I am back doing what I love, says SL umpire Maurici Zilva by Bipin Dani

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Player:

MVD Zilva

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DateLine: 9th July 2016

 

Mumbai, July 9 : On Saturday Sri Lanka's 53-year old umpire Maurici Vinston Dela Zilva was more in a relaxed mood. His three year suspension period for alleged involvement (in a sting operation) for influencing the First-Class matches got over.

 

"I am relieved because I can be back doing what I love. Family was very supportive and believed in me right throughout cause they all know who I am", speaking exclusively from Colombo, he said.

 

"To-day I will thank Lord Jesus for everything I have been allowed".

 

"I also ask those people desist from doing such things for cheap and vulgar popularity specially under guise of being someone else. Where is India TV today and what have they achieved by involving me. Nothing", the umpire says.

 

Maurici Zilva was scheduled to meet a few cricket officials on Saturday so as he can resume his umpiring career at the earliest.

 

"I shall be meeting Mr. Junker, the General Secretary of the Association of Cricket umpires and request him to assign me the assignments at school level and in other matches also".

 

"I have also been promised by Shammi Silva and K. Mathivanan for bringing me into the main stream of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) umpiring at the earliest".

 

"Yes, there are regrets. I was a victim of jealousy and politics and was given a very harsh sentence for a hypothetical incident which was nothing but a frame".

 

"But I will come back stronger and will be a bigger threat to the local umpires by way of competition", he signed off.

 

(Article: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only.
Copyright © 2016 Bipin Dani)