Bipin Dani
Sri Lankan team, which could not advance to the Semi Final stage in the ongoing World Cup in the UAE has been invited to play against Bromley Common Cricket Club in England next summer so as to enable the players to restore their honour and reputation.
The offer made in fun by the club chairman David Williams to the head coach Mickey Arthur has drawn interest among the club members.
“The story developed (in the commentary box) from Rob Key’s response to Ian Ward’s question about Sri Lanka’s performance after they lost to England in their World Cup T20 group match”, David Williams said over the phone from London on Wednesday noon.
“He said they had improved significantly since last summer when they were so bad against England, they would not have beaten Bromley Common’s 3rd XI”.
“We thought, following Key’s comment, that Sri Lanka might be tempted to face us to restore their honour and reputation.
Our offer was addressed to Mickey Arthur, and his response was encouraging. He was specific in wanting Key and Ward to open the batting!”
In an interview on Talk Sport radio the chairman said, tongue-in-cheek, that he was happy with the condition, provided the club’s selection committee agreed.
“One problem is that Sri Lanka’s schedule misses England next year, but Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela, if they could organize a Sri Lanka’s representative side. it would be good to set up this international challenge”.
Commenting on the current Sri Lankan team, he says, “obviously missing the top quality that the recently retired stars provided. Having not seen them play much, but knowing results have been negative, it is vital team spirit is strong, plans are clear and individuals commit to their own improvement”.
Later, the club secretary, Andy Lynch, also speaking exclusively said, “a throwaway comment by Rob Key on Sky Sports after England’s recent defeat of Sri Lanka may have acted as a catalyst for one of the more unlikely fixtures to potentially feature an international side”.
“Following Sri Lanka’s defeat by 26 runs, Key complemented the team on the improvement in their performance since the Summer, saying that ‘you felt at times that Sri Lanka wouldn’t have beaten Bromley Common 3rd XI’.
“While the comment was clearly aimed more at Sri Lanka, it took many watching members of Bromley Common aback”.
Mickey Arthur duly entered the spirit of negotiations, “agreeing” to the game on the proviso that Bromley Common’s batting was opened by Sky commentators Ian Ward and Rob Key himself.
