rediff.com: Ranatunga's retirement has politicians in a spin

Cricket supremo Arjuna Ranatunga's surprise announcement that he is to retire from the game has sent Sri Lanka's parliamentarians into a spin amid reports that he may enter the political fray.

Family friends said that Ranatunga, 36, may take a short break from public life at the end of the ongoing three-Test series against the visiting South Africans and would then enter the political arena.

"He is well placed to become a good politician because he has moved with a wide cross section of society," a close family friend said of Ranatunga on Friday, a day after his announcement to leave the international cricket scene.

Rumours of Ranatunga's political ambitions have been fuelled by his appearance at the launch of a new nationalist party, the Sihala Urumaya, or Sinhalese Heritage, in April.

The Sihala Urumaya on Friday welcomed Ranatunga's decision to retire and said they were waiting with "open arms" to welcome him into the party. Many believe he will probably contest the parliamentary elections which are due before November 9.

With a widespread national appeal in this cricket-mad nation, Ranatunga could be a prized catch for any political group, especially for the smaller parties which are pitted against the more established organisations.

Ranatunga's father, Reggie Ranatunga, is a deputy minister in President Chandrika Kumaratunga's People's Alliance government, but the younger Ranatunga is thought to be cool towards the government.

Close associates said Ranatunga's decision to quit was also fuelled by being dropped from the one-day international squad.

"The selectors have been making a distinction between older players and the younger ones," a close friend said.

"Arjuna believes it should be more based on performance rather than just age," added the friend

The family friend said Ranatunga was expected to devote more attention to his private insurance broking business and spend more time with his wife Samadara, son Diyan (11) and daughter Thiyangi (7).

In a letter to the cricket board in which his elder brother Dhammika is the chief executive officer, Ranatunga said his decision to retire had been a difficult one.

"This has been a painful decision," he said. "I arrived at it after a great deal of consideration and thought."

His team went from World Cup tops in 1996 to World Cup flops in 1999 with fans directing their anger against him and blaming him for not quitting earlier with honour and dignity.

Top cricket commentator Sa'adi Thawfeeq said Ranatunga would have been more popular had he quit while he was still ahead shortly after the 1996 World Cup victory.

From the most successful of captains, he fell from grace overnight despite an impressive 10 years leading the Sri Lankan team. Ranatunga has captained Sri Lanka in 193 one-day matches. He won 89, lost 95 with eight ending in no result and one tie. He played a total of 91 Test matches, and was captain for 56 of them during which he secured 12 wins, 19 losses and 25 draws.

During last year's World Cup, Ranatunga crossed swords with his arch foe Shane Warne, who said Ranatunga should leave the game.

"Ranatunga might be a shrewd, experienced leader, but his batting is not what it was and he is terrible in the field," Warne said then.

"Yes, there is plenty of animosity between Ranatunga and myself. I don't like him and I'm not in a club of one," he added.

Ranatunga, speaking after his reigning champions lost the opening match of the World Cup to England, said: "I'm not really worried what they say. It shows more about Shane Warne and Australian culture rather than about me and our culture.

"We have a culture that is 2,500 years old - I think we all know where they (Australians) come from."

Only last year Ranatunga said he wanted to continue playing international cricket.

"What I do wish to say is that it is my firm belief that I do have a few years of cricket left in me and if my services are wanted I am willing to represent my country in whatever capacity."

In the recently-concluded Test series against Pakistan in June, Ranatunga became the first player in the history of the game to appear for his country in its inaugural Test and its 100th Test.

Politicians and fans alike are awaiting to see whether the cricketing maestro makes a similar impact upon the nation as he did from the crease.

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