Best speaker Magazine Issue 2 - December 2017 | Página 68

FEATURE
PLANT THE RIGHT SEEDS &
THE RIGHT FRUITS
WILL COME
SIDATH WETTIMUNY
INTERVIEWED BY
Gavelier MADHUMAL UDAYANGA & Gavelier DILKI FERDINANDO
He played for the Sri Lankan cricket team during the pre-test era as well as the
post-test era. After his retirement he kept his involvement with Cricket by becoming an
International Cricket match referee, a commentator and an administrator.
Down below is an interview with this legend of Sri Lankan Cricket.
Q
As you were an opening
batsman for the Sri Lankan
team, can you tell us how important
a good start is? Does it apply for
public speaking as well?
A good start for anything is vital. My
main role in any test match or one day
was to hold the innings together. Since
I was told that I have a solid defence I
was appointed to hold down the fort.
68 BEST SPEAKER MAGAZINE 2017
Specially in test cricket, a good start is
very important because if you lose too
many wickets at the start then there is
a lot of pressure on the middle order and
the lower order. I think, in any situation,
when you begin something you are
always under stress. In my opinion, it is
very important to hold the focus of your
audience from the very beginning. That
is a skill some have and some don’t.
Q
Are there instances in your
career where regular practices
brought you glory or that you failed
due to the lack of practice?
Again, I think it applies to any discipline,
if you don’t do what you have to do all
the time in practice; you are bound to
fail because in every sphere you face
challenges. So I always talk of the 3 ‘D’s,
you have to be Disciplined, Dedicated,
and Determined. When you practice,
you inculcate these values in your life.
I always say that being a sportsman
helps in other spheres of activity, if you
do sports well then you can apply your
mind to anything else. My father use to
always tell me as a youngster “Even if
you want to sweep the road that’s fine, if
that’s what you want to do in life. But try
and be the best at it and you will always