Sports
A Request to Chairman of National Sports Council
A Request to Chairman of National Sports Council Mr. Mahela Jayawardene, and to its members, especially Mr. Kumar Sangakkara.
Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam. Ph.D. (Cornell)
Olympian 1952 and 1956.
Gold Medalist 1958 Asian Games, Tokyo.
My appreciation to Mr. Sangakkara for addressing, in his interview with Rex Clementine in the Island newspaper of August 22, 2020, the need to update the Sports Law of 1973 and its subsequent amendments. Though there are many sections that needed to be updated, I would like to specifically address two that need to be included or updated. I am making my observations and recommendation to improve the sports associations’ noble efforts in the spirit of the Olympic Games and not as a criticism.
They are:
1. Specify new requirements for registration of any Olympic Sport to be formed as a National Sports Association in addition to the current requirement.
2. Specify new requirements for any National Sports Association that wants to be affiliated to the corresponding International Association and the National Olympic Committee (NOC), in addition to the current requirement.
There are, as of end of 2019, thirteen (13) Olympic Sports Associations or Federations affiliated to the NOC Sri Lanka. Out of them Cricket, Athletics, Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball have functioning District Associations in all, or a majority, of the 25 Districts in Sri Lanka. The other registered National Sports Associations affiliated to the NOC are not as well registered in Districts across the country. This assessment is by personal observation. None of the associations have indicated in their websites the number of District Associations, their membership, or whether the District associations are represented in their Council. Such information should be published.
The rational for my suggestion of item 1 and 2 is based on the Spirit of the Olympic Games and Olympism, Vision and Mission that were adopted by the NOC SL (See Constitution of NOC SL adopted 04-01-2018)
“Olympism is a philosophy of life which places sport at the service of humanity. This philosophy is based on the interaction of the qualities of the body, will and mind. Olympism is expressed through actions which link sport to culture and education.”
Vision
Contribute to the building of a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practices without discrimination of any form whatsoever and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.
Mission
Develop, promote and protect the Olympic movement in Sri Lanka, in accordance with the Olympic Charter”. “Also committed to propagate Sports in Sri Lanka and thereby to achieve unity and brotherhood among the different communities living in Sri Lanka and to promote sportsmanship and healthy competition in the World Sports Arena.
Except for the Associations or Federations mentioned above none of the others are abiding by the spirit of Olympism or the NOC’s Vision and Mission. In most of such associations they do not abide by their Mission, Vision and Aim as stated in their websites.
The rationale for Items 1 and 2 above is based on observation of the activities of the National Sports Associations. For example, Soccer, Cricket, Athletics have functioning District Associations and have also spread their sport activities to most schools in almost all of the 25 Districts in Sri Lanka.
Many of the National Associations that are affiliated currently as members of the National Olympic Committee are not active in more than 3 – 5 Districts. Examples are Tennis, Golf, Archery, Rowing, Aquatic Sports, Yacht Association of Sri Lanka (YASL). Such organisations however represent Sri Lanka, at the expense of funds allocated by the Sports Ministry, because of their affiliation to the NOC and International Associations of their respective sports.
International Associations, except the ICC, do not have or have not published established criteria of representation a country should require to represent and to be affiliated to the International Association beyond the legal requirement to register an organisation within a country. It is therefore important for the Sports Law to address the issue. National Sports Council can examine the problem and make amendments to the Sports Law to ensure that the National Sports Associations and Federations adhere to Olympism and the Vision and Mission of the NOC. The NOC Constitution has provisions to consider and make amendments in its Annual General Assembly.
It is important to require all of the NOC affiliates to establish District Associations to increase the pool of events Participants and Officials in their sport. Such a spread will improve performance and number of performers in their sports in local and international competitions. Such a spread will also give the youths in all of Sri Lanka equal opportunities to achieve their potential.
National Sports Associations and Federations may not have the financial resources to establish District Associations in all 25 Districts. To start with the Sports Ministry and the Mercantile sector can help Olympic Sports Associations in at least 13 Districts first and then increase to at least one each year.
An Association of any sport should not be accredited as a National Sports Association for membership in its corresponding International Association if it cannot give a chance to citizens in all or at least most of the Districts in Sri Lanka to be selected for a National Team.
The first truly heavyweight clash of this expanded T20 World Cup format comes freighted with both history and subplots. A rematch of the 2010 World T20 final at Kensington Oval, the match pits Jos Buttler’s defending champions – who are aiming to become the first team to retain the trophy – against the Australian winning machine, victors at the 2021 edition and current world title-holders in Test and ODI cricket. And that’s before you throw in the Ashes for afters.
Already there is added pressure on England, after the rain in Bridgetown led to a share of the points in their opener against Scotland (and that having conceded 90 runs from 10 overs without taking a wicket in a tepid bowling display). Lose to their oldest rivals and it will leave their Super 8 prospects open to being waylaid by the perils of net run-rate calculations, or worse.
The Scotland match was the third abandonment in five suffered by England, after a rain-affected home series against Pakistan, which has clearly hampered their readiness for this campaign after almost six months without playing T20 together. It does not take much for a side to click in this format – and England looked in decent shape when they did get on the field against Pakistan – but Buttler will be anxious for things to go their way on Saturday, if only to avoid further questions referencing the team’s disastrous ODI World Cup defence last year.
Australia, under the laidback leadership of Mitchell Marsh would love nothing more than to add to the English sense of jeopardy – having helped bundle them out of the tournament in India on the way to taking the crown. Their head to head record is less impressive in T20 however, with England having won six of the last seven completed encounters, as well as that 2010 final.
Despite a wobble with the bat, Australia avoided mishap against Oman earlier in the week, the experience of David Warner and Marcus Stoinis shining through in difficult batting conditions. Surfaces in the Caribbean – not to mention those games staged in the USA – have already had teams scratching their heads; rather than the “slug-fest” England had prepared for, following a high-scoring tour of the Caribbean in December, it looks as if boxing smart may be the way to go.
Speaking of Warner, this could be the last time he faces up against England in national colours – and another match-winning contribution would likely reduce the chances of them meeting again in the knockouts. On the other side of the card is Jofra Archer, fresh from an emotional maiden outing at Kensington Oval and ready to take on Australia for the first time in any format since 2020. Can Mark Wood fire up England’s campaign, as he did during last summer’s Ashes? Will Pat Cummins be back to harass the old enemy once again? Seconds out, it’s almost time to rumble.
Cummins is set to return after being rested for the Oman game, which saw Mitchell Starc leave the field with cramp. Starc is understood to be fine and could keep his place – which would likely see Nathan Ellis miss out. Marsh is still not fit to bowl, with Australia likely to continue with the allrounder combination of Stoinis and Maxwell to give them cover.
Australia (probable XI): David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (capt), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis (wk), Tim David, Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis/Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
The one change England may consider is Reece Topley coming in for Wood, with the expectation that there will be some rotation among the seamers through the course of the tournament.
England (probable XI): Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (capt & wk), Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley/Mark Wood
[Cricinfo]
Once is coincidence, twice is a clue, and three times is proof.
To paraphrase Agatha Christie, that is the narrative around South Africa’s meeting with Netherlands at this T20 World Cup.
The Dutch beat South Africa at the 2022 tournament and ended their semi-final hopes in a match where South Africa appeared to be sleep walking, and then beat them again at the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they exposed South Africa’s vulnerability in the chase. If they to do the treble, not only will Netherlands take the lead in Group D, but they will offer conclusive evidence of the threat they pose to Full Members, especially South Africa.
Of course, it will take some doing after South Africa’s opening performance against Sri Lanka, where they reduced their opposition to their lowest T20I total and chased it down in fairly straightforward fashion thanks to the most stable middle-order of their white-ball era. In Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, South Africa have bankers and big-hitters and, for this match, they also have the advantage of experience. They’ve already played at Eisenhower Park, and have first-hand knowledge that run-scoring doesn’t come easily;Klassen said they are prepared to use their “cricket brains” and play “smarter cricket”.
But the conditions could be good news for Netherlands, who are not naturally a line-up of big hitters and build their innings on a foundation of turning ones into twos. In other words, they tend to take a slightly more conservative approach to batting, which may work well here, but they’ll be wary of the uneven bounce of the surface and will have to come up with plans to counterattack especially against South Africa’s seamers. Their own bowlers were exemplary in Dallas and will look to build on that performance against a line-up that will likely be more proactive than Nepal’s, but who they have managed to keep quiet not once, but twice in the past. Third time’s the charm, they say.
Anrich Nortje’s stunning return to form against Sri Lanka means South Africa may not have to tinker with the bowling combination, and Gerald Coetzee and Tabraiz Shamsi may have to wait their turns to get a game. The batting line-up should be unchanged, with no space for Ryan Rickelton yet.
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markam, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Ottneil Baartman, Anrich Nortje
Conditions in New York may tempt Netherlands to include an extra seamer and they have Kyle Klein in their squad. But it could come at the expense of a shortened batting line-up and they may not want to risk that.
Netherlands: Michael Levitt, Max O’Dowd, Vikramjit Singh, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Scott Edwards (capt, wk), Bas de Leede, Teja Nidamanuru, Logan van Beek, Tim Pringle, Paul van Meekeren, Vivian Kingma
[Cricinfo]
Nuwan Thushara’s last over brought Sri Lanka screaming back into the match,as he first bowled Rishad Hossain, and then nailed Taskin Ahmed in front of the stumps with a pinpoint swinging yorker. This left Bangladesh eight wickets down, with 12 runs still to get.
However, the experienced Mahmudullah was at the crease for Bangladesh, and despite some further nervy moments, pushed Bangladesh across the line off the last ball of the 19th over.
But this was a match chiefly decided by Bangladesh’s own outstanding bowling. Mustafizur Rahman was the best among them, using shorter lengths and his cutters efficiently, to claim figures of 3 for 17. Rishad Hossain’s three-for through the middle overs also kept Sri Lanka quiet.
Mustafizur was instrumental in Sri Lanka’s downward spiral through the middle overs, which culminated in a crash-and-burn end. Ultimately, their inability to find boundaries, or even rotate strike against good Bangladesh bowling resulted in their downfall. A score of 125 for 9 always seemed poor on a decent pitch, even if their bowlers made a match of it in the end.
Brief scores:
Bangladesh 125 for 8 in 19 overs (Towhid Hridoy 40, Litton Das 36; Dhanajaya de Silva 1-11, Nuwan Thushara 4-18, Wanidu Hasaranga 2-32, Matheesha Pathirana 1-27) beat Sri Lanka124 for 9 in 20 overs (Pathum Nissanka 47, Dhananjaya de Silva 21; Tanzim Hasan Sakib 1-24, Taskin Ahmed 2-25, Mustafizur Rahman 3-17, Rishad Hossain 3-22) by two wickets
[Cricinfo]
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