WE HELD OUR HEADS HIGH DUE TO THE PRIDE IN OUR SPORT

In conversation with the yesteryear cricket legend Sidath Wettimuny

“Cricket is something that gives Sri Lankans a lot of pride and joy, because we have always been good at cricket. Having won the World Cup and then another World Cup in the T20 format, I think cricket has been a source of joy. Even during the toughest of times, when things were bleak, we still held our heads high due to the pride in our sport; in cricket. And I think, the world-over, Sri Lankans are recognised and talked about because of cricket.”

The words of former national opening batsman Sidath Wettimuny encapsulate the feelings of scores of Sri Lankans when it comes to the country’s favourite game.

Such is Sri Lanka’s association with the sport that it is one of the first things that comes to mind even for those who have never had the pleasure of visiting the island.

“Wherever I go abroad, they will say, ‘Oh! Sri Lanka. Lovely cricketing nation!’ So it is a brand that Sri Lanka has created and that is something we need to nurture and protect and make sure it stays that way,” Wettimuny said.

Witnessing the sport growing whilst being intertwined with the local culture, Wettimuny recounts his generation’s aspirations before Sri Lanka joined the big leagues and earned their place at the top table.

“When I started playing for my school, and then my club, and then for Sri Lanka, we had this huge aspiration to play Test cricket some day. That was always something that we aspired to, and because we believed we had the capacity, the capability, and that the guys who played before us had set the scene for us to continue in the same vein; it was our aspiration to be able to say, I have played Test cricket.”

“When we achieved it in 1981, I remember we were in Yorkshire, and when we first heard about it, we were absolutely overjoyed, because, as a young cricketer, that was something we aspired to just to be able to play a Test match,” he expressed.

“That transition was not too difficult because I believe we had the skills, we had the talent, and a lot of capability within us. The only thing that was difficult was that we were used to playing three-day cricket and having to play five-day cricket was awkward.”

“For example, in the first Test match we played, we were doing really well, and we should have won that match in my opinion. We just didn’t know how to cope with five days of cricket. I remember one Englishman had said that they thought our philosophy was block or hit and they made sure they had fielders catching and the others on the line. We forgot about ones and twos and that is how we got into trouble.”

“So, the transition from three-day cricket to five-day cricket took a few games but you know we never felt as if we were lacking in anything. And then when we won our first match we felt that we could win in Test cricket as well,” Wettimuny said, looking back at a glorious day for Sri Lanka cricket.

He pinpointed the era after 1995 as the next significant shift in the island’s cricket, emphasising the difference made by a concerted effort to focus on player fitness.

“Then came the next era, which is post-1995. In 1995 we brought in Dav Whatmore, and he brought in Alex Kountouris. I think that made a huge difference to our cricket. Because our fitness levels, which were one of the issues we had in the good old days, changed drastically.”

“For example, if a batsman used to get out in the 40s and 70s, he would continue to go and get hundreds. If bowlers could get two wickets, they were good enough to then go and get five or six wickets. So, our fitness levels went up to a different level, and our approaches became a lot more professional in attitude,” Wettimuny commented.

The former Anandian shared that his father, in particular, was immensely supportive of him and his brother’s involvement in the sport right from those early days.

“My family was lucky. We had a father who thought cricket was good for you and taught you a lot about life. It taught you discipline, dedication, determination, and he said it is a way of life. Learn to play it clean, and you will benefit from it. And so we did!” he shared.

Wettimuny observed that cricket becoming a fullyfledged professional sport has impacted almost everyone connected with the game. He added that the sport, like so many things in life, will always have its ups and downs.

“The main way the game has changed is that it has become more commercial. There is a lot more money, and players have to be professional. Because in our day, we had hardly any cricket (compared) to what they have now. Today cricket is a business. You will find hundreds of players, officials, employees, and professional coaches, enjoying the game and the fruits of it being a professional sport.”

“Talent-wise, they say that per capita we have more cricketers than any other country. This is good and augurs well for our cricket. Like in any sport, we will have our ups and downs. We have had many ups, and we have had a few downs. And that will go on. That is the nature of things. Nothing will remain static.”

“At the moment, I think we are seeing a little resurgence, though we have had a few bumps as well. But we have the talent; we have the resources. We need to make sure to nurture our cricketers in the right way so we produce better cricketers in the future,” he expressed.

Wettimuny made Sri Lanka’s very first Test century versus Pakistan in Faisalabad and was also the first from the country to be featured on the famous Lords Honours Board with an expertly crafted 190 against the home side. He said that out of the many memorable moments in his career, the first Test win (against India in 1985) was perhaps the most significant, considering the weight of what it signified. “I played for ten years for my country, and during those ten years there were many memorable moments. Our first Test win was an exceptional moment because we wanted to believe that we were good enough to beat another Test team, and that was the start of many things to follow,” he said.

Looking back on Sri Lanka’s cricketing journey, Wettimuny reserved special praise for the efforts of those who represented the country in the eras before him who allowed everything that followed to be put in motion.

“We must never forget the cricketers that laid the foundation for my generation to take the baton forward. We must pay a tribute to those guys in the 50s, 60s and 70s. They were phenomenal cricketers, and they laid the foundation - even though they had very little in terms of grounds, infrastructure, finances, etc, back then. We must not forget them,” he stated.

We brought in Dav Whatmore, and he brought in Alex Kountouris. I think that made a huge difference to our cricket

We had this huge aspiration to play Test cricket some day, because we believed we had the capacity, the capability