venue where he made his maiden century for Leicestershire Vs Northamptonshire in 1961 in 88 minutes ! It is also the County that manufacture top quality shoes and boots - yes, including superb cricket boots in a pokey little shack behind the County Cricket Ground ! It is also renowned as the birthplace and resting place of Princess Diana at Althorp Castle, in Althorp!

Sorry for deviating but sentiment got the better of me! Yes, as Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana strode out to face the fiery South African attack that effervescent smile of this duo was not in evidence. Perhaps they had a premonition of the impending disaster. Kallis and Pollock soon confirmed their well-being and fitness. The bouncy wicket encouraged them further. With only 199 runs to defend Cronje as expected went for the jugular. With a nuclous of three slips, and an attacking cordon in catching positions, Cronje let loose his paceman and all hell broke loose !

After experiencing several years of slow, flat pace wickets Jayasuriya, Kaluwitharana, Atapattu and Aravinda de Silva appeared awed on seeing the quickies moving the new ball disconcertingly. Within eight overs this illustrious quartet was back in the pavilion for a measley 14 runs. Kallis was the 'killer' with 3 for 7 runs.

Mahanama, once again, in a new role as No. 5, was joined by Skipper Ranatunga, defending precariously and 'fishing' outside the off-stump regularly they more than doubled the score before the skipper tickled one off Donald to Boucher 31 for 5.

Mahela Jayawardana brought a breath of fresh air into the proceedings. Meeting the full force of the pace bowlers on the front foot he played everything hurled down with an infactious confidence which briefly was reflected in Mahanama's middling of the ball. Mahela appeared to be master of all he surveyed. All four boundaries he made were of star quality and then impetuosity or over-confidence had the better of him. Inexplicably he played an 'airy-fairy' drive and holed out to Kallis for 22. With his departure evaporated Sri Lanka's remote chance of victory.

Mahanama defended valiantly in a last cause until he was trapped leg-before for 36 in 71 balls. Sri Lanka folded up for 110 in 35.2 overs.

As can be gathered from the composition of the two teams Sri Lanka was off target. Where South Africa exploited the dampness and veriable bounce of the strip and packed the side with five 'quickies' Sri Lanka appeared to have been in two minds.

Spinners and seammers ignored the behaviour of the wicket Muralitharan continued to baffle batsmen with his unorthodox spin. Chandana bowled reasonable line and length with hardly and spin. As a bowler I am inclined to bracket him with the former All Ceylon leg-spinner Lucian de Soysa who bowled he straightest of straight balls with a leg-break action in the 1950's!

One thing could be gleaned from the two World Cup matches played todate. Sri Lankan batsmen would need to address their minds to ways and means of combating pace bowlers on fast tracks if Test successes are to be achieved, in the years ahead. Bouncers being taboo in one-dayers is a blessing for the fainthearted and the less accomplished batsmen. This appeal has been made by me for the umpteenth time since the mid-sixties. I shall reiterate once more.

Sri Lanka's fielding at Northampton appeared adequate. We are all aware that our skipper and his assistant are not blessed with the wings of Mercury when on the field. But this aspect has to be improved immeasurably for victory on one-dayers. Trevor Chappell would be well to plug this yawning gap during his short stint with the Sri Lankans.

And now we head for Worcester to oppose giantkillers Zimbabwe at the picturesque ground with the stately Cathedral in the background.

What does the future hold? "Que Sera, Sera", I say.

23rd age-group swimming and diving championships

Gihan, Natasha swimming champs

Gihan Ranatunga of S. Thomas' Mount Lavinia and Natasha Kodituwakku of Colombo International School were selected as the boys and girls under 19 champions at the 23rd National Age Group Swimming and Diving Championships concluded at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium pool last evening.

Ranatunga on his way to being selected the boys under 19 best swimmer won three events while Kodituwakku won five events including a new age group record in the 400 metres individual medley improving on her own record clocking 5 minutes 51.01 seconds, an improvement of 05.88 seconds.

The second record belonged to Jayamal Wijeratne of Ananda College in the 100 metres free style touching in at 56.45 seconds whilst the old record stood at 56.51 seconds.

S. Thomas' and Mahamaya retained the overall championships for boys and girls respectively.

St Joseph's and Ananda finished in second and third positions in the boys section while Ladies and Colombo International School finished in second and third positions for girls respectively. (Results with pictures and more highlights will be published next week).- (AF)

We've forgotten how to survive — Arjuna

Under pressure and under severe criticism after two shattering defeats in the World Cup, Sri Lanka Cricket Captain Arjuna Ranatunga wrote his second article in the Guardian on Friday explaining what had happened.

"Sri Lanka will not concede the World Cup without a fight. But if we are not to retain our crown, then in South Africa I am utterly convinced that I have seen the team most likely to succeed us.

"South Africa are the best side I've encountered this year. To a man they play as hard and as smart as the Australian captain Steve Waugh, and that is some achievement.

"We were convinced that South Africa were there for the taking at Northampton. We took their first eight wickets for 122 and imagined that our World Cup defence was back on course, only for their last two wickets to make 77. In the last World Cup our explosive batting starts proved decisive; now late-order batsmen such as Lance Klusener and Wasim Akram are winning matches with bat and ball.

"South Africa succeeded for one reason: because they never thought they couldn't. One-day cricket can be like arm-wrestling - a slight relaxing of the grip can be catastrophic - and by the end our arm was pressed hard against the table.

"These South Africans have a plan for everything. Where a captain doesn't put his fielders reveals as much about his intentions as anything. In the first 15 overs Hansie Cronje had all but one of his fielders behind square. Scoring opportunities were offered aplenty to short, jagging deliveries, and we fell in a rush. We haven't forgotten how to get runs, we've forgotten how to survive.

"The South African bowlers are always trying something, and they especially raise their game on the last ball of every over. Four of us went like that, beginning with Sanath Jayasuriya. When Jacques Kallis moved his mid-off to square leg a short ball seemed likely next ball up, but Sanath was bowled by a yorker; a real sucker punch. The captain of a batting side, when not at the crease, is powerless. Plans are prepared in advance and many opposition tactics are anticipated, but an imaginative bowling side such as South Africa make many plans redundant. Then the batsman can only listen to voices in his own head.

"South Africa now have momentum, we don't, and momentum is a side's biggest asset. Winning and losing become habits. Then, for the captain of a losing side, the defining test is not whether he has a cute plan for the opposition left-handers but whether he can turn the keys in his team's soul.

"The captain must be the most important player on the field. Not because he is the team's biggest hitter or most dangerous bowler - although it must be great to be Wasim Akram - but because he is the one who carries the most responsibility for the team's performance.

"Talent-wise, most teams in this World Cup are pretty much equal, and one-day cricket anyway is a great leveller. All now have physiotherapists, psychologists, nutritionists. South Africa's desire to employ coach-to-captain walkie-talkies in their first match against India was another attempt to seek a slight edge. Thinking wins matches, and South Africa leave as little to chance as possible.

"But the captain is the leader. All the players look to his body language. Out in the middle I prefer to be in absolute charge. The moment that a captain loses an inch of authority is the moment he is no longer a complete captain. Then he may as well let the coach make all the decisions: selection, tactics, man-management. He may as well await instructions for everything. The game is full of second-guessers. When a captain gives the impression that his decision making is impaired, his days are numbered."

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