Warne's uncalled for attack on Ranatunga (19 May 1999)
If Arjuna Ranatunga is anathema to some of the Australian cricketers and media, Shane Warne has been exposed to the world as a bribe taking crook without a conscience trying to cover up his sins by dragging poor Salim Malik as a guinea pig
19-May-1999
19 May 1999
Warne's uncalled for attack on Ranatunga
Elmo Rodrigopulle
If Arjuna Ranatunga is anathema to some of the Australian cricketers
and media, Shane Warne has been exposed to the world as a bribe
taking crook without a conscience trying to cover up his sins by
dragging poor Salim Malik as a guinea pig.
It is sad when one so talented as Shane Warne who has everything
going for him should reach such low depths.
The Australian Cricket Board should have banned him from first class
cricket and given him his just desserts. But no. Warne and Mark Waugh
were necessary for success even though they had committed an
unpardonable crime.
As for Arjuna Ranatunga he was always master of Warne and that
memorable six in the last World Cup final in Lahore will be etched
long in the memory of millions of cricket fans in the world.
Unfortunately the heady wine of success was too much for Warne and
comparative novice that he was compared to Ranatunga he had the
temerity to comment in an English newspaper that cricket would be
better off without Ranatunga.
True, of late Sri Lanka cricket has gone through a bit of traumatic
times and this included Ranatunga. But we must remind the Aussies
that we don't go making comments or undue remarks at the various
crises Australia cricket goes through from time to time.
This man who was found guilty of accepting bribes from bookmakers is
like a chameleon changing his colours and attitudes.
A sledger of great reputation, he even tried to oust Steve Waugh from
the captaincy. However Warne's machinations were seen through by the
Aussie administration in time.
As for that Lord's disastrous World Cup game against England, true
the weather was against us. But why in heavens name did Ranatunga and
his selectors drop Mahela Jayewardena one of the best one-day batsmen
who has won many a match for us and Upul Chandana a man for all
seasons who has been found very reliable. Ranatunga must realise that
players like Hashan Tillekeratne who is by no means a one-day
cricketer and Roshan Mahanama who shuffles across his stumps has
slowed down considerably and caught plumb in front in the process of
the shuffle. Of course their are those who organise hurrah clubs for
him.
Then there is another glaring mistake in taking Chandika
Hathurusinghe who does not know whether he is bowling wides outside
the off stumps or leg stump. Hathurusinghe may go through some quirk
of fate during the current tour. But he is one of the most adept half
cocked batsmen we have seen and playing half cock is suicidal in
England.
Ranatunga it must be accepted is a born fighter and is the most
experienced captain in world cricket. So let us put our total faith
in his leadership and his ability to motive his side into a winning
mood.
Just one more thing. When Erik Upashantha was bowling all over the
place at Lord's, it would have been better for Ranatunga to have had
a word of advice with the bowler and encouraged him, rather than bawl
out for all the world to hear.
The Lankans gave a pathetic batting display which led to their
thrashing by England by 8 wickets in the world cup opener at Lord's,
on Friday.
The leading batsmen Jayasuriya, Mahanama, Atapattu, Aravinda de Silva
were ignorant of the fact that it is vital to get behind the ball
before executing. They played away from their body and gave catching
practice to the slipmen and wicket keeper.
Only skipper Ranatunga and Kaluwitharana showed how to tackle the
moving ball by getting in line. But the damage done by the earlier
batsmen was too much for Ranatunga and Kaluwitharana to repair and
with that went any ambitions the Lankans had of successfully
launching their bid to retain the World Cup.
Kaluwitharana played a masterly innings and underlined the folly of
the selectors for not opening the batting with him.
Left armer paceman Allan Mullally was not getting much movement. He
was getting bounce while angling the ball across the batsmen. Had
batsmen been in line, he could have been made to look innocuous.
The dropping of Mahela Jayawardena and Upul Chandana was
unacceptable. Here are two of the most exciting cricketers in the
Lankan line up and that they were allowed to take in the action from
the cool of the pavilion is a minus mark on the tour selectors for
their poor thinking.
There is hardly an allrounder in the Lankan line up. Chandana is only
one who fits the bill, then how come he was dropped? Jayawardena too
must be wondering what he had done wrong to be sidelined. It is time
that the selectors thought positive and tossed in these two players
Sri Lanka can't afford to suffer another loss. It is time that they
got their act together and got on the winning trail.
Today they face a South African side fired up by their resounding
victory against the Indians. The South Africans are packed with
all-rounders and it will not be easy beating them. But if the Lankans
play the way we know they can, then there is no reason why Sri Lanka
should not win.
Source :: The Daily News (https://www.lanka.net/lakehouse/)