Ranatunga's lawyers examine Healy's book for legal action (5 Sep 1996)

5 Sep 1996

Ranatunga`s lawyers examine Healy`s book for legal action

Rediff on the Net

Lawyers for the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka and the personal lawyers of skipper Arjuna Ranatunga are examining Australian skipper Ian Healy`s book, Playing For Keeps, to see whether Healy can be sued by his Lankan counterpart for references made to Lanka`s controversial tour Down Under earlier this year.

Action, if any, will be taken at the end of the ongoing Singer World Series tournament in Colombo, in which both Australia and Sri Lanka are participants. "We do not want a sensitive tour by Australia to be jeopardised," a Sri Lankan board source said, adding that Healy had been advised that the book was under legal review.

It will be remembered that Ranatunga and Healy clashed, big time, during the one-day international in Sydney. Ranatunga called for a runner during his innings, and Healy insisted that the request should be turned down, arguing that the Lankan skipper was merely unfit, not injured. This led to an on-the-field showdown between the two.

Healy`s book was published subsequently, and portions in it are highly critical of Ranatunga. Relevant quotes:

"The main stumbling block in relations (between the two sides) was their captain Arjuna Ranatunga. Ranatunga is regarded by our side as a world class cricketer and master of gamesmanship, the most influential person in Sri Lankan cricket whose influence stretches well beyond the boundaries of his sport into society.

"His father, Reggie, is deputy minister for transport and women`s affairs in the Sri Lankan government and one of Arjuna`s six brothers, Prasanna, has also embarked on a political career.

"The first ripples of concern over the security issue (which led to the Australian boycott of its scheduled fixture in the Wills World Cup) was generated in a low-key incident during the first Test in Perth, when Craig McDermott and Ranatunga collided after a McDermott delivery.

"Craig believed Ranatunga said after the incident, `You will be taking your life in your hands when you visit our country`, and he (Craig) was so upset he reported the statement to match officials after the game, who summoned Ranatunga for an explanation.

during a nets session. He told the media that we would cop plenty of abuse when we landed in Colombo for our pre-tour training camp. And I had a heated run in with him during the last World Series final in Sydney, when he was granted a runner after supposedly being injured.

"I said to him, `You can`t have a runner for being unfit`. To which he shot back, `Stay out of this... shut your mouth`. To which I responded with, `Okay, sorry, Porky!`

"He then launched a verbal tirade at me and I ended up receiving a win-barelled salva as Tubsy Taylor (Australian captain Mark Taylor) told me in a few short sentences to shut up and stay out of it. That was a fair enough call, but I was aggravated at Arjuna being granted a runner for simply being unfit."

In his book, Healy says that Ranatunga`s influential position in Sri Lankan society and polity had caused concern among the Australian cricketers, who had informed their cricket board that if they were to play in Colombo during the World Cup, Ranatunga had to issue a public statement saying that they would be welcome in Sri Lanka. Healy says that Ranatunga refused, saying that he would not dance to the tune of Mark Taylor and (ACB chief) Graham Halbish.

Ranatunga has, for now, refused to comment on the issue. But a spokesman for the Sri Lankan captain indicated that the official argument would run along these lines:

Firstly, Ranatunga was never called for any hearing after the run-in with McDermott, so that section of the book is total fabrication.

About Ranatunga`s refusal to issue a public invitation, the spokesman said, "Where on earth has an individual player ever welcomed any team? At most, if the Australians were that concerned, the Lankan cricket board could have been asked to welcome the Australians - but the ACB never even sought such a statement."

That there was animosity in Lanka regarding the Australians is not denied by anybody. BUt the Lankan viewpoint is that the Aussies themselves were responsible - first, by accusing the Lankan touring side of cheating when the fault, as was later established, lay with the ball that was used; and then by deliberately labelling star spinner Mutthiah Muralitharan a chucker.

Ian Healy, who on this tour has already found himself in the uncomplimentary spotlight owing to the incident involving the Sri Lankan beauty queen who reportedly was to visit him in his hotel room, was unavailable for comment.

Source :: Rediffusion on the Net (https://www.redifindia.com/)