5th Column

Let cricket not suffer whoever heads the body

"Thaaththa", Bindu Udagedera asked, "what do you think will happen at the World Cup?"

"Why are you worried about the World Cup?" Bindu's father Percy asked, "aren't there some more matches in Australia?"

"But thaaththa," Bindu argued, "the World Cup is far more important.."
"I thought every competition is important..." Percy said.

"But thaaththa," Bindu said, "I don't think our team is very keen to compete in Australia?"

"How can you say that?", Percy asked, "After all, they won two matches in a row recently..."

"But look at what has happened since then...."Bindu pointed out.
"Ah, Bindu," Percy said, "you cannot win always..."

"That's not what I am worried about..." Bindu argued.

"What are you worried about, then?" Percy wanted to know.

"Why, thaaththa, what about the incident where an Aussie player made a racist comment about our team?"

"I thought," Percy said, "that had been settled after he apologised..."

"And that is exactly what I am complaining about..." Bindu said.

"Why, what is wrong with accepting an apology?" Percy queried.

"There is nothing wrong with that, thaaththa," Bindu said, "but our chaps have also gone out of their way to appeal for leniency for the Aussie player..."

"That," said Percy, "is a reflection of the true spirit of our sportsmanship..."

"But thaaththa, that is not what we get in return..." Bindu protested.

"Why do you say that?"

"Why, thaaththa, the Aussies have gone out of their way to try and get Murali out of the way..."

"But that is a different issue, Bindu..." Percy pointed out.

"But thaaththa, here we get the chance to get one of their players out merely by saying nothing but what do we do? We get insulted first and then when the offender is about to be punished, we appeal on behalf of him..."

"So, Bindu," Percy asked, "you think we are being very foolish in this matter..."

"Of course we are," Bindu said, "which is probably why Captain Cool wants to take over the cricket administration..."

"And do you think that will solve all our problems in cricket?" Percy asked.

"But thaaththa," Bindu said, "Captain Cool will first have a tough fight to get what he wants...

"But he usually gets what he wants, doesn't he?" Percy said, "Why, remember, he even won the World Cup for us..."

"That may be so," Bindu said, "but this contest must surely be more difficult than winning the World Cup..."

"Why is that, Bindu?"

"Why, thaaththa, he is up against a dark horse..."

"But why does Captain Cool want to enter this contest now?"

"He says that if he doesn't, Sri Lanka may soon start losing matches to even Bangladesh..."

"So, he is doing this out of sheer patriotism..." Percy observed.

"That's what he says," Bindu said, "but that is also what the dark horse says..."

"Whatever the reason," Percy said, "I hope he and the dark horse don't end up doing to cricket what Satellite and the Greens have done to the rest of the country..."

"What is that, thaaththa?"

"Pulling in two different directions so that those caught in the middle suffer..." Percy said.

Bindu didn't disagree.

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