Aravinda de Silva was airing his views on current Sri Lanka school cricket on Monday (8) on a private TV channel live talk show[/caption]
A statement made by batting maestro and current cricket Technical Committee Chairman Aravinda de Silva’s has thoroughly upset the cricket fraternity of S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia. In a live talk show of a private TV channel on Monday (8), de Silva said he watched on TV a school match after a long while, which happened to be the recently held 142nd Royal-Thomian Big Match.
The batting stalwart said he noticed that the Thomian boys lacked the basics. S. Thomas’, who got bundled out for 89 runs in the first innings of the match, had taken the statement as one that targeted the prestigious school. The video clip containing only that part of the interview went viral among cricket circles yesterday (9).
“I was not singling out any school and the statement has been taken out of context. I was actually trying to compare school cricket during our time and now,” de Silva told the Morning Sports.
“Our coaches, when I was about 11 years of age -- Messrs W.A.N. Silva and Charlie Warnakulasuriya as well as the two Mendis brothers, Lionel and Nelson, of Ananda and Nalanda Colleges of the time -- were trying to nurture us to the international standards. I do not see that happening now. That was my point,” explained de Silva.