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NEWS India-Sri Lanka ODI Series 2006>Sri Lankan cricketers criticise S Africans for pullout 20th Aug 2006 23.04 IST By Agencies Sri Lanka's senior cricketers, including record-breaking bowler Mutiah Muralitharan , today slammed South Africa's decision to pull out of a tri-series citing security concerns. "What they have done is wrong, it is not good for Sri Lankan cricket," the island nation's leading pace bowler Chaminda Vaas said.
"It was unfortunate that South Africa decided to go without considering the future of Sri Lankan cricket. Other countries like Pakistan (currently in England) have understood and decided to play cricket. Sri Lankan cricket is dependent on revenues from tours," the off-spinner who is world's second highest wicket-taker said in Colombo. Kumar Sangakarra , who has been the fulcrum of Sri Lankan batting in recent times, lamented the fact that the South Africans chose to go despite guarantees from the highest authority in the land. "They decided to go after taking into considerations that both the Sri Lankan Board and the Government promised the best security cover," the wicketkeeper-batsman who featured in a world record partnership against the South Africans in the first Test, said. "India and Sri Lanka are keen to play. If India is happy to stay, I can't see why South Africa are not," he said. South Africa called off their tour last week after a bomb exploded less than 2 kms from their hotel. India decided to stay back and play a three-match series against Sri Lanka on August 12, 20 and 22, although rain has ensured that there has been no match yet. Sangakarra, who made 278 during his 624-run stand with captain Mahela de Silva Jayawardene , who notched up a record 374 in the first Test prior to the scheduled tri-series, said that cricket world should realise that it was not only Asia but the whole world was witnessing acts of terrorism. "Asia has bee a volatile country, the psyche of the people here is more resilient. We have become mentally tough to face these situations," he said. "But it is happening all over the world now. Countries that were felt safe have come under threat. But sport has transcended terrorism, you could see that in England (where Pakistan have continued on with their tour despite discovery of a plot to explode bombs in planes this month)." Sangakarra also talked about how the subcontinent countries have learnt to cope with terrorism. "In this region, it has always been a concern. But the whole of Asia showed solidarity during the 1996 World Cup," he said, referring to India and Pakistan playing friendly matches after Australia and the West Indies refused to play in Colombo. "Sport and life must go on. Cricket being part of our psyche, it should come on top." Muralitharan pointed out the "mentality" of the teams visiting the subcontinent. "They think other places are safe and Asia is not," he said. Also View In-Depth Coverage: India-Sri Lanka ODI Series 2006 Team Page: India Team Page: Sri Lanka | LIVE CRICKET COVERAGE NEWS ~ Gilchrist has no plans to retire after World Cup ~ Ganguly's new batting approach may cost him sixer record ~ India 'squash the Orange' in World Cup warm-up game ~ Symonds gets a new hairdo for World Cup ~ Dhoni readies himself for stand-up act at World Cup (more in NEWS) FACE-TO-FACE ~ 500-mark a possibility in World Cup: Hayden ~ Minnows add charm to World Cup: Dravid (more in FACE-TO-FACE) COLUMNS ~ Will Sri Lanka replicate 1996 World Cup success? (more in COLUMNS) OFF-THE-FIELD ~ Ganguly again the darling of corporate world ~ Ganguly roped in as brand ambassador of Puma (more in OFF-THE-FIELD) PLAYERS Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble (more PLAYERS) TEAMS India, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, West Indies, Zimbabwe, England, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Kenya, Holland | 
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