{"id":122791,"date":"2023-10-10T16:38:37","date_gmt":"2023-10-10T16:38:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=122791"},"modified":"2023-10-10T16:39:19","modified_gmt":"2023-10-10T16:39:19","slug":"sri-lankas-cricketing-heroes-applauded-by-jayantha-dhanapala-in-2015-by-michael-roberts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/sri-lankas-cricketing-heroes-applauded-by-jayantha-dhanapala-in-2015-by-michael-roberts\/","title":{"rendered":"Sri Lanka\u2019s Cricketing Heroes Applauded by Jayantha Dhanapala in 2015-by Michael Roberts"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Sri Lanka\u2019s Cricketing Heroes Applauded by Jayantha Dhanapala in 2015-by Michael Roberts<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88737 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Michael-Roberts-eLanka.jpg\" alt=\"Michael Roberts\" width=\"160\" height=\"184\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #800080;\">Source:<\/span><\/strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/thuppahis.com\/2023\/10\/09\/sri-lankas-cricketing-heroes-applauded-by-jayantha-dhanapala-in-2015\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Thuppahis<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><span class=\"Bodytext313pt\"><span lang=\"EN-US\"><strong>Jayantha Dhanapala<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span lang=\"EN-US\">a one-time Sri Lankan Of The Year and, alas, no more with us,\u00a0<strong>paid this tribute on one occasion to the men who have done a nation of 20-odd million proud\u2026.\u00a0This was in the YEAR 2015.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/thuppahis.com\/2023\/10\/09\/sri-lankas-cricketing-heroes-applauded-by-jayantha-dhanapala-in-2015\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-49618 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thuppahis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/SANGA-at-cowdrey-Lecture.jpg?resize=245%2C137&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"elanka\" width=\"600\" height=\"341\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong>M<\/strong>any nations are associated with sports archetypes. Over the years, Brazil conjures up the image of a soccer player, especially die immortal Pele mesmerising opponents with his magical dribbling. Likewise, rugby football is inseparable from New Zealand\u2019s All Blacks, and the mention of the Marathon recalls Ethiopia. FLASHBACK TO 1996 Sri Lanka, amidst all the vicissitudes, remains firmly associated with cricket, especially after we won the 1996 Cricket World Cup, thanks to Arjuna Ranatunga and his glorious team. That squad won that national squad the Sri Lankan Of The Year (SLOTY) award, from LMD, among many other plaudits.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong>SPIRIT OF OUCKET<\/strong>: The most eloquent telling of the story of Sri Lankan cricket is unquestionably contained in\u00a0<strong>Kumar Sangakkara\u2019s finely crafted MCC<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture of 4 July 2011<\/strong>\u00a0(for which he won LMD\u2019s SLOTY accolade that year).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong>Apart from his own brilliance as a player, Sangakkara is our C. L. R. James and Neville Cardus rolled into one.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/thuppahis.com\/2023\/10\/09\/sri-lankas-cricketing-heroes-applauded-by-jayantha-dhanapala-in-2015\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-49618 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thuppahis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/clr-james03-845.png?resize=200%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"elanka\" width=\"300\" height=\"341\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong><em>CLR James<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/thuppahis.com\/2023\/10\/09\/sri-lankas-cricketing-heroes-applauded-by-jayantha-dhanapala-in-2015\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-49618 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thuppahis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Neville_Cardus.jpg?resize=200%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"elanka\" width=\"300\" height=\"341\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Neville Cardus<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Tracing the history of the game, and interlacing it with the history of the country, Sangakkara. said: \u201cIt is remarkable that in a very short period, an alien game has become our national obsession, played and followed with almost-fanatical passion and love. A game that brings the nation to a standstill; a sport so powerful, it is capable of transcending war and politics.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/thuppahis.com\/2023\/10\/09\/sri-lankas-cricketing-heroes-applauded-by-jayantha-dhanapala-in-2015\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-49618 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thuppahis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Gamini-Dissanayake.jpg?resize=300%2C177&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"elanka\" width=\"300\" height=\"341\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Grudgingly granted official Test status in 1981, after skillful negotiations conducted by the late Gamini Dissanayake with the ICC, the national team struggled against great odds within the country and abroad, until they found their metier in the 50-over form of the game.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Dramatically, the reservoir of pure, unvarnished talent grew, drawing on the entire countryside \u2013 well beyond the limited circle of elite schools \u2013 to include the \u201csarong johnnies\u201d that Kumar Sangakkara mentioned in his memorable MCC lecture,\u00a0<strong>producing a nation of wily spin bowlers and unorthodox stroke-playing batsmen playing an innovative and bold brand of the game.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">SAGA OF HEROISM: From the World Cup of 1996 to the T20 championships of 2014, it has been a saga of heroism surmounting obstacles created by the incompetent and corrupt governance of the game by politically-aligned officials who have, at times, even lured players away from the spirit of the game.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/thuppahis.com\/2023\/10\/09\/sri-lankas-cricketing-heroes-applauded-by-jayantha-dhanapala-in-2015\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-49618 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thuppahis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/SL-CKT-1996-KARACHI.jpg?resize=300%2C191&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"elanka\" width=\"300\" height=\"341\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/thuppahis.com\/2023\/10\/09\/sri-lankas-cricketing-heroes-applauded-by-jayantha-dhanapala-in-2015\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-49618 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thuppahis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/14388_9615354_updates.webp?resize=300%2C171&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"elanka\" width=\"300\" height=\"341\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">That heroism shone through in the team\u2019s united response to the December 2004 tsunami that devastated Sri Lanka while the team was on a tour abroad. It earned the united support of terrorists, insurgents and peacefully patriotic Sri Lankans alike, throughout the conflicts that tore our island-nation apart. Ironically, it was in a foreign land \u2013 Pakistan \u2013 that the team bravely survived an attack by terrorists. The chucking controversy over spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan was another challenge that united the team, with the country \u2013 led by Ranatunga on the field solidly behind them.<strong>\u00a0In a hapless nation that was hungry for inspirational leaders, the Sri Lankan cricket team filled an emotional void.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/thuppahis.com\/2023\/10\/09\/sri-lankas-cricketing-heroes-applauded-by-jayantha-dhanapala-in-2015\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-49618 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thuppahis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/MURALI-22mm_shoulders.jpg?resize=300%2C195&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"elanka\" width=\"300\" height=\"341\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong>Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan (C) holds up the cricket ball as he is carried on the shoulders of his team mates Chanaka Welegedara (L) and Angelo Mathews (R) in a lap of honour around the pitch at the end of India\u2019s second innings during the fifth and final day of the first cricket Test match between Sri Lanka and India at The Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle on July 22, 2010. Retiring world bowling record holder Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka reached the 800-wicket mark with his last delivery in Test cricket. The off-spinner, 38, had last man Pragyan Ojha caught at slip by Mahela Jayawardene to terminate India\u2019s second innings after lunch on the final day of the first Test at the Galle International Stadium. India, who were made to follow on 244 runs behind, were all out for 338 in their second knock. AFP PHOTO\/ Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI (Photo credit should read LAKRUWAN\u00a0WANNIARACHCHI\/AFP\/Getty Images)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong>LEVEL PLAYING FIELD<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Surviving the tempestuous turmoils of a conflict-ridden nation; remunerated erratically, even after protracted negotiations; subjected to frequent changes of coaching staff; victims of interference by a politically manipulated Cricket Board; and Sports Ministry officials riding on the coat-tails of the team\u2019s success \u2013\u00a0<strong>the team has melded together a merit-based professional side irrespective of ethnic, religious and class differences.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">A 27-year-old Tamil-Catholic from Colombo now skippers the Test and ODI\u00a0squads<strong>,\u00a0<\/strong>and a 31-year-old Sinhala-Buddhist from Rathgama<strong>**<\/strong>\u00a0 \u2013 in the deep south \u2013 leads the T20 team through sheer undeniable talent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><strong>CRICKETING CULTURE:<\/strong>\u00a0 Spectators the world over saw the touching spectacle of past captains join in, helping the current captains in collective decision-making on the field. The relationship between the senior and younger members of the team is\u00a0<strong>the warm intimacy of a traditional \u2018Aiya- Mallie family bond that is so deeply embedded in Sri Lanka\u2019s culture, blended with the professionalism of the experienced transferring their knowledge of the game to the newcomers.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Sangakkara has said it in his own words, during the Cowdrey Lecture: \u201cIn the new team culture forged since 1999, individuals are accepted. The only thing that matters is commitment and discipline to the team. Individuality and internal debate are welcome. Respect is not demanded, but earned. There was a new commitment towards keeping the team from board turmoil\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">BUNGLING AUTHORITIES: \u201cWe have to aspire to better administration. The administration needs to adopt the same values enshrined by the team over the years: integrity, transparency, commitment and\u00a0<span lang=\"EN-US\">discipline. Unless the administration is capable of becoming more professional, forward thinking and transparent, then we risk alienating the common man. Indeed, this is already happening,\u201d he added.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">That note of optimism may not be borne out by the Cricket Board politics of today, let alone the politics in the country at large. We now have a mature team of cricketers, playing an elegant game of cricket and conducting themselves in a manner that brings pride to our country and its culture. This is in contrast to others who have recently represented us on foreign soil.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Bodytext20\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><span class=\"Bodytext2Spacing0pt\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">THE COMMON BOND:\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span lang=\"EN-US\">What sustains the team is, without doubt, their bond with the people of Sri Lanka. Sangakkara said as much, in his 18 May 2014 interview with Donald MacRae of the\u00a0<em>Guardian<\/em>\u00a0newspaper: \u201cBut no one expected the reception we got back home. There was a 40-kilometre unbroken chain of people, and it was very moving \u2013 because we saw every single Sri Lankan of whatever religion or creed.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Bodytext20\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">Sangakkara continued: \u201cIt was one big family, welcoming home 15 of their children who had achieved something they really valued. It touched me deeply, because cricket has always been more than a sport; and that continues \u2013 even more so today, in the context of post-war society and building inter-community relationships.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Bodytext20\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\">At a time when the cash nexus is sullying personal relationships, and when advertising and sponsorships are soiling sportsmanship, it will be a challenge for The Sri Lankan Cricketer to maintain his principles.. . when the rest of international cricket has seemingly compromised itself.\u00a0<strong>The game of cricket \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0which had its early origins in Britain, and flourished in the old British Empire \u2014<strong>\u00a0has developed a unique set of values around it, so much so that we all know, in behavioural terms and instinctively, what is done and what is simply not done.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Bodytext20\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px; color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">The Sri Lankan Cricketer has successfully fused that set of values with our own indigenous values of gentility, consideration, tolerance, a sense of community, and loyalty to the team, to the spectators and to Sri Lanka.\u00a0<\/span><span lang=\"EN-US\">As the embodiment of the spirit of Sri Lankan cricket, I am confident that the Sri Lankan Cricketer \u2013 LMD\u2019s 2014 Sri Lankan Of The Year \u2013 will triumph at the forthcoming 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sri Lanka\u2019s Cricketing Heroes Applauded by Jayantha Dhanapala in 2015-by Michael Roberts Source:Thuppahis Jayantha Dhanapala,\u00a0a one-time Sri Lankan Of The Year and, alas, no more with us,\u00a0paid this tribute on one occasion to the men who have done a nation of 20-odd million proud\u2026.\u00a0This was in the YEAR 2015. Many nations are associated with sports [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":117961,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"aside","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,42710],"tags":[2394,5442,38673],"class_list":{"0":"post-122791","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-aside","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-articles","8":"category-michael-roberts","9":"tag-kumar-sangakkara","10":"tag-mahela-jayawardene","11":"tag-sri-lankan-cricketer","12":"post_format-post-format-aside"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.7.1 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Sri Lanka\u2019s Cricketing Heroes Applauded by Jayantha Dhanapala in 2015-by Michael Roberts<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Many nations are associated with sports archetypes. 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