In the good ole’ colonial days before 1948, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) was under the supreme governance of the British regime. England was one of the honourable Nations of the British Isles, who taught the ‘colonial captives’ that “Honesty is the best Policy” and many other good things !
On Tuesday 3rd. June, the 5th and Final crucial ODI between England and Sri Lanka was played at Edgbaston in England. This beautiful island of Sri Lanka that has produced splendid Cricketers of World –class, in recent times such as Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayewardene, Muthiah Murulitharan, Angelo Mathews, Dilshan Tillekeratne, Lasith Malinga to name a few, are also there to set an example of playing – in the “Spirit of the Game” ! This term is frivolously used by some, to suit the convenience of themselves and when they are ‘stumped’ and cannot bravely take correction – they put the blame others!
In this ODI, Buttler was there to ‘serve’ England in a classy game of cricket – and he had it all served on a platter to ‘dish it out’ in style. Yet he made the wrong choice to attempt to ‘steal’ runs, which can be compared to a butler stealing the egg from the biryani before serving the food to his guest!! It took the calmness of a Sri Lanka captain like Angelo Matthew to fairly ask the bowler, then the umpire, who honourably and honestly ruled Jos Buttler “OUT”!! (Our guess is, that our former “Captain Cool” Arjuna Ranatunga would have done exactly what he heroically did, for Muthiah Murulitharan – when Murali was called for “chucking” in Australia some years ago!)
It was indeed shocking, to find a fine respected cricketer like Ravi Bopara, who was Jos Buttlers ‘partner in crime’ making an aimless, futile attempt to defend Buttler – when it was clear that Buttler was doing something illegitimate and it was against the laws of cricket ! By the way, these are laws that were made in England over the years gone by – using the powers they hold. Bopara said: “It is definitely not within the spirit of the game. I wouldn’t say Jos was stealing yards; he was just casually leaving the crease. It is just the done thing” – now that is an unwanted, immature statement to make!
Being honest is a great policy to adapt in life – and to adopt it even at ‘unsure times’ in a ‘gentleman’s noble game of Cricket, is to be applauded. With ‘no punches to pull’ the MCC brought much needed sanity to the whole sequel by saying “It is an emotive issue, but Jos Buttler transgressed a law of cricket and the club would not say the “run out” was against the ‘spirit of cricket’… The law is pretty clear – It is an unfair advantage to be out of the crease”.
With the Sri Lanka bowler Sachitra Senanayake giving the English batsmen clear warnings to stay in the crease until the ball leaves the bowler’s hand, it was a very compassionate request which fell on ears that did not want to hear and eyes that were blind to see it! Rules and laws are made to observe and follow in any sport – as much as an athlete who ‘jumps the gun’ and goes ahead of the Starter’s orders is immediately disqualified, in world-class events. My Athletics coach Major Harry Hardy (who guided Duncan White at Trinity College in his youth and who went on to win a Silver medal at the 1948 Olympics), once said to me “Don’t jump before the gun – you will get shot in the back!!”
Thank God for faithful cricketers who strive to observe the laws of cricket and enjoy playing their game – as to honour their Nation above themselves. Our Sri Lankan Cricketers have always put their country first and perhaps are a fine example to other cricketing nations – not to do break the laws, to win at any cost!!
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