By Revatha S. Silva

New SLC office-bearers

SLC informed that the following personnel were elected uncontested as the office-bearers of the body for the period of 2021-23:

Shammi Silva - President

Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa - Vice President

Ravin Wickramaratne - Vice President

Mohan De Silva - Secretary

Lasantha Wickremasinghe - Treasurer

Chryshantha Kapuwatte - Assistant Secretary

Sujeeva Godaliyadda - Assistant Treasurer

The decision was announced by the Election Committee of SLC by noon on Thursday. The rival camp of the Silvas, headed by Kangadaran Mathivanan and also featuring Nishantha Ranatunga and Bandula Warnapura, withdrew from the AGM on Tuesday (18).

Silva’s election marks his second term in office as the President of the national cricket controlling body.

“I am thankful for the membership for electing me uncontested as the President of Sri Lanka Cricket,” said Shammi Silva addressing the media after the election in a virtual briefing.

“Various parties made various allegations against us during our previous tenure. But by doing so, what they did was to tarnish the very image of SLC before the public eye. About 99% of the allegations that were levelled against us at the COPE (Committee On Public Enterprise) were not pertaining to what happened during our tenures. I have a great team to work with me for the next two years, including two former Presidents Jayantha Dharmadasa and Mohan de Silva. We don’t expect to do any witch-hunting but work for the betterment of the game during the two years,” Silva added to the media.

“In fact we are not answerable to the COPE. The only thing that makes us responsible to the government is the fact that our accounts are to be ratified by the Government Auditor General. In all other aspects, we are only responsible to the International Cricket Council (ICC),” Silva further explained answering questions from the media.

Answering a question on the domestic cricket structure, which derived a lot of criticism, Silva said that he also believed the right way to move forward should be to have a lesser number of first-class clubs, at least up to 10, at the highest level. He said he too believed there are more than enough number of clubs that are playing first-class cricket at the moment.

Tournament Committee:

Samantha Dodanwela (Chairman / Ex-co member), Kasun Fernando, Marlon Fernandupulle, Deepal Madurapperuma, and Dilan Pollonnovita

Umpires Committee:

Bandula Dissanayake (Chairman / Ex-co member), Shammi P. Gunasekera, Gihan Weerasinghe, Dilran Abeysekara, and Mohamad Siddiek

School Development Committee:

Jayantha Jayaweera, Y. Ratheepan, and Nalin Jayawickrama

Executive Committee Representation:

District / Province - Lalith Rambukwella, Controlling Clubs - Nalin Aponso and Janaka Pathirana, Affiliated Clubs - Priyantha Algama, Cricket Associations (Defence Services representative and State Services representative to be appointed), Ministry of Sports (a representative to be appointed)