Nostalgia of “scuffles” of late Hon.Gamini “Dissanayake” in conquering Test status in year 1981 – By Sunil Thenabadu
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When Sri Lanka seized the World Cup defeating the mighty Australians in the year 1996 they unequivocally proved to the whole World that the Sri Lankans were a overriding power house in the cricketing world. The whole country naturally was jubilant , elated and ecstatic . Youth danced in delirious delight in streets and clubs. The moment was obviously blissful. appreciative and indebted as Sri Lankans usually are Many a mind evoked with joy and profound gratitude, inter alia, the one man who made the Sri Lankan dream a reality in silent appreciation they remembered the name of late Hon .Gamini Dissanayake though he was unfortunately not living, been an unfortunate victim of a LTTE bomb explosion at ‘Thotalanga’ at his own presidential bid crusade.
Late Hon.GD was born into a family of a highly dignified lineage in Kandy. He qualified as a lawyer. Forsaking what would have been a lucrative legal practice he entered politics initially was elected as a Member of Parliament under the UNP government in year in an byelection 1971 .He was before long was given the coveted position of Minister of Land and Mahaweli Development. Having abandoned his lucrative legal career to procure to his innate yearning to help the masses in particular the underprivileged. GD achieved significant success in emancipating masses from poverty, enhancing the lives of the poverty stricken destitute. Despite this laudable achievements in the field of agriculture his noteworthy contribution nationwide was the uplifting of cricket thereby securing the world endorsement of Sri Lankan brand of cricket and its stature as a Test playing nation.
When he took over as the President of the then BCCSL,now the SLC was in a chaos situation. He like any other leader believed pandemonium precedes order. He systematically tried to restore order, infuse discipline, demolish the distort machinery that was in operation at the time.
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He changed the infrastructure of our cricket which remained unchanged for decades. He set new trends and values in conducting the activities of the then board. He inaugurated the Sri Lanka Cricket Foundation and he was unyielding that at any price he was obtaining full ICC Test status with full membership. He then embarked on a programme of exertion with a visualization to accomplish what he felt was of paramount momentous for Sri Lankan Cricket. This included the construction of a modern building to house the headquarters of cricket at Maitland Place, construction of contemporary indoor net facilities, development of the Asgiriya and other grounds at provincial venues to play international and domestic cricket, inaugurated a programme to send young cricketers for training overseas, launched a cricketers’ benevolent fund simultaneously commencing intensive training for Umpires, Curators and Coaches.
Initial discussions with the reticent ICC failed. The veto power of Australia and England was commanding. These white test playing nations harboured an aversion to new Asian Nations entering the test arena. Undaunted he tried again and was met with the same stubbornness. Abandoning his individual approach, he tried a collective approach. This time he had the support of A.H Kardar President of the Pakistan Cricket Board. The two together formed the Asian Cricket Council.
Late Gamini Dissanayake as President of the then BCCSL, also as an impeccable orator, stood robust against the unbending and rigid resistance of the officials of Cricket’s governing body the International Cricket Council. He as President of the then BCCSL, also as an flawless orator. He did not duck at the ‘bumpers’ hurled at him at the ICC meetings. Instead of ducking them he retaliated ferociously with his words used in stiff legal background. His counterattacks and labours helped Sri Lanka to be admitted as a full member of the ICC to play Test cricket on the 21st July 1981 joining the elite congregation as the eighth Test playing nation.
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This achievement was even more remarkable in the perspective that he held office as the President of the then board, only for a couple of months The ICC knew very well that we were eligible to enter the elite cluster. The officials of the ICC knew very well that we were well apt and eligible to pierce into the elite congregation. But at each annual meeting in the past they meted out to us step maternal conduct. But we had to linger despite performing all the spade work. It was the fashionable dynamic attitude of the late leader, Hon Gamini Dissanayake, which aided us to be designated as full member after his mesmerizing speeches and brisk answers made, which set aside the audiences of the ICC constantly spellbound. Another significant contribution made by him to international cricket was the desperate plea to the ICC for India and Pakistan to host the 1987 World Cup, away from England for the first time. Addressing the ‘chair’ he said there are millions and millions in the sub-continent obsessed and passionate about this game of cricket. Adding further he had said “You have already staged three World Cups in England from the inception in 1975 and are you going to deprive those living in the sub-continent the opportunity of viewing an ICC cricket World Cup It is a moment in time that we globalize this event in the best interest of the game of cricket?”
In the context of the above all fanatical cricket fraternity in Sri Lanka and overseas should be indebted to late Hon.Gamini Dissanayake who was totally liable on our agitated pursuit for full membership of the ICC. It was ill-fated that we lost him in a terrorist bomb attack on 23rd October 1994 when he was canvassing at a meeting for his own presidential candidature thirty years ago.
Sunil Thenabadu in Brisbane
email sthenabadu@hotmail.com..
whatsApp 0061444533242
