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When Murali took cricket to Jaffna - Bada - 07-10-2020
A photograph in social media of spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan being given a hug by a cricket fan brought up nostalgic memories. This photograph is 18 years old and was taken in Jaffna by the brilliant Anurudha Lokuapuarachi, photojournalist of Reuters. But not many are aware of the story behind the photograph.
![[Image: Murali-10-696x490.jpg]](https://www.thepapare.com/wp-content/uploads/Murali-10-696x490.jpg)
A ceasefire agreement between the Government and the LTTE almost two decades ago opened up the A9 road and business establishments based in the south were making use of the opportunity to launch their products and services in the north as well. Janashakthi, one of the leading insurance firms in the island, saw the opportunity and were looking to establish themselves in Jaffna. They had a brilliant marketing team headed by the ever-smiling Ramesh Schaffter who came up with a novel idea to create a buzz about the new venture by playing a cricket match in Jaffna.
There was something special about that cricket match. Jaffna was going to see cricket’s hottest sensation in town – Muttiah Muralitharan.
From the early days of his career, Janashakthi had taken Murali under their wings and a decade later when he had become an iconic figure in cricket, it was Janashakthi’s opportunity to cash in. Together with Murali, a few other Test cricketers like Romesh Kaluwitharana and Ruchira Perera featured in the game for the team from Colombo. They were taking on a combined team from Jaffna schools.
Now, Jaffna had been starved of cricket at that point although they had several cricket playing schools like St. Patrick’s, St. John’s, St. Henry’s, Hartley College and Jaffna Central College, who had engaged in the game. In the 1980s, there were some quality players as well with the most prominent of them being Rasaratnam Naguleswaran, who played for CCC, Maharaja’s and Sri Lanka Under-25 before migrating to New Zealand.
Janashakthi had hired a coach in which the players and their marketing team traveled. Together with a few media friends, we too decided to make the trip. One of our friends, Ashok Selladurai, a software expert who had worked for Cricinfo had a vehicle and he drove us to Jaffna. A few photographers like Anurudha from Reuters, Gemunu Amarasinghe from AP and Sena Vidanagamage from AFP came on their own.
Jaffna put up a grand show in welcoming Murali. He had to stop at every junction where he was garlanded, and people showered him with love and warmth. Despite being exhausted by the lengthy travel, Murali put up a fine show. This was the pre-selfie era but he signed autographs and chatted with fans who shook hands with him.
The game was the following day. Needless to say that it was a packed house. Security was pretty tight with Police and STF controlling the crowd. Despite that, two young fans ran onto the pitch and embraced Murali. Intruders on cricket pitch put players’ safety in danger. But Murali welcomed the youth with open arms. He was smiling. The youth had one of the best days of their lives. Following that, more young fans came onto the pitch to greet Murali and the Police had a hard job.
Anurudha is an outstanding photographer. He captured that moment in Jaffna. Over the years, he has taken some superb cricket images. One such is the mid-air collision between Jason Gillespie and Steve Waugh in Asgiriya in 1999. He didn’t stop there. He went to Kandy General Hospital the following day, obtained permission from the hospital and the players and took more images of the two Test cricketers on the mend. These images are still found on Google. Waugh was so fascinated by the photographs that during his next visit to Colombo in 2002, he approached Anurudha and purchased some of these images which were used in his autobiography – Never Satisfied.
As for Murali, returning from Jaffna, his coach stopped at an Army camp for lunch. The Commanding Officer of the camp asked Murali whether he could speak to the soldiers briefly. Murali agreed and chatted to them and during the conversation, a soldier appealed him to play a cricket match. The unscheduled cricket match too was agreed upon by the spin wizard.
Murali opened the batting in that game – a softball encounter between Army and those who had gone from Colombo. He did not bowl off-spin and instead opted for medium pace. There was a soldier who took Murali to task, hitting three sixes in an over. There was joy among fellow soldiers to see one of their own taking the world’s greatest bowler to the cleaners. Murali sensed the occasion. He did not bowl off-spin in the next over but kept bowling seam and the soldier kept hammering him. He was carted all around the park. But in cricket, wickets and runs do not matter always. Bringing smiles to those who engage in the sport and those who watch is sometimes more important. Murali understood those values. He gave the soldiers a fabulous time.
Murali is far more than just a brand ambassador. A realistic man, he is deeply aware of the difference he can make by bringing a smile to the faces of fellow Sri Lankans. It’s not by just playing a game of softball cricket with others but he has done far greater things to help the poor both in the north and south through his charity the Foundation of Goodness. The nation needs more heroes like Murali.
https://www.thepapare.com/murali-took-cricket-jaffna/
RE: When Murali took cricket to Jaffna - Bada - 07-11-2020
![[Image: 05.jpg]](https://thuppahi.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/05.jpg)
![[Image: 01.jpg]](https://thuppahi.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/01.jpg)
![[Image: 09.jpg]](https://thuppahi.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/09.jpg)
Chandra Schaffter: The Jaffna Match, 1 September 2002
With Ranil Wickremesinghe becoming Prime Minister in 2001, a ceasefire agreement was negotiated with the LTTE and the A9 was opened after many years. Janashakthi took the opportunity to open its Jaffna branch in August Because of our association with cricket, we felt that the best way would be to stage a cricket match which would bring the enthusiastic cricket fans in Jaffna out of their homes. It was a major rush but my son Ramesh,who was adept at such events, began organizing the match as well as the opening of the branch. I had just returned to Sri Lanka after managing the cricket team in the UK and I had agreed with a team of about 15 of the cricketers to go up to Jaffna in a special bus and play a match – not so much for cricket per se but in order to create an impression in Jaffna.
Unfortunately, the Interim Committee at that time behaved very churlishly and shot it down, and released only Murali, Kaluwitharana and Ruchira Perera (the latter as an invitee). All the rest were Janashakthi employees who had played first class cricket. We went up by bus and we had several camp followers who came on their own. It was a great occasion and a great picnic.
I will not dwell on the opening of the branch which was just like any other branches, but Jaffna was special because it had previously held a very highplace in the company’s operations. The match started as usual, and Janashakthi batted first. When it was Jaffna’s turn to bat, I believe I opened bowling and my figures,[ii] according to Ramesh, were 3 overs for 11 runs. I believe I took one wicket as well. Ruchira Perera opened at the other end and his figures were 3 overs for 27 runs.
We had a crowd of about 15,000 and controlling them was a major operation, particularly when Murali came anywhere near them. He also played and bowled and I think he took a couple of wickets. Jaffna in fact came quite close to our score thanks to Shah Jehan who made a fifty and plundered 16 runs or so from one Murali over.[iii]
The crowd mobbed the place, particularly Murali whose safety had to be looked after because the Board would not have forgiven us if he had been injured in anyway.
The LTTE were there in a big way however, they were allowed free movement without arms.[iv] Their cadres were around and their leader came and sat in the front row next to me. They were quite disciplined and happy about the event, because it added to the impression given that things were normal under them. The Police and Army too were very polite and co-operative and we had no problems at all. We stayed the night in Jaffna at various hotels and left the next morning for Colombo.
All in all, it was a great day and the participation of Murali helped to revive the flagging spirits of Jaffna sportsmen. I am sure that our competitors may have been quite envious at what we had achieved, but then that was the type of thing Janashakthi did from time to time.
https://thuppahi.wordpress.com/2017/09/27/cricketing-amity-september-2002-janashakthi-xi-vs-jaffna-district-cricket-xi/
RE: When Murali took cricket to Jaffna - Bada - 12-27-2020
Saw this report about the current situation
RE: When Murali took cricket to Jaffna - stillwill - 12-28-2020
(07-11-2020, 09:04 AM)Bada Wrote:
Chandra Schaffter: The Jaffna Match, 1 September 2002
With Ranil Wickremesinghe becoming Prime Minister in 2001, a ceasefire agreement was negotiated with the LTTE and the A9 was opened after many years. Janashakthi took the opportunity to open its Jaffna branch in August Because of our association with cricket, we felt that the best way would be to stage a cricket match which would bring the enthusiastic cricket fans in Jaffna out of their homes. It was a major rush but my son Ramesh,who was adept at such events, began organizing the match as well as the opening of the branch. I had just returned to Sri Lanka after managing the cricket team in the UK and I had agreed with a team of about 15 of the cricketers to go up to Jaffna in a special bus and play a match – not so much for cricket per se but in order to create an impression in Jaffna.
Unfortunately, the Interim Committee at that time behaved very churlishly and shot it down, and released only Murali, Kaluwitharana and Ruchira Perera (the latter as an invitee). All the rest were Janashakthi employees who had played first class cricket. We went up by bus and we had several camp followers who came on their own. It was a great occasion and a great picnic.
I will not dwell on the opening of the branch which was just like any other branches, but Jaffna was special because it had previously held a very highplace in the company’s operations. The match started as usual, and Janashakthi batted first. When it was Jaffna’s turn to bat, I believe I opened bowling and my figures,[ii] according to Ramesh, were 3 overs for 11 runs. I believe I took one wicket as well. Ruchira Perera opened at the other end and his figures were 3 overs for 27 runs.
We had a crowd of about 15,000 and controlling them was a major operation, particularly when Murali came anywhere near them. He also played and bowled and I think he took a couple of wickets. Jaffna in fact came quite close to our score thanks to Shah Jehan who made a fifty and plundered 16 runs or so from one Murali over.[iii]
The crowd mobbed the place, particularly Murali whose safety had to be looked after because the Board would not have forgiven us if he had been injured in anyway.
The LTTE were there in a big way however, they were allowed free movement without arms.[iv] Their cadres were around and their leader came and sat in the front row next to me. They were quite disciplined and happy about the event, because it added to the impression given that things were normal under them. The Police and Army too were very polite and co-operative and we had no problems at all. We stayed the night in Jaffna at various hotels and left the next morning for Colombo.
All in all, it was a great day and the participation of Murali helped to revive the flagging spirits of Jaffna sportsmen. I am sure that our competitors may have been quite envious at what we had achieved, but then that was the type of thing Janashakthi did from time to time.
https://thuppahi.wordpress.com/2017/09/27/cricketing-amity-september-2002-janashakthi-xi-vs-jaffna-district-cricket-xi/
I was there, I remember very vividly. In fact, I even remember exactly which top I wore. My polo shirt was missing the top button for the longest time. There were about 2000 people there not 15,000 people lol. I dont know where they get these numbers. All the kids were there hoping Sanath would come, some idiots kept saying Sanath is on the way and we believed it. Cricket on TV is only about 3 years old by then, but we all knew Murali was a top bowler but most of the younger kids were there for Sanath. Sanath would have been a bigger attraction. People were asking Murali to bring Sanath and Sachin but we were asking like the guards or whoever that wore sunglasses and wore white t shirts and black pants lol like it was going to make any difference. But we were happy to see an international celebrity. This was during peacetime, so there was something in the air, there were no major events or concerts other than temple and church masses. Even if Upul Chandana had come it would have received the same attention. Until 1999 most people had only seen Murali on biscuit wrappers, chocolate wrappers and some juice boxes.
Background about Cricket in Jaffna if you really wanna know
Football was the most popular sport in North and East, followed by athletics and then Cricket. Cricket was rarely played and only the elites played and too if you went to those school. There were no way of playing outside your school. There were no leagues or pitches to play nor there was any demand. This was from 1950s to 1999 ish. 95% of the generation before ours played Football and athletics. Cricket even with wooden sticks and rubber balls were not that prevalent(there were no tennis balls). Football matches between good teams will easily get 2000-3000 crowds and there were various leagues. Cricket on TV came in around late 1998-1999 in jaffna....the same year electricity became available again in Jaffna for public use. Cricket for the people that actually lived in Jaffna was relatively new. Sri lankan cricket was not on TV untill 1999. We had TVs, in fact TVS, radios and other equipments went to India through Jaffna and Mannar since India was a closed economy. This was until 1983, since 1983 never mind cables, there was no electricity for the most part. So the rise of SL cricket was not known; mind you that cricket was already niche sport. Only hospitals had electricity during the war. We had some electricity in late 80s and early 90s but "TV" meant it was also TV + VCR deck. You wont get signals to watch broadcast channels. So you only watched movies if you had a vcr deck and movie tapes. I think my first ever movie was Terminator 2: Judgement day and I watched in 1993. There was a heavy fighting between 1994 to 1996 and there was no electricity and only in 1998 we had electricity. TVs weren't' easy to find either. Some old couples gave us their tvs in 1998 and we didn't get signals picked up until early 1999 and 2-3 channels started coming on tv. That's when I actually saw cricket on tv for the first time. I think it was a highlight of SL vs Pak series from 1994(both teams were wearing white but it was a 50 over match). If Football was on tv I would have watched football because that's what we actually knew and historically played. Jaffna was on verge of collapse in early 2000, SL military thought it was going to fall so they started destroying anything that could have been used against them; Chandrika had asked Indian governments help for a militry invasion but that was declined by India. So electricity was cut, we were told to throw away wires, batteries, antennas and even coppers until late 2000s. Then electricity and tv signals came again in 20001. So if you really look at it, cricket would have been like 2.5 years old at best. Cricket picked up fast during this period, all the kids were playing. You had to make your own bat but rubber balls were available and you could play.
RE: When Murali took cricket to Jaffna - pj57 - 12-28-2020
The big match between Jaffna Central College and St. John's College, Jaffna has been played since 1904, only second to the Royal-Thomian. Colombo schools played a few Jaffna schools as an annual fixture before troubles started. Cricket was quite popular in Jaffna before the troubles, I wouldn't say it was the most popular but it had a good following. Unfortunately a generation of kids couldn't watch the game and was lost to the game due to the unrest.
RE: When Murali took cricket to Jaffna - Bada - 12-29-2020
Old article
https://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/761915/the-lost-boys-of-jaffna
RE: When Murali took cricket to Jaffna - Perthman - 12-30-2020
(12-27-2020, 03:07 PM)Bada Wrote: Saw this report about the current situation
I firmly believe there are some serious untapped talents in the North and the east. Its a pity even after 11 years since the war finished ,SLC or the government hasn't tried to bring them to the national level.
RE: When Murali took cricket to Jaffna - Bada - 12-30-2020
There's always talk about developing the game there, but looks like SLC or school cricket association hasn't done anything in terms of funding to help schools/clubs there. Did spend millions in a matter of hours to give the team a "send-off" before the last WT20 though. Most nonsensical waste of money. Even the 1996 WC team arrival and reception didn't cost much.
RE: When Murali took cricket to Jaffna - stillwill - 12-30-2020
(12-28-2020, 09:49 PM)pj57 Wrote: The big match between Jaffna Central College and St. John's College, Jaffna has been played since 1904, only second to the Royal-Thomian. Colombo schools played a few Jaffna schools as an annual fixture before troubles started. Cricket was quite popular in Jaffna before the troubles, I wouldn't say it was the most popular but it had a good following. Unfortunately a generation of kids couldn't watch the game and was lost to the game due to the unrest.
Don Bradman never went to India, Pakistan or Bangladesh but here he is in Toronto into 1932 playing a match. Does it mean anything? No
Sporting culture always existed so cricket also existed. Like I said it was played in school and that's it. You can't really arrange cricket tournaments due to its expense while Football and Athletics required minimal equipment.
RE: When Murali took cricket to Jaffna - stillwill - 12-30-2020
(12-30-2020, 02:20 AM)Ishan Wrote:(12-27-2020, 03:07 PM)Bada Wrote: Saw this report about the current situation
I firmly believe there are some serious untapped talents in the North and the east. Its a pity even after 11 years since the war finished, SLC or the government hasn't tried to bring them to the national level.
Actually, SLC tried, even tried a bit too much I'd say. I don't blame SLC in this sense.There is always some coach coming to run trials and so on from independent clubs in Colombo. Batting talent will never come from there because there is no infrastructure to train and get good at or major interest for people to go and train everyday like the schools in South. I played for Jaffna Hindu College, we thought we were good because we were hyped and I realized when I came to Canada that some 3rd division team in Canada could have easily steamrolled us. You can harvest potential fast bowlers that bowl at good speed based on raw talent to bowl fast. The problem is they all want to bring the kids down south and most kids don't want to relocate in hopes of playing for Srilanka. They just want it in their own towns like Jaffna, Mannar, Vavunia, Trinco, Batticaloa and Ampara. The kids that actually do wanna play international and IPL are already down there. You don't hear about them because they play in lower divisions. Cricket is played for fun, it is not taken that seriously and wanting to be an international athlete and are all not really a thing. You have more chance of Hollywood finding actors and film directors though lol. Most kids have to start working once school is done, they have to take care of their families. They don't have the capabilities to play full-time cricket even if they want to. Most kids aren't stupid either, they know their talent, if they think they can play International then they will take the chance if not they won't go through the hassle.
Football Federation of Sri lanka has a better chance of succeeding in North and East. In 80s, couple of players from Jaffna, Trinco and Batticaoala played in Bangladesh, Kolkotta, Greece, Egypt and in a couple of Gulf countries "professionally". If Football was the #1 sport for 50+ years, all those men that played during that time will have some sort of experience to pass it down to the next generation right ? That's a lot of potential coaches and knowledge. The Football talent is not there anymore, but the resources are there.