Minod Bhanuka and Wanindu Hasaranga celebrate the fall of the wicket of skipper Quinton de Kock on day-two of the “Boxing Day” Test against South Africa at Centurion on 27 December. Photo CSA[/caption]
Now it emerges that the reason had been a top-level, government-to-government intervention.
South Africa HC intervened
“Though it (the South Africa series) was under the ICC FTP (International Cricket Council's Future Tours Programme) and the World Test Championship (WTC), we basically wanted to skip the tour. But what happened was that the High Commissioner of South Africa (Ms. R.P. Marks) intervened and had a couple of meetings with our CEO (Ashley de Silva) as well as, I think, the Minster of Sports. And this is [a matter concerning] two countries and we must collaborate. And that was why we agreed and sent a team finally,” an official of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) told The Morning Sports yesterday (2).
Yesterday, citing health risks, Australia Test team abandoned their forthcoming tour of South Africa at the cost of a possible place in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship final this year.
Start of the LPL was delayed
“Coming to the issue of LPL (Lanka Premier League that preceded the South Africa tour), we were supposed to start the tournament on the 24th of August (2020). We were ready to go. But what happened was that with the health authorities, we didn’t come to a conclusion with their guidelines. So finally His Excellency the Sports Minister had to intervene. Health Minister too had to intervene to get their regulations in place. That is why it was postponed to 26th November (making the LPL coincide with the preparation for the two-Test series in South Africa),” he added.
Last-minute U-turn
Abandoning a series during the Covid-19 situation is a blow for the coffers of any cricket board due to the television rights money they tend to lose due to such moves. A Boxing Day (26 December) Test is considered a highly demanding sports event in South Africa. Sri Lanka played their first Test from 26 December and they lost the series 2-0 in South Africa. At least five of their players got injured during the series evidently due to lack of preparation.
De Mel told media this week that they had been informed in time that the South Africa series would not take place but a couple of days later, the cricket board changed stance and was ready to send a team.
Soon after they arrived in Sri Lanka, the injury-ravaged Lankan Test side was sent to play in contrasting turning tracks in Galle against England, that too without any proper preparation. Sri Lanka lost that series too 2-0 sparking a major debate in the local cricket circles as well as the general public over the deteriorating standards of Sri Lankan cricket.
De Mel resigned both as Sri Lanka Manager and Chairman of National Selectors days after the England series. Players were exposed for lack of discipline and commitment. All concerned in the sport’s administration here were virtually caught napping while a discussion has now sparked on all fronts on the need of a complete overhaul of the game.