As much as I love to watch, scrutinise and play it, the fact is cricket in Australia is just a game. But in many parts of the cricket playing world, this game has a much wider ranging and important influence.
In an era where the various forms of cricket in socially and financially stable parts of the world are being referred to as ‘products’ and judged on the level of entertainment they afford the assumed minute attention spans of today’s viewer, it is important to take a small step back and view the game in a more vital light.
Sri Lanka is a nation that has suffered 30 years of civil war along with bearing the brunt of one of the worst natural disasters in the planet’s history (the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami).
And among this dreadful bloodshed and loss, the game of cricket has helped keep a population from losing all hope.
In a 2011 article written by Andy Bull for the Guardian in the UK, Sri Lanka’s brilliant keeper/batsman Kumar Sangakkara was quoted as saying “(in Sri Lanka) cricket has been the heal-all of social evils, the one thing that held the country together during 30 years of war.”
Many nations are in similar challenging situations and place the same amount of expectation and hopefulness onto their respective sporting representatives, but for the Sri Lankan cricket team the burden is both external and painfully personal.
Not only do they bear the weight of being a potential healing force for their nation, many members of the touring squad are still haunted by the day in March 2009 when gunmen on the streets of Lahore, Pakistan attacked their team bus.
Their captain Mahela Jayawardene, along with Sangakarra, was in the bus that day that ended with six police officers and two civilians dead.
Flying shrapnel and bullets wounded both, along with several other players and officials.
They survived only because of the quick thinking local bus driver who courageously drove his vehicle through the attack, and the players to safety.
A trip to a sporting ground to play a game of cricket had suddenly turned into a horrific ordeal against masked cowards who played a deadly game of horror and death.
The sheer trauma of such an incident should probably have ended more cricketing careers than it did. Jayawardene and his fellow Sri Lankans are obviously made of sterner stuff.
It may prove true that Sri Lanka are weaker in certain cricket playing areas (as former test quick Rodney Hogg bluntly and perhaps prematurely pointed out recently) than our much better financed and developed Test team.
But they have witnessed harder times than any anyone can face on a cricket field. They have a level of responsibility that many other cricket teams could only imagine, and in this sense it matters not how their results are judged.
The Sri Lankans represent a population that sees its cricket team as a conduit in testing its courage and resolve against the wider world, and this is what matters.
To this end the teams’ worth as members of the international cricket loving community will go beyond merely being a ‘ideal tune up’ for Australia as they look toward the Ashes and beyond, as has been condescendingly written.
Sri Lanka will play cricket in Australia as a game. They will ask no favours and nor should they receive any. Their skills and abilities will be tested in the toughest and most competitive of cricketing environments against one of the strongest teams in the world.
But while we enjoy the fierce competition between Australia and Sri Lanka, we should not underestimate the importance that this team has in its unifying and pride inducing role for a nation that is still grief stricken and healing from a generation of civil war and natural disaster.
The Sri Lankan cricket team will play a game of cricket, but continue to represent the will and hope of a nation’s future.
RohanMarkJay
Guest
Extrememly good article. I wouldn't go far as to say that Sri Lanka's cricket team is the only reason Sri Lanka pulled through a tough 30 years. But during those times cricket indeed was very important to many people, especially after 1996 when Sri Lanka unexpectedly won the world cup. Having lived in Sri Lanka for a few years, I wouldn't say cricket itself was as important as the author says. Because it is just a sport. Sri Lankans have more important things in their lives. But I would say everytime the national team did well. It brought the countries various ethnic communities together celebrating the national teams success together in that regard. Yes when Sri Lanka cricket does well was a positive factor bringing the country together. Also Ambanwala is right. People shouldn't believe everything you read in the western press, unless you have travelled to Sri Lanka yourself to find out the truth. The plight of the tamils is just the work a bunch of activists in certain western capitals who are backed by the western mainstream media. The plight of tamils is just a myth conjured by these activists. Anyone who has been to Sri Lanka knows that the Tamils living without any problems along with the Sinhalese.
ambanwala
Roar Rookie
The so called plight of Tamils is merely a piece of romance by the 'activists' who work from their offices in Geneva, New York or London. Those who've been here in Sri Lanka will know the truth. Depriving us from our Cricket will only worsen things for a nation that is trying to forget the damage done by the terrorists.
Ranjit
Guest
Hi Kurt, These are two articles that remind us that cricket has indeed transcended the boundaries of the conflict in Sri Lanka and been responsible even for unofficial ceasefires. http://www.ipsnews.net/2002/09/sri-lanka-on-eve-of-talks-cricket-helps-soothe-wounds-of-war/ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/13/how-cricket-saved-sri-lanka
Brendon
Guest
I think we know that the Lankans are made of pretty stern stuff, that's why we love them here, no whingers, great fielders and Sangakarra is one of the greats. Unlike the other bunch of over paid sooks from the Sub Continent. Nice article, brings the game sharply into perspective
Bearfax
Guest
Amazing how sport can somehow bring out the best in people (though sometimes the worst as well). But its understandable that nations of the sub continent, Africa, even the West Indies value cricket so much, as often an escape from the horrors they experience, which we in the West will never truly understand. Cricket seems to have become almost a religion in some countries, a standard of national pride and perhaps a mending process between nations at times in conflict. Sometimes it takes gatherings of this type to watch a favoured sport to begin to recognise that we are all here together, the one species, just with different opinions on various issues. And those variant opinions are best discussed discussed in the friendship of the battle of a sport played, than in the violence of the battle of war.
Kurt Sorensen
Roar Guru
Thanks for all the feed back so far!
Kurt Sorensen
Roar Guru
thanks for this link disco, you are right to point this out. if anything the situation in northern Sri Lanka was what i had in mind while writing this. my hope is that cricket could be used as a small part of a broader healing process. though i obviously have a lot to learn regarding the situation.
Andy_Roo
Roar Guru
Excellent article Kurt.
John
Guest
Great article and having been there last series, your words are so true! These cricketers are on billboards throughout the country, they are household names and are totally idolised for all they do. Sri Lankans are really lovely, genuine people and I was impressed by the gentle and humble nature they show. Since the tragic Tsunami, they are still trying to rebuild many parts of the coast however we were very taken by the beauty of the beaches, hill country and rainforest. A number of previous and current cricketers are responsible in some way for orphanages for those children who lost their parents and siblings. Murali being a key contributor. Good luck to them, they work very hard for their country, on and off field and struggle to get due reward in return. It would be an interesting exercise to compare cricket funding from SL vs Aust? Thanks for the informative piece.
Cameron
Guest
Great article, shows that Countries like Sri Lanka need to continue playing international cricket.
Disco
Roar Guru
The plight of Tamils / Aust Govt's attitude is a glaring omission from this piece. http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/australia-must-go-in-to-bat-for-tamils-20121210-2b5hg.html
John
Guest
Great article Kurt. Really hit the nail on the head about the power of sport.
k77sujith
Guest
Nice one Kurt. The Lankans have indeed gone through a lot of turmoil for decades and its just wonderful that sport has been a unifying bond. Thanks Kurt, struck a chord.