ADELAIDE, Australia, Tuesday.- Round one was won by Sri Lanka's captain cool Arjuna Ranatunga. The code of conduct hearing by match referee Peter Vander Merve at which he was summoned to appear at the South Australian headquarters at the Adelaide Oval was adjourned for a later date, to be fixed.
This means that the hangman's noose which most of the media were trying to put on Ranatunga and have him fined or suspended has been thrown away and Ranatunga will be free to play in the rest of the Carlton and United one day series now in progress.
When Ranatunga and his entourage comprising Manager Ranjith Fernando, Sanath Jayasuriya and Attorneys Brendon A. Schwab and Nick Stretch arrived at the venue of the hearing there was a hoard of pressmen and photographers who were waiting for something sensational to happen.
But a snook was cocked on them when Australian media manager Patrick Keane announced to all pressmen that the hearing has been adjourned for a later date to be fixed to guffaws from all mediamen.
Headlines that appear in some of the newspapers here were: Outrageous Arjuna must be punished, Throw the book at Arjuna, attempting to influence match referee Peter Vander Merve. Many of the newspapers had prejudged the issue blown it out of proportion and were frantically waiting for the downfall of the Sri Lankans skipper. The hearing was held for nearly two hours before it was adjourned.
From what I could gather the Attorneys appearing for Ranatunga had a good defence case which probably made the match referee handle this delicate matter with care and bat in no hurry on this issue, which to say the least is explosive. Good that the Lankans had Attorneys with them.
Those who said that the Sri Lankan cricketers need not have Attorneys and public relations men should have their heads examined.
Ranatunga left the hotel and opposite the Adelaide Oval gates he did not lack for want of support one man cheer leader Lionel and Tissa held up a huge banner which read: Free Arjuna, Hang Emerson which most Australians queuing up admitted was appropriate for the shame Emerson had brought on the game.
'If the ICC had cleared Muralitharan who then does Emerson think he is to call the Bowler', they queried.
Lionel and Tissa also shouted slogans like - We love Australia, We hate Emerson. Ranatunga is King. The Australian public is behind you, Arjuna. All Sri Lanka is behind you, Arjuna.
How and when match referee Peter Vander Merve is going to solve this burning issue is eagerly awaited. There are a lot of legal implications involved in the matter and whatever verdict the match referee arrived at cricket and umpiring between Sri Lanka and Australia will never be the same.
This is because of one man's idea of becoming a hero- Ross Emerson who called the spinner and set the cricket World on fire. There was the possibility of Ranatunga going home and Muralitharan following suit. The Lankans believed that Muralitharan would not be called following assurance from the International Cricket Council.
However everything is not tickety boo with the adjourned code of conduct hearing on Ranatunga. The Lankans have quite rightly asked for a ruling on the Muralitharan's action before they front up to England in Perth on Friday where Emerson will stand again. The ICC will have to act fast and tell the Sri Lankans.
If Muralitharan remains in Australia the Lankans reckon he will be called again by Emerson in Perth. Muralitharan has captured 203 wickets in 42 Tests and if he stays here and does not paly his credibility would be in question.
Why must the Sri Lankan cricketers suffer such ignominy and humiliation ?