by Rex Clementine
Several high-profile sportsmen have been the subject of infamous sex scandals. When Imran Khan left Worcester and joined Sussex, the Worcestershire committee alleged that Imran couldn’t find enough women to satisfy him in the small town of Worcester. Mike Gatting lost the England captaincy after ‘The Sun’ alleged that he spent a night in his Nottingham hotel room with a barmaid. Five years ago, Kollupitiya Police arrested four British women, who spent a night in Chris Gayle’s room in a Colombo hotel. In mid 1980s, a model claimed that she had such wild sex with Ian Botham in Barbados that they ended up breaking the bed. Those are only the exposed escapades of various cricketers. If reporters break the golden rule called ‘what happens on tour, stays on tour’, many other leading sportsmen will end up with eggs on their faces.
Success on the cricket field brings you three things – Money, fame and, of course, women.
Former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya has been made to go through much embarrassment the whole of this week. Subsequent to the embarrassment, the criticism in social media he has received has left a bad taste. People have unkindly gone on to make assertions that Jayasuriya lacks decency.
He has been subjected to unending ridicule and disrespect in social media.
The incident has pained Jayasuriya so much that he has withdrawn himself to isolation having lodged a complaint with the police. Having tried extremely hard, eventually a current cricketer got hold of him and related how the former great was in tears and inconsolable.
Those making allegations and criticism have easily forgotten the entertainment Jayasuriya gave us for well over a decade.
Jayasuriya basically redefined the way people played One-Day cricket.
The mid 1990s was the golden era of Sri Lankan cricket and one of the national cricket team’s key match winners was Sanath Jayasuriya.
In 1997 when Sri Lanka posted a World Record 952 for six declared, then Indian captain Sachin Tendulkar went on record saying, "I haven’t seen Don Bradman, but I have seen Sanath Jayasuriya."
When the IPL was launched in 2008, the Ambanis gave Sachin a free hand to pick the players for the Mumbai franchise. The first name Sachin chose was Jayasuriya as he was so overawed by the brand of cricket the Sri Lankan played. Jayasuriya was in high demand by other franchises too and the Ambanis had to pay US$ 1 million to obtain his services.
Another Indian captain, Mohammad Azharuddin, during a tri-nation series in Sharjah maintained a packed off-side field to Jayasuriya, but the batsmen kept penetrating the boundary. Azhar would bring in more cover on the off-side, but there was no stopping Jayasuriya as boundaries kept flowing. A bemused Tony Greig said in commentary, ‘Azhar, you better go and put a wall.’
How can anyone forget those memories! India is a country with a population of over one billion people and the name all Indians feared like the plague was Sanath Jayasuriya.
Having taken up the captaincy in 1999 during a tough time after Sri Lanka’s disastrous World Cup campaign, Jayasuriya rebuilt the side so well blooding younger talents. The likes of Kumar Sangakkara, Tillekeratne Dilshan and Chamara Silva all made their debuts under his captaincy.
Such a game changer, Jayasuriya was also the target of many bookies during the peak of his career. To his credit, Jayasuriya reported every approach that was made to the team management or the ICC Anti Corruption Unit. People may have reservations about his conduct, but one thing that you simply cannot do is to question his integrity.
In cricket we have held our heads high and been proud for being Sri Lankans thanks to Jayasuriya. His good work cannot be spoilt by one error of judgment. In any case, let him who he is without sin cast the first stone.
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=165821
Several high-profile sportsmen have been the subject of infamous sex scandals. When Imran Khan left Worcester and joined Sussex, the Worcestershire committee alleged that Imran couldn’t find enough women to satisfy him in the small town of Worcester. Mike Gatting lost the England captaincy after ‘The Sun’ alleged that he spent a night in his Nottingham hotel room with a barmaid. Five years ago, Kollupitiya Police arrested four British women, who spent a night in Chris Gayle’s room in a Colombo hotel. In mid 1980s, a model claimed that she had such wild sex with Ian Botham in Barbados that they ended up breaking the bed. Those are only the exposed escapades of various cricketers. If reporters break the golden rule called ‘what happens on tour, stays on tour’, many other leading sportsmen will end up with eggs on their faces.
Success on the cricket field brings you three things – Money, fame and, of course, women.
Former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya has been made to go through much embarrassment the whole of this week. Subsequent to the embarrassment, the criticism in social media he has received has left a bad taste. People have unkindly gone on to make assertions that Jayasuriya lacks decency.
He has been subjected to unending ridicule and disrespect in social media.
The incident has pained Jayasuriya so much that he has withdrawn himself to isolation having lodged a complaint with the police. Having tried extremely hard, eventually a current cricketer got hold of him and related how the former great was in tears and inconsolable.
Those making allegations and criticism have easily forgotten the entertainment Jayasuriya gave us for well over a decade.
Jayasuriya basically redefined the way people played One-Day cricket.
The mid 1990s was the golden era of Sri Lankan cricket and one of the national cricket team’s key match winners was Sanath Jayasuriya.
In 1997 when Sri Lanka posted a World Record 952 for six declared, then Indian captain Sachin Tendulkar went on record saying, "I haven’t seen Don Bradman, but I have seen Sanath Jayasuriya."
When the IPL was launched in 2008, the Ambanis gave Sachin a free hand to pick the players for the Mumbai franchise. The first name Sachin chose was Jayasuriya as he was so overawed by the brand of cricket the Sri Lankan played. Jayasuriya was in high demand by other franchises too and the Ambanis had to pay US$ 1 million to obtain his services.
Another Indian captain, Mohammad Azharuddin, during a tri-nation series in Sharjah maintained a packed off-side field to Jayasuriya, but the batsmen kept penetrating the boundary. Azhar would bring in more cover on the off-side, but there was no stopping Jayasuriya as boundaries kept flowing. A bemused Tony Greig said in commentary, ‘Azhar, you better go and put a wall.’
How can anyone forget those memories! India is a country with a population of over one billion people and the name all Indians feared like the plague was Sanath Jayasuriya.
Having taken up the captaincy in 1999 during a tough time after Sri Lanka’s disastrous World Cup campaign, Jayasuriya rebuilt the side so well blooding younger talents. The likes of Kumar Sangakkara, Tillekeratne Dilshan and Chamara Silva all made their debuts under his captaincy.
Such a game changer, Jayasuriya was also the target of many bookies during the peak of his career. To his credit, Jayasuriya reported every approach that was made to the team management or the ICC Anti Corruption Unit. People may have reservations about his conduct, but one thing that you simply cannot do is to question his integrity.
In cricket we have held our heads high and been proud for being Sri Lankans thanks to Jayasuriya. His good work cannot be spoilt by one error of judgment. In any case, let him who he is without sin cast the first stone.
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=165821