The year was 2001. A twelve-year-old was smashing the opposing bowlers all around the park in a Colombo suburb. The coach knew this was something special.
The kid reached a hundred in an Under 13 game, anyone who has played cricket at any level would know the significance of that achievement. The next morning it was the school assembly. The fifteen odd members who had witnessed the prowess of a potential star in the making were eager to hear the announcement of the special feat the day before. What an anticlimax it turned out to be; it did not even get a mention during the assembly. The kid and his feat went unnoticed and with time the expectations of our society took precedence and probably a star in making went into oblivion. He probably may not have been the only one.
This is where cricket stood, two decades ago in one of the leading Tamil educational institutions in Colombo down Lorenz Road. At about the same time at Ananda College, students would flock to the ground to see a new kid from Ambalangoda decimate bowling attacks, that young man was Dinesh Chandimal. Students at Royal would not stop talking of a certain Bhanuka Rajapakse. They would continue to be the flag bearers for him even years after, because they knew the potential in store.
In Sri Lanka, cricket is a religion, a tool that unites a country that tends to stand divided on every little issue. Perhaps because of that it’s ingrained in the schooling system, resulting in many stars walking into national colors out of school directly. Cricket isn’t a sport alone. It feeds off the environment it exists in within our schooling system. The cheers, the backings, emotions and narratives all play a part in its thriving, resulting in the birth of stars for the future.
In this Ecosystem, big matches are a pivotal component. They provide the audience for young sportsmen to exhibit their skills under pressure. With a thousand eyes zooming in, the ability to perform is a skill that will serve one within and beyond the field. The big match rivalries in the country are spoken of highly globally. No wonder, as most of those who walk into national set ups have made their names in big matches.
Down South, people speak about how the lazy elegance and consistency of Dhananjaya De Silva made them feel he was destined for national honors sooner rather than later. Richmondites would take pride in the fact that almost all from one of their big match teams ended up in the national side.
The Josephians down Darley Road have ruled the Sri Lankan set up in recent times. There are enough tales surrounding their exploits. One that stands out is national test skipper Dimuth Karunaratne smacking the first ball of their two-day encounter for a six at P Sara. These aren’t just events or stories. They are legacies and priceless memories. They create a culture and inspire youngsters to take up the beautiful game. Everyone will not end in national colors. But taking up this beautiful game will result in balanced individuals walking out into society from their respective alma mater at least. Anything in addition is a bonus.
The stage for a teenager to perform when everybody is watching is one of the best things that one could ask for. It teaches you many things which the textbooks cannot. Big matches
aren’t just about glitz and glamour. They are about molding raw stones into beautiful masterpieces. But they aren’t confined to it alone. They provide the opportunity for all to connect with their roots every year. Relive the memories along the glorious corridors and cauldrons of their alma matters.
The 11th battle of the Hindus scheduled for the 10th and 11th of June in Jaffna is exactly that. It’s an opportunity that is provided for the promising teens to display their skills and show what they are made out of when everyone is watching. It’s an opportunity to create narratives that will live beyond the test of time.
Two decades down the line from an environment where the superlative efforts of a kid in cricket was missed amidst other priorities, to many putting time and effort to make the big match a big-ticket item in the sporting calendar, the cricketing culture has taken a turn for good at the school down Lorenz Road.
Let us hope that we too one day can say we saw this kid leaving a mark in one of our big matches when one of these young sportsmen go onto make our alma maters proud by wearing national colors.
But for that to happen we need to provide the right incentives. Your presence and cheers are the exact recipe that needs to be infused to make the big match into a platform that sets the stage for bigger and better deeds we can be proud of.
Contribution by Aravinthan Arunthavanathan
