RSS feedDiscussion – Ethics of cricket – a Christian perspective
March 17th, 2011 by conversations
Following SCOPE article:
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The World Cup going on these days has made cricket lovers go crazy. The scramble for tickets is so much that many both here and in the other two Asian countries have missed opportunities of watching them on the field. While cricket is loved by all cricket fans, even by our village lads and lasses, cricket lovers should also reflect on the ethics of cricket and see that the game is kept clean.
The Island newspaper recently published a series of 50 articles by Rex Clementine where he interviewed many of our shining cricketing stars of the past like Duleep Mendis, Anura Tennekoon, Sidat Wettimuny, Ranjan Madugalle, Aravinda de Silva, Arjuna Ranatunge and others and also some of the past administrators. Reading the responses of these stars and administrators who recalled nostalgic memories of the past era, one common factor that emerged in all these interviews was the extent to which Sri Lanka Cricket was clean and the caliber of those who were at the helm of Sri Lanka cricket. Special mention was made of leaders like Robert Senanayake, Dr. N.M. Perera, Gamini Dissanayake, and Ana Punchihewa. Arjuna Ranatunge made special reference to the role played by Gamini Dissanayake in bringing Sri Lanka to its present status and in winning the world cup. Arjuna in his interview mentioned how as a token of tribute to Mr Dissanayake he took the cup the day after they arrived to Mrs Dissanayake who broke down in tears..
These cricket administrators of the past worked tirelessly for the love of the game and to uplift our standards and not for any other consideration. Politicians like Dr N.M. Perera and Gamini Dissanayake never allowed politics to influence SLC. These past cricketers also spoke of the financial difficulties under which SLC developed and their own financial difficulties. Unfortunately soon after the World Cup victory saw a change in administration and along with it all ethics and moral values of Sri Lanka gradually declined. The greed for power and money soon entered SLC. Allegations of corruption were leveled against the administrators. The ultimate result has been that SLC has since been administered by interim committees who are not accountable to the stakeholders. While some of these interim committees have had men of capability and integrity as chairmen, the moral and ethical standards of others have been questionable. The media has often spotlighted shady deals and irregular appointments and politicization of even the present committee.
It is unfortunate that players too internationally are now very often lured by big money. The recent scandal where top Pakistan players including a former captain were involved, is just one example. The IPL league is another example where players and teams are auctioned and bought at a price and where big betting is rampant. Fortunately hardly any allegations have so far been leveled against our local players, and the recent unfortunate news commentary in a state television channel casting aspersions on two of our leading players is vehemently deplored.
From a Christian perspective all these factors described above boils down to the question of ethics in cricket. It is not the game alone but the spirit of the game that counts. It is refreshing to see all our Christian bowlers making the sign of the cross when they start bowling. One of them even kisses the cross hung round his neck. This, in a small but very significant way in a predominantly Buddhist country, is a true Christian witness, and it would be hard to imagine that any such player would betray his Christian principles. It would be pertinent here to mention the name of a former top Sri Lankan cricketer Rumesh Ratnayake who has on several occasions openly declared his deep commitment to the Lord and his faith.
As a senior citizen still very much involved in Christian youth work, I appeal to all young Christian undergraduates and not so young Christian graduates who belong to the FOCUS and GCF families to reflect on these thoughts and build public opinion to keep cricket clean and help in re-building good ethics of cricket.
Nimal Bhareti
(The writer was an undergraduate at the Peradeniya University in the 1950s and is a retired senior state official)
Entry Filed under: Articles
2 Comments Add your own
1. Anonymous | March 18th, 2011 at 1:21 pm
It is vital that the ethics of cricket be reexamined, especially in the light of it being a game that has developed and grown much over the turn of the century, especially in Sri Lanka. As with all internationally famous games, cricket too has to deal with the pressures of being a ‘big’ game, along with which come “greed for power and money†which paves the way for “shady deals and irregular appointments†in cricket committees, where “players and teams are auctioned and bought at a price†and “big betting is rampantâ€. Likewise, we see spite in spectators who cry for ‘revenge’, players whose nastiness taints sportsmanship, and spectators/players who cannot accept defeat. However, with glory and recognition come the disadvantages of it. If we want global recognition for cricket, we should also be willing to deal with the subsequent weight of its daunting ‘newer’ pressures. Like in games/life/work/church, all of us are faced with the phrase that preceding generations nostalgically repeat – ‘it was not so in our days’ – which we in turn will repeat to those who succeed us. The fact of the matter is, when we ‘advance’, ‘develop’ and ‘grow’ each generation has to deal with issues that are (in a sense) different to those of the previous generation. Can we face the challenges of the present in learning from the past and rereading the Bible (whose values are constant) in trying to understand its message for the present?
Apart from the ethics of the game alone, can we encourage and support our Christian cricketers to withstand the pressures of the game and hold them accountable to the standards of the Bible? Cricketers who proclaim the lordship of Christ in their lives need to ensure that Christian principles govern their entire life, professional or personal. Even within their professional lives, symbolic gestures of crossing themselves before bowling need to be substantiated by their actions (i.e. on the field towards rival teams, in the dressing room, at practices, during interactions with managers/coaches etc., when deciding on offers that are made to them nationally/internationally). They need to bring the game of cricket under the lordship of Christ by being agents of His values. One way in which we see hope, is in that the Sri Lankan team embraces ethnic differences. There was a time when cricket had ethnic and class boundaries which seem to be relaxing, though there is far, far more that needs to be done in this area. Can Christian cricketers assist in sustaining this practice in SLC and be the salt there?
Our present cricketers are seen as heroes across the island. Can we challenge the Christians among them to adhere to Biblical values outside their profession? While contributing to increasing the resources given to the game of cricket, could we also ask them to contribute to the development of the game outside (even rurally) ‘privileged’ schools? Can they, individually or collectively, support and encourage children who cannot afford the training, maybe as a personal project? Can we ask our Christian cricketers in positions of power to hold administrators accountable to their decisions, even if it requires them to lay their careers on the line? In other words, can they take the Christianity they practice on the field beyond the cricket field as well? We need to encourage our Christian cricketing ‘heroes’ to live out the values ascribed by their own hero – Christ, and challenge through their own witness, the values upheld by other Sri Lankan ‘heroes’.
Any takers from FOCUS?
2. yohan abeynaike | May 3rd, 2011 at 10:41 am
Check out a very useful and helpful critique on Cricket in general at
http://vinothramachandra.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/opium-of-the-masses/
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