By T. Avineshwaran
Kinrara Oval is needed to sustain the development of the game. Imagine taking away an abode that is graced by many fervent disciples. Kids these days aren't like the young me, they would go great lengths to make things happen even if there are obstacles in front of them. The oval will only inspire them. I could not play in Kinrara, but I want to do my part to save it for the future of the sport.
When I was 12, I was introduced to this sport called "Kriket Kancil". At the time, I represented my school in swimming competitions, but one of my primary school teachers told me that I would do well in this game because of my height and size.
I saw a few large pads, some tennis balls and a willow. There were only a few of us training and at that point time, I thought I made a mistake listening to the teacher. When practice started, we were taught about the rules of the game and how it was played. I was intrigued, and I told myself, "This is going to be fun."
I was the biggest among all my teammates, but that did not deter me from playing the game well. I made sure I was part of every practice, and I just wanted to be on the crease. I hated fielding, but when I held the "axe", it gave me a sense of freedom and I would do whatever it takes to "slice" every ball.
In 2002, I did not know who were Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara, Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting. As a kid, I thought kriket kancil was a new sport, and my dream was to be a star in it. Unfortunately, unlike other athletes, I did not have the perseverance or determination.
My school spot was assured, and after six months of training, I was invited for the state selection. I was confident of getting selected for the state team and during practice matches, I was able to notch some runs and make my presence felt in the field. I was confident of getting selected, but the selector had other ideas.
"You are too fat to play this game. Go and lose weight and come back for selection," said the selector.
I was distraught, and instead of fighting back, I decided to quit the game and did not even join my school team. My father did tell me to prove the selector wrong, but I just gave up. To date, I regretted that decision. I was young and naive. I saw my teammates playing in state and national tournaments and becoming successful in their own right, and they would always talk about Kinrara Oval. At the time, I did not see it's significance.
I am sure there aren't many kids like me. They would have persevered and dreamt of playing in the big game. Sachin was physically small, but he defied the odds. The 5ft 5in right-handed "God of Cricket" notched 15,921 runs in test cricket, 18,426 runs in One Day International (ODI), scored countless centuries for his country and won the World Cup in 2011. He is one of the greatest players of all time. The little blaster certainly dreamt big.
Malaysia is no exception. Cricket is not a popular sport in Malaysia, but our national team is not short of passion or talent.
We are not as illustrious as the elite nations like India, Australia, England and Sri Lanka, but Malaysian cricket is slowly moving up in the world rankings. Malaysia is now ranked 27th in the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings.
This development is due to the cricket infrastructure we have in the country. My friends were right, Kinrara was and will always be special.
Kinrara has been the main ground for the Malaysian cricket side since 2004 and is the first ground in South East Asia to have floodlights. Aptly, Kinrara Oval is regarded as the “Home of Malaysian Cricket”.
In 2014, I had the opportunity to be the media liaison officer of the 2014 ICC World Cricket League Division Five, and I had the chance to watch games in three grounds - Bayuemas Oval, Royal Selangor Club and Kinrara.
Each of these grounds has its uniqueness, but to me, Kinrara stands out because of the people behind the scenes. The passion, determination and love for the game. The game may not be followed closely by many people in Malaysia, but I am heartened by the fact that people behind the game here are not giving up. I wish I had met them when I was young.
Recently, the Malaysian Cricket Association (MCA) had been given the notice to vacate the Kinrara Oval by October 31 as its lease had expired. According to a Stadium Astro report, a new developer had told the association to leave the oval for redevelopment purpose.
This news certainly punctures every effort that is being taken by the association to improve the team's stature in world cricket. The oval does not only serve as a cricketing venue but also plays a crucial role in Malaysia's cricket development.
Thousands of players have trained in this ground and taking away this sacred field would undoubtedly affect the game's growth. The game does not get much funding, but there is some contribution from individuals who are cricket lovers, but a state cricket association president once said to me, "We can’t progress to the next level by merely passing the hat around."
Kinrara is the pull factor for cricket in Malaysia. It is best not to give it away! Many players have graced this ground, and to some, it is home. When I was the media liaison officer, I saw the dedication of the staff and also the vibe around the ground. Kinrara is an integral part of Malaysian cricket history.
On October 10, the national cricket team held a rally at the Perdana Putra, Putrajaya in an attempt to get back the iconic ground. These players were supposed to be resting after beating Myanmar in the ICC World Twenty20 Asian Qualifier round at the Bayuemas Oval in Klang on October 9, but for the love of the ground and game, they gathered in Putrajaya to seek an audience with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
That's perseverance and passion. These players are doing this because they love the game. They also want to ensure that the future generation has a ground to play the gentlemen's game. Players like Suhan Alagaratnam, Ahmad Faiz, Shafiq Sharif and Pavandeep Singh should be resting before their match against China on October 12, but they want to do their part in saving the ground.
I have heard some officials who claim that cricket should not be given much importance because it is not a core sport, but what have core sports like football and badminton done over the years? Our football rankings are plummeting, and we do not seem to have a strong pool in our national badminton team. There is no harm in prioritising Malaysian cricket.
Even if it is not a core sport, let MCA have the ground. The Youth and Sports Ministry will have to make this happen. Step in to help them. Funding is not what they seek for, support and motivation is what they want.
Former Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin tweeted current Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman to help MCA's plea and stated that he wrote to PNB as the landowner of the oval to keep the grounds during his term. Syed Saddiq replied by saying that the ministry had already filed their objection before and met up with the representatives who want to take back the land.
The concern is there, but a quick solution is needed. In 20 days, if there is no answer, MCA will have to move out and look for a suitable ground, which will surely hamper the progress of the national team and development pool.
Cricket lovers are doing their bit in social media by sharing a petition - https://www.thepetitionsite.com/en-gb/345/794/927/save-kinrara-oval/?taf_id=59449036&cid=fb_na with the hashtag #savekinraraoval and #savetheoval.
Kinrara Oval is needed to sustain the development of the game. Imagine taking away an abode that is graced by many fervent disciples. Kids these days aren't like the young me, they would go great lengths to make things happen even if there are obstacles in front of them. The oval will only inspire them. I could not play in Kinrara, but I want to do my part to save it for the future of the sport.
I came across a Facebook status that was posted by a respected writer, "Massive success does not require massive action." Malaysian cricket did not have much funding or backing, but they have made us proud by winning the SEA Games gold medal for the ODI format in 2017 and are one of the top 30 nations in the ICC rankings.
Let's not stop this progress by taking away the ground.