Despite divided opinions on the rule during the trial period, the ICC, after reviewing the captains’ reports, has agreed to go ahead with it, the only difference being that instead of three referrals, a side is allowed only two. The majority of international cricket captains and players are for the rule. Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara said: “The referral system is good. Bowlers will be pretty happy they have a slight advantage going their way. As captain you want the entire team to be satisfied with the playing conditions. Whether it works for us or against us I am for it.”

While players and umpires welcome the new rule to international cricket a tug-of-war is taking place between its originator Senaka Weeraratne and Sri Lanka Cricket to push for the claims of authorship with the ICC.
Weeraratne on his part has met SLC officials and presented to them a file with all references pertaining to the originality of the referral rule which he himself wrote ten years ago and had it published in several newspapers and magazines around the world.

As an individual Weeraratne says he has no clout to talk to the ICC and convince them of its originality that’s why he is depending on the SLC to fight his case not for only him but for the country in its entirety. “If the ICC credits the referral rule to Sri Lanka it is the entire country that benefits by it not just one individual,” said Weeraratne.

But sadly the issue has suddenly become stagnant with SLC not showing any signs of attempting to take it forward. SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga said that apart from one meeting with Weeraratne he has failed to see them again with certain written proof they had requested. “We are prepared to take it forward if Weeraratne comes and sits with us and gives us the material we require,” said Ranatunga.

Weeraratne for his part stated that since his first contact with SLC he has been unable to reach Ranatunga several times and had left messages with his secretary for which he has not received any response. If SLC is not interested at least the Sri Lankan government must try to step in and help Weeraratne achieve something for his country.
While both parties are dilly-dallying with the issue the danger is that the credit of authorship may be claimed by someone else.

Yielding to pressure
Talk of succumbing to pressure, the fifth one-day international between Australia and India at Hyderabad was a classic example. Had it been any other team, they would have given up long ago and just stood and admired Sachin Tendulkar’s extraordinary innings of 175 off 141 balls. Not Australia. Here was a team without six of its regular players through injury still beating a full strength Indian side in their own den. Missing from Australia’s line up were vice captain Michael Clarke, Brett Lee, Peter Siddle, James Hopes, Tim Paine and Mitchell Johnson, but Australia still ran out winners by three runs to take a 3-2 lead in the seven-match series. Who did Australia look upto for the vital breakthrough? – a debutant by the name of Clint McKay. The Victorian bowled the 48th over with just 19 required. Tendulkar went to clear short fine leg off a slower delivery and found Hauritz and it was all over. Jadeja ran himself out, Ashish Nehra holed out to long-on, and Praveen was run out in the final over. Australia’s ability to keep cool and to handle pressure better than the opposition were factors that turned the match in their favour. Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has spoken on similar lines that pressure is something that the Indians don’t like to be under. Sri Lanka’s success or failure in India will depend on how long they can keep their hosts under pressure. The Australians have shown that even with a second-string side they can beat the best under their own conditions. Sri Lanka can take a cue from them for the upcoming series.