Mathews also bagged two other awards in a glittering ceremony graced by Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera and Pakistan cricket legend Wasim Akram who was the chief guest – the All-rounder of the Year for both Test and One-Day Internationals.

The awards which featured the performances of Sri Lanka’s cricketers for 2015 saw Dilshan and fast bowler Lasith Malinga bag two awards apiece.

Dilshan also won the T20 Batsman of the Year while Malinga picked up the Bowler of the Year award for both categories ODI and T20.

Wasim who played in 19 Tests and 59 ODIs against Sri Lanka between 1985 and 2002 recalled many memories of the matches between the two countries since his first visit to the country with Imran Khan’s Pakistan side in 1985.

“We had many major battles on and off the field, but lots of them off the field. Sri Lanka is a memorable place for me. It’s a ‘Heaven on Earth’ and we call it the Pearl Island,” said Wasim.

“What I like about the country is the positive energy that generates from the people. Everyone in Sri Lanka is happy and with a smile on their face. When I walk on the road I feel safe and it’s like my second home. People smile and say hello and some want to take selfies,” he said.

Wasim said his love for the country has made him an unofficial ambassador of Sri Lanka and wherever he went he always told people that Sri Lanka was one country they should not miss visiting.

Speaking of the country’s cricket Wasim said, “Sri Lanka played cricket in the real spirit. They are quite calm but deadly.”

Wasim praised the school system in Sri Lanka and said that it was “an unmatchable school cricket structure” that has helped the country produce so many great cricketers like Aravinda de Silva, Arjuna Ranatunga, Chaminda Vaas, Sanath Jayasuriya and Muthiah Muralitharan.

Wasim thanked Sri Lanka Cricket president Thilanga Sumathipala for inviting him to the awards presentation and said, “I am always available for Sri Lanka Cricket in any capacity. Pakistan and Sri Lanka are brotherly countries and one should help each other.”

This is a classic example on how such cherished moment could inspire even a junior cricketer witnessing the mega show, which has been rewarding Sri Lanka’s schoolboy cricketers since 1979.

Marvan Atapattu was playing junior cricket for Ananda when his school’s first X1 captain Arjuna Ranatunga was adjudged the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year in 1982. Atapattu happened to witness the show and Ranatunga winning the prestigious award for the second time, after first winning the title in 1980.

“I was a student at Ananda then, playing my junior cricket. I witnessed the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year awards show in 1982 and saw our school captain at that time Arjuna Ranatunga emerging out of a huge cricket ball, erected on stage, to receive the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year award. That was a great inspiration to me and I thought that I too could make my family, the team and my school proud if I could win that top award one fine day. The things worked well for me to emulate that feat eight years later,” Atapattu explained his first-hand experience about the mega show.

Exactly eight years later, Atapattu achieved that dream and emulated Ranatunga’s feat. Few months after winning the prestigious Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year award in 1990, Atapattu was selected to make his Test debut for Sri Lanka on November 23 the same year, against India in Chandigarh. He made his ODI debut a month later – on December 1, 1990 against India in Nagpur.

“Almost all those who have won top awards at Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year show have stepped into the national team in next to no time and many of them have established their mark as top national players,” he said.

Attapattu was concerned about the present developments in school cricket, stating that the unnecessary competitiveness has destroyed the standard of Sri Lanka’s school cricket, which was once considered to be the best in the world with a well-knit tournament structure.

He added that the unwarranted competitiveness created by coaches, school authorities and old boys has caused the deteriorating standard of school cricket. “They force cricketers of their school to win matches in all formats. They are not interested in producing quality cricketers who could dish out top class cricket but only insist on winning matches at any cost. That kills the standard of school cricket,” said Atapattu.

He said that most schools now tend to employ young coaches who could press the cricketers to win matches but are not interested in producing quality players who could step into the national team. “During our time, we counted how many former cricketers of our school are in the national team. But it’s not the case anymore,” he said.

Atapattu attributed poor standard of cricket dished out at inter-school matches at present as the main reason for deteriorating spectator interest in school cricket. When asked about the tremendous spectator interest that attracted during his era of school cricket, some two-and-a-half decades ago, Atapattu said there are several other factors, although the main reason for such development is poor standard of school cricket.

However the reality will be in the hands of the stakeholders who have mandated to vote for the most suitable candidate and their team and will wisely decide on the outcome.

As the present administration is run by an interim committee the Ministry of Sports will conduct the election under the supervision of its Director-General K.D.S. Ruwanchandra.

The two main contestants in the running for the presidency are former three-time president Thilanga Sumathipala who is also the Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Nishantha Ranatunga, a former four-time secretary and present president of Colombo Colts CC. There is Sumith Perera, president of Badureliya SC who is also contesting for the post.

Following the court order all the nominees against whom objections were raised will be able to contest their respective posts.

Yesterday and today were crucial for both parties as there will be a lot of horse trading taking place till Saturday evening.

With the coming together of Jayantha Dharmadasa and Thilanga Sumathipala, two former rivals for the presidency in the past, the Sumathipala camp appears to have a strong stakeholder backing.

THILANGA SAYS

“I was vice president for three consecutive years 1995-1997 and contested the presidency three times and each time I won more than two-thirds of the membership supported me and my team,” said Sumathipala.

“At that time the only strong point was that Jayantha Dharmadasa’s supporters were not with me. Today he is also with me. I can’t see anybody who understands cricket and cricketing administration can even dream of coming closer to winning with our entire team.

“We are practical and have a pragmatic approach. We are definitely winning and there is no doubt about it. The stakeholders whom we have contacted have given us sufficient indication towards such a victory,” he said.

Sumathipala added that his top priority was to stabilize national cricket and to appoint a top level foreign coach to ensure sustainability to improve our international rankings and to achieve better results.

“With the exit of stars Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara there are youngsters who could perform but the lack of experience deprives them from performing at that level. They need guidance at international level. So getting a foreign coach is imperative,” said Sumathipala.

“Top priority will be given to national cricket and the appointment of a national coach to sustain our status in the international arena and give guidance to a number of promising youngsters to perform at the top level.

“I also plan to introduce a system to support the decentralisation of cricket in the districts by having a strong administrative and infrastructure base and also give maximum support to club cricket to enhance its status and quality so that domestic cricket becomes meaningful to cater to international cricket,” he said.

NISHANTHA SAYS

“I came forward basically because of the request we got from the membership who had appreciated the development work we had done and that we have done well in our cricket,” said Ranatunga.

“We were ranked first in T20s, second in Tests and third in ODIs at the time we were removed from the SLC. But during the last eight months the cricket has gone down and the stakeholders expected us to come up with a team to revive cricket.

“The majority of the members are supporting us and we are very confident of winning 96 plus seats out of the total voting strength of 147. I have been assured of this figure by the membership. We have spoken to them and they have assured us of their mandate,” he said.

Having been in cricket administration for quite a while Ranatunga said that he thought it was the right time for him to come forward to contest the post as president.

“Consideting my experience in the cricket arena I thought it was the right time. I have done enough for the game to get elected to that position,” Ranatunga said.

“People will analyse what we have done during the last few years. We have improved the revenue by 600 percent, our cricket has been taken to the highest level and during my term as secretary we have won one World Cup, been runner-up in two World Cups, beaten all the countries in their own soil and our cricket has gone to the top three positions in all three formats,” he said.

“Administratively we have good systems and procedures in place for Sri Lanka Cricket which shows the efficiency of its management.”

Ranatunga said that they have come up with a plan to develop school and club cricket which is the pinnacle of our cricket and a long term plan for district cricket.

He said that his elder brother Arjuna Ranatunga who is the Minister of Ports and Shipping coming forward to contest for one of the vice-presidency posts would strengthen them.

“More than the voting his presence will help Sri Lanka cricket. With his cricketing knowledge and commitment for cricket I am sure that will help us a lot.”

Ranatunga stated that he had no personal problems with the players although there were some misunderstandings.

“Some of them didn’t agree with the decisions we took. We never took individual decisions but did it with the best interest of Sri Lanka cricket and to look after the interest of the stake holders,” said Ranatunga.

“The finger was pointed at me because I was the person who communicated the decisions and as secretary that was part of my job.”

—–*****

NOMINATIONS FOR SRI LANKA CRICKET ELECTIONS

President (1 post)

Sumith Perera, Thilanga Sumathipala, Jayantha Dharmadasa, Nishantha Ranatunga.

Vice Presidents (2 posts)

Jayantha Dharmadasa, K Mathivanan, Shammi Silva, Asanga Seneviratne, Arjuna Ranatunga.

Secretary (1 post)

Mohan de Silva, Hirantha Perera

Assistant Secretary (1 post)

Ravin Wickremaratne, Nilantha Ratnayake

Treasurer (1 post)

Shammi Silva, Easman Narangoda

Assistant Treasurer (1 post)

Lalith Rambukwella, Aruna de Silva, Sujeewa Lokuhewa, Nihal Lewke

Sponsorship Committee (5 posts)

Matheesha Dharmasiri, Suresh Murugesar, Thushan Amarasuriya, LDA Weerasinghe, MH Jamaldeen, Sarath Abeysundara, Uvais Samsudeen, Roland Perera, TACD Silva

Tour Organising Committee (5 posts)

AHTWK Ariyawickrema, J Jayaweera, PHU Imalsha, Nimal Ekanayake, HA Ali, V Pradeepan, JHR Fernando, Chrishantha Kapuwatte, SKUR Seneviratne, OJ Pereira, DC Mahawattage, APSP de Vaas Gunawardena, MT Ajuman, Roshan Idamalgoda, CPL Gunawardena, A Hussain Ghany, Ashroff Ghany.

Tournament Committee (5 posts)

AA Wijaya de Silva, Bandula Dissanayake, Shammi Gunasekera, AMP de Alwis, Kasun Fernando, Marlon Fernandopulle, Manoja Kariyapperuma, WS Benito Abeysekera, Rizwan Badurdeen.

Umpires Committee (5 posts)

Mohamed Rafeel, Rupenath Wickremaratne, Wasanthalal Fernando, Lal Ranasinghe, AAW de Silva, Abu Siddeek, Deepal Madurapperuma, RM Rahman, Ishak Sahabdeen, Sanjaya Attanayake, Ashley Ratnayake, Saman Hewawitharana.

The Future Legends Cricket Academy (FLCA) will begin operating across four locations in Dubai from next month with plans of expansion across the UAE.

Dashing Pakistan cricketer turned commentator Rameez Raja is supporting Aravinda’s dream project.

“We both have experienced the thrill of winning a World Cup and the glory, it brings. FLCA is our way of giving back to the game, which has given us so much, and made us who we are today. This academy and its curriculum is a result of extensive research carried out by us during the past year, identifying the gaps in the coaching programmes and the way forward for producing cricketing professionals in UAE,” said former Sri Lanka captain Aravinda de Silva.

“Talent is what the youngsters possess and we hope to build on their natural talent and provide them with the necessary and correct technical skills so that they can achieve greatness in cricket,” said Rameez.

FLCA appears to be an extension of a talent search project Aravinda started in Sri Lanka seven years ago.

“I stepped into this project to create champions and to create champions is not an easy task as it is not the talent or enthusiasm alone that makes champions. A lot of work goes behind the scene in the making of a champion,” said Aravinda at a press conference to launch FLCA in Dubai on Sunday.

Looking back at his career, Aravinda, 50,said,“I started at the age of seven and after schooI I used to stay and watch our seniors practice and every time the ball came beyond the boundary line, I would run, pick the ball and throw it to the field. My dream was to represent my country. I used to listen to 1975 World Cup commentary on a pocket radio as we did not have television at that time.My hero was Viv Richards and every time he played a shot, I would take a golf ball and a ruler and repeat the same stroke.”

Aravinda felt he had an advantage because he came under the wing of former national players from the age of eight.

“As soon as I entered competitive school cricket at under 11, I was only nine years old.Then the advantage I had was the coaches we had at that level were the national coaches who had represented the country. Therefore, at eight years I learnt exactly what it was needed at the highest level,” said Aravinda who emulated his childhood hero Richards by scoring a century in the 1996 World Cup final against Australia.

He believes talent alone is not enough to progress without proper coaching.

“When many said that I was more talented than others, I never believed it and neither will I believe it now. It was the coaching and the hard work, which took me to where I reached in cricket. So I want to give that experience to youngsters,” pledged Aravinda, one of the greatest ever Test batsmen Sri Lanka has produced.

His intention to create something for the younger generation and give something back to the game back in Sri Lanka began seven years ago.

“I started a talent search project called Aravinda de Silva Cricket Foundation in Sri Lanka.Then we called it Aravinda de SilvaCricket Pathway. When we carried on doing that for about three years,Coca Cola came along and renamed itCoca Cola Pathway,” said Aravinda who was buoyed by its success to go global and chose Dubai for it.

“I realised that Dubai was one place where we could start it fromand it was far more easier to do it in a place like Dubai than any other location though cricket is very popular in Sri Lanka,India or Pakistan,” he said roping in 1992 Pakistan World Cup winner Rameez for his dream project.

“Together we have a vision.We have won two World Cups but we have never consistently won World Cups. The reason being there are so many administrative issues.Also planning and having structured programmeslike in Australia. That is what we want to do. Not to be a run of the mill academy. We want to take it to the GCCwhere we feel there is a huge interest,” said Aravinda.

Rameez was circumspect about coaching but was excited to be part of this project.

“I have always believed that coaching kills the natural instinctivenessin your system. I’m not in favour of creating robots. I’m in favour of creating something like Muttiah Muralitharan or Saeed Ajmal or how some of the batsmen are playing these days in T20,” said the former Pakistan opener.

“We are on firm footing here because Aravinda and I feel that while coaching is extremely important it has to be given a new flavour where the natural instinctiveness doesn’t get killed. Because we are dealing with young cricketers here, it is important that we keep it simple which we intend to do,” said Rameez.

“To get the best out of these youngsters I would want a seven-year-old batting right and left hand or bowling right and left hand. That is where we want the academy to goand also to involve some of the legends of the game so that interaction becomes that much more meaningful,” said Raja who hailed the success of the school cricket system in Sri Lanka as a shining example.

“Sri Lankan school system is extremely strong. Aravindaand Arjuna (Ranatunga), most of these guys would come from a very strong school cricket structure and be so technically good and we got amazed at how good they were at a young age. Later on we found it was because of strong coaching structurewhich was delivered at the school level that made them such good players,” he said.

Former Sri Lanka Under 19 coach Naveed Nawazis the head coach of the academy.

“So we are in safe hands.This will have a different flavour to the coaching system. We will make sure it is not boring. We want to attract locals in the UAE but we want to take this concept back to Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India so that all these expat young kids when they go back home they have future in this game. It’s not going to be just a one-off situation. We will maintain continuity.

I’m extremely excited to be part of this unit and I think you’ll see a difference. We are here to make a difference,” he declared.

Sri Lanka’s World Cup winning captain made these remarks when he met with Sobers at his Ministry auditorium yesterday. A felicitation ceremony was held to appreciate Sir Garfield Sobers’ service to the development of Sri Lankan cricket. Ranatunga claimed that Sobers has been a unique coach to Sri Lankan cricket.

“Sir Sobers has been a very special character in my cricketing career. Before the 1993 Australian tour I was not included in the side. But Sir Sobers who came as the coach of the Lankan team, requested the selection committee to include me in the national side. It is after that I was able to secure a permanent place in the national side. Sobers’ guidance and instructions have helped me a lot. So after 30 years when he return to Sri Lanka I am very pleased to meet him,” said Ranatunga.

Addressing the gathering, Sobers predicted that Sri Lankan cricket will have a great time in time to come.

“When I was invited to come to Sri Lanka as a coach by late Gamini Dissanayake, I was in Australia. It was also after little while Sri Lanka gained Test status. But there were talented cricketers in Sri Lanka. So I accepted the invitation. My first job was to train Sri Lankan players to face fast bowlers and prepare their minds to face pace bowlers, because at that time there were very good fast bowlers in the world. Then I focused on their technical aspects. There were talented players in Sri Lanka at that time and I hope Sri Lanka will produce talented players in future as well,” Sir Sobers stated.

Minister Ranatunga also presented a memento to Sir Garfield Sobers during the ceremony. Ports and Aviation Ministry secretary L. P Jayampathi, Sri Lanka Ports Authority Chairman Dhammika Ranatunga, former Test cricketers Pramodya Wickremasinghe and Ravindra Pushpakumara were also present at the occasion.

The greatest all-rounder in world cricket, made these observations during a felicitation ceremony organised by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and held at the Hotel Taj Samudra in Colombo yesterday.

“The Twenty20 format has taken a heavy toll on the West Indies cricket as well as some of the other teams in the world and because of this some top players have even forgotten their own country” revealed Sobers.

“I don’t think that Twenty 20 cricket will run away but I think Test cricket is the ultimate for any player. If you are a cricketer that is the kind of cricket you would like to play. There is a lot of money involved in world cricket today. But I have always played for the West Indies team. It was such a pleasure and joy to be able to do what I did. Records make nothing. The team was more important for me. But I don’t think we have that today” added Sobers.

Sobers further noted that he was amazed with the kind of improvement the Sri Lanka cricket team has achieved during the last few years in all formats of the game.

Sobers who had the opportunity of coaching the Sri Lanka team for the 1983 World Cup in England, believed that that the team had the potential to go the distance and 13 years later they were able to emerge as World Champions.

I was really proud when Sri Lanka won the World Cup in 1996 and and I was pleased with the kind of performance of the players spearheaded by Arjuna Ranatunga who for me was a player with a great amount of talent and potential.

Sobers’ visit coinincides with the ongoing Sri Lanka-West Indies Test series where a trophy to honour him along with the island’s ex-captain Michael Tissera will be awarded to the winners.

Sri Lanka won the first Test in Galle by an innings and eight runs and Sobers’ appearance may be just what his team would need in the second and deciding match which commences at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo on Thursday.

Sobers became a household name in Sri Lanka after he made Test cricket’s then highest individual score of 365 not out in 1957/58 in Bridgetown, Barbados against Pakistan. He also became the first player to hit six sixes in one over when playing for Nottinghamshire in an English county cricket match when he smashed Glamorgan’s spinner Malcolm Nash for six sixes in one over in 1968. He is also remembered for his epic knock of 254 for the Rest of the World team against Australia, led by Ian Chappell at Melbourne in 1971.

When he toured Sri Lanka in 1967, he scored a brilliant century(115) in a Windies total of 549 for 8 declared in the Unofficial test at the Colombo Oval along with Basil Butcher(152) and Clive Lloyd (138).

Soon after Sri Lanka gained test status in 1981, he was invited to coach the Sri Lanka National team and one of his products, Arjuna Ranatunga went on to represent the country as an 18 year old in the inaugural test against England at the P. Sara Oval in February 1982 in which he scored 54 runs.

Sri Lanka Cricket Chairman Sidat Wettimuny was at hand along with several officials to welcome Sobers yesterday.

Fifteen years ago we celebrated her victory of winning an Olympic medal for Sri Lanka and today I decided to attend this event as a tribute paid by the Head of State after 15 years and we share the same feeling of victory he said. President Sirisena also said that not only Susanthika, but anyone who achieves targets faces many obstacles, so what is important is to face them with courage like Susanthika herself did. When I was the Health Minister I could not work independently and if I could, I would have settled most of the problems in the health sector.

I know the field of sports was worse so I do not blame the former sports ministers for the set back we had in the field of sports during the recent past, President Sirisena said. As the government we have had many discussions on how to improve the standards of sports in our country and I’m sure there is a necessity of a broader plan and effective strategies to develop sports in the island he said. The ceremony was held to launch Susanthika Jayasinghe Athletic Academy, Susanthika Jayasinghe Sports Fund and to launch ‘ My Story’ Susanthika’s autobiography. Susanthika’s then coach and manager Tony Campbell who flew all the way from America to attend the 15th year celebration said it was really tough to work with Susanthika at the beginning. When I first met her in 1998 I did not know where Sri Lanka is , but after two years when she won the Olympic medal in Sydney the whole world could witness Sri Lankan flag being waved he said. It has been 15 years since Susanthika won an Olympic medal but through all those years Sri Lanka has not produced another Olympic prospect to follow Susanthika. I request the President, the sports minister and other authorities to start today itself and make a plan and put that plan into practice to find another few athletes to repeat what Susanthika did. Susanthika Jayasinghe speaking on the occasion thanked everyone who have helped her and wished the same for the proposed athletic academy.

President’s Counsel Kalinga Indathissa also recalled how Susanthika had to face many obstacles and finally how she managed to overcome them to win an Olympic medal. Roshan Dammika Ranathunge of Kularatne MMV who was adjudged the best male school athlete and his coach Tiran Gamage and best female school athlete Yamani Dulanjali of Ambagamuwa MMV and her coach Anura Bandara were also felicitated on the occasion. Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara, Ports and Shipping Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, former Sports Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Gamini Lokuge, Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thero, foreign diplomats, sports officials, celebrities and many distinguished guests were also present.