C.I. Gunasekera Speaks of Now and Then
It was a tight schedule for even international matches
when players would attend work at 8 a.m. and leave office about 9.30 for the
start of play at 10.30. Even one's wife and family had to find their own way
to the ground. None of the extravagant bally-hoo of home teams all staying
together at five star hotels for days, but perhaps its a way of maintaining
discipline and regimentation.
Maybe it stimulates team spirit by players getting to know each other
better, formulating strategies, etc
On this subject I recall an amusing incident in the
thirties when Ceylon, captained by a very mature British planter played the
MCC on the CCC Grounds. Our main strike bowler, D.S. Jayasundera got ill the
night before the game and 'Calay' Gooneratne substituted. But the captain
was unaware as he motored down early that morning.
First over Gooneratne bowled England's famous opening
batsman Arthur Fagg and the captain said." Well bowled Jayasundri" Calay
said "Thanks, but I'm not Jayasundera I'm Gooneratne" Captain' charming as
ever said 'Twas a, splendid ball whoever you are dear boy."
Cricket standards then and now ?
You ask me
to compare the standard of cricket in my day and now. Well, the general
all-round standard today is far better than in my day and earlier. I guess
it is not so much that we have suddenly produced a brand of supermen but in
those days our team consisted of about 5 or 6 players of international class
while the others, though very good, did not measure up to standard.
Today, every one of our players is on equal terms. Of
course, the population has nearly trebled since my early days and naturally
there is much wider spectrum of aspirants playing cricket. However, the acid
test is the end result and while we did put up a good show quite often we
did not actually win, whereas now we are world champions.
Yes, cricket has undergone so many changes in the last
fifty years or so, whether for the good of cricket I do have doubts and it
has changed from being a pleasant pastime to a profession. Indeed, it has
become almost a national religion with the better exponents as saints and
millionaires. And deserving too are the rewards to Aravinda, Arjuna,.
Mahanama and co. for their performances which put them in the highest world
ranking and brought credit to Sri Lanka. Island wide, television has made an
enormous contribution towards the popularity of cricket to the near
extinction of traditional games like elle, gudu and volleyball in the
countryside.
Any changes in attitudes, mannerisms, umpires/etc.?
The umpire
was the sole adjudicator of the law, which had its dispensing made easy by
the sporting and honest code of the player, who invariably helped the umpire
by 'walking' when he knew he was out and the fielder not hesitating to
signal no catch. An appeal was made politely and gently, almost
apologetically and often the batsman had started to walk before the umpire's
finger went up.
Somehow, professionalism has altered the spirit of the game in some ways.
For instance, appeals are made, it seems, to psyche or intimidate the umpire
when the whole team, regardless of where they are positioned, will yell at
the top of their voices in chorus accompanied by gesticulations, leaping and
running towards the wicket keeper. Even an appeal "how zat" becomes a
prolonged' how's thaaaat' to the annoyance of spectators and, I presume, the
umpire, who, if not made of sterner stuff, might feel inclined to react
negatively.
Then
again, whenever a wicket is taken the fielders converge on the bowler and
embrace him in frenzied delight ignoring the fact that the batsman may have
actually gifted his wicket by a rash or bad shot. The bowler occasionally
leaps in the air with clenched fist punching the heavens. After a batsman is
out one sometimes sees the bowler or fielder pointing arrogantly the way to
the pavilion as though the victim was lingering at the crease to beg a
second turn. Those days the game was played in virtual silence broken only
by that inimitable sound of leather on the willow
And an odd appeal scarcely audible to the spectators.
Also it has slowed down considerably, almost to the point of boredom due to
the reduced over rate and consequent reduction of the-action time from
spectators' viewpoint. One reason is the long run ups by fattish bowlers,
who come tearing in from more than 25 yards only to deliver a ball at a very
friendly pace. The game then stops, while the bowler ambles back to his
starting point. Keith Miller the fastest bowler in the world played here in
the forties and fifties but he took only about 12 paces to deliver his
lethal rockets. I feel sore that boisterous and noisy syndrome in recent
times is not an innovation of our chaps, but they merely copy the mannerisms
etc. they encounter in the international arena.
Then, no advancements or improvements today?
Yes, of
course, there are. I am only speaking of my impressions of changes in the
game in the last 50 years and I can understand the reasons for the extrovert
attitudes in the highly competitive professional job of playing cricket.
Advancements are many, too. Cricket is providing free and prolonged
entertainment to millions of people through TV and the deeds of our players
have put the image of Sri Lanka on the map of the cricket playing world
perhaps even more than our reputation for tea and hospitable golden beaches
for tourists. Also big money is paid not only for employment to our
cricketers but to the wide ancillary services connected with cricket.
Any thoughts for the future of
cricketers.
Could we not, by example, revert to the old world
chivalry which might rub off on other cricket playing countries? I am sure
performance would not be adversely affected and may improve without tensions
in the middle. Just like we initiated the big bang in the first 15 overs of
the limited over game with Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana. Perhaps we can
initiate the renaissance of manners and morals of yesteryear on the cricket
field.
(from the Island of 4th
Feb. 1998)
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