Cricket administration in Sri Lanka has hit a chaotic level with a mass exodus of officials, dictatorship and a plot to oust two outspoken selectors taking centre stage in the affairs of a sport that is swelling with many self-styled godfathers, the Daily Mirror learns.
To make matters obvious Sri Lanka Cricket yesterday advertised for new selectors and an investigation by the Daily Mirror revealed that two of the government-appointed selectors Don Anurasiri and Asantha de Mel, outspoken in their own right, are facing a possible ouster simply because they don’t see eye to eye with administrators.
The life of the current selection committee was to expire by the end of May but the four-man panel has been given a two months extension by sports minister Gamini Lokuge and yesterday’s public notice for new selectors only added to the fear of dictatorship in the country’s cricket board.
Asked to comment on the current state of affairs in the board, its secretary K. Mathivanan said he was gagged from speaking to the Press and refused to make any public pronouncement.
“I cannot speak even off the record”, he declared.
It is learnt that the move to advertise for new selectors was not approved by the executive committee of the board and runs in total contrast to a directive of Minister Lokuge who two weeks ago cautioned cricket administrators against deviating from the normal process.
Chief executive officer Duleep Mendis said he did not see anything strange about the public notice for new selectors which he added was in the hands of Minister Lokuge.
“Once the applications come in we will go through all and forward the names to the Minister for his final decision”, said Mendis.
Chief selector de Mel is currently out of the country and could not be reached for his reaction about his impending ouster.
The latest impediment in cricket administration comes after a string of resignations or ousters from the cricket establishment with most of the leavers said to be supporters of Thilanga Sumathipala or Jayantha Dharmadasa who for political reasons are no longer in the game’s administration.
Since former captain Arjuna Ranatunga was appointed as chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket by the government early this year, several new faces have been introduced and more on the way out with the exception of one of them B. H. Perera, a former supporter of Sumathipala and Dharmadasa, who now enjoys exalted clout as the administration manager.
India, which is scheduled to tour Sri Lanka for a major Test and one-day series in July, is reported to be “closely watching the situation”.
To make matters obvious Sri Lanka Cricket yesterday advertised for new selectors and an investigation by the Daily Mirror revealed that two of the government-appointed selectors Don Anurasiri and Asantha de Mel, outspoken in their own right, are facing a possible ouster simply because they don’t see eye to eye with administrators.
The life of the current selection committee was to expire by the end of May but the four-man panel has been given a two months extension by sports minister Gamini Lokuge and yesterday’s public notice for new selectors only added to the fear of dictatorship in the country’s cricket board.
Asked to comment on the current state of affairs in the board, its secretary K. Mathivanan said he was gagged from speaking to the Press and refused to make any public pronouncement.
“I cannot speak even off the record”, he declared.
It is learnt that the move to advertise for new selectors was not approved by the executive committee of the board and runs in total contrast to a directive of Minister Lokuge who two weeks ago cautioned cricket administrators against deviating from the normal process.
Chief executive officer Duleep Mendis said he did not see anything strange about the public notice for new selectors which he added was in the hands of Minister Lokuge.
“Once the applications come in we will go through all and forward the names to the Minister for his final decision”, said Mendis.
Chief selector de Mel is currently out of the country and could not be reached for his reaction about his impending ouster.
The latest impediment in cricket administration comes after a string of resignations or ousters from the cricket establishment with most of the leavers said to be supporters of Thilanga Sumathipala or Jayantha Dharmadasa who for political reasons are no longer in the game’s administration.
Since former captain Arjuna Ranatunga was appointed as chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket by the government early this year, several new faces have been introduced and more on the way out with the exception of one of them B. H. Perera, a former supporter of Sumathipala and Dharmadasa, who now enjoys exalted clout as the administration manager.
India, which is scheduled to tour Sri Lanka for a major Test and one-day series in July, is reported to be “closely watching the situation”.
