by Trevor Chesterfield
As India prepare for their second tour of Sri Lanka inside five months, off-field events in the island nation's capital Colombo is like watching slapstick footage from a grainy 1950s B Grade horror movie. Instead of smoking guns and cordite we have pop-guns going 'poof' and as they have no ammunition.
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Behind this farce is Arjuna Ranatunga, fired a month ago as Interim Committee chairman, for alleged political reasons. In papers issued under a fundamental rights application, he is suing the Minister of Sport Gamini Lokuge for unfair dismissal, seeking a payment of about US$13,000 in compensation if you please.
In his days as Sri Lanka's crafty captain, Ranatunga knew how to bend the laws of the game to suit his team and his image. In this, he was able to get up the nose of many opposing players and captains.
Apart from earning him a local hero 'Capt'n Cool' eponymous cult-status fed by a fawning government media, he also gave Sri Lankans a sense of what they called pride and self-belief. While this image became seriously impaired ten years ago when he led a disastrous defence of the 1996 World Cup crown in England, he found fault with everything but his leadership on that painful exercise. Not only did it led to a tremendous bruising in the nation's psyche.
From champs to chumps and all in a matter of three weeks was more than the islanders could take of such humiliation. Acrimony followed and 'Capt'n Cool' soon earned the label 'Capt'n Fool'.
Not only did he lose the captaincy in a purge by a selection panel, ironically appointed by the first of what have been five interim committees, but dropped from the side for that year's ODI and Test series against Australia in August and September. It was quite a comedown: sparking so much heated debate at times that a group of breakfast diners at a Galle hotel one morning almost came to blows over their egg hoppers, chicken sausages and curried mutton.
From the time he entered politics in 2001 on the ticket of the government of the day, he made no secret how he dearly coveted the chairmanship of the board, whether through a club election or an interim committee. Either that or he is made Sports Minister to get some of his own back at those who took away the dignity of the captaincy in 1999.
When he did stand for the post of what had become Sri Lanka Cricket from the cumbersome Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka, the malaise that haunted him in his quest lingered. His own club failed to support him. Despite an ignominious defeat in 2003 when he left the election in a dignified manner that earned him plaudits, he knew that his time would come.
It did, four years later when assuming control on January 1, 2008 when heading a new interim committee.
With SLC's finances in what he called a mess, heavily in debt and kept alive through an overdraft, one of his first acts was to seek financial aid from big brother India. What happened after that became a maze of administrative intrigue and games of second-guessing. He wanted to show the independence displayed when he was a player and wasn't going to be bullied by big brother India. He viewed the Indian Premier League as a cheap entertainment: lacking in skills and supping on tasteless 'instant noodles'. He has a point: in reality, T20 (IPL) is a Bollywood franchise style show little better than irritating pop-up adds on you computer consul. It's all about ego, cult, and greed – or ECG, and that shouldn't be mistaken either for electrical cardiograph.
There are accusations of Ranatunga being an ace manipulator; of being responsible for any number of behind the scenes acts suggesting an autocratic one-man show; of not consulting his IC members on important issues. He sent a proxy to meetings of the committee designed to establish local regional planning systems to run the 2011 World Cup. Another is that he agreed, without consulting others on the IC, to the tour of England this year and second is agreement to the Pakistan tour after India withdrew after the Mumbai massacre by Pakistan trained and organised Islamofascist fanatics bent on destabilising India's economic hub.
Not only did this draw disapproval from the BCCI, it was felt to be a final slap in the face of one who would aid and abet SLC's need for financial independence and a desired US$45-million deal. In 35 Maitland Place, where SLC have their grey building headquarters, heavy rumours circulated how the Pakistan tour agreement decision would be his last act. What has followed is the Ministry of Sport running the SLC and as part of the bailout of US$45-million with BCCI, SLC had their arm twisted to give Nimbus tour TV rights worth US$6-million to screen the five ODIs and T20. Anything to keep TEN TV from the rights as it would feed the games to Zee TV and that wouldn't do for the image of benefactor BCCI.
As it is the tour itinerary, initially with two games in Dambulla, is altered to one game in Dambulla and the remaining four in Colombo as the ODI TV is geared for day-night not day showing.
There has been heavy flak for the on-field performances by Mahela Jayawardene's side in Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and the ODI circus in Pakistan: an overload of 11 ODIs and two Tests on sub-standard pitches has often left the batting in disarray and with any number of surmountable problems.
Ranatunga, in his claim against Lokuge says his reputation has 'suffered massive damage' and that Lokuge interfered with the workings of SLC. He wants the court to rule against his dismissal as chairman of the Interim Committee which Lokuge set up. It may not be the late-late show worth watching, but as with efforts with egos, it could be a bruising affair.
Note: Prior permission has sought from the author before republication of the above article.
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