• Charges SLC has ignored fitness of players 
• Calls for selection committee’s overhaul 
• Alleges religious cult has spread tentacles at SLC 

Former Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara is of the view that in the eyes of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Sri Lanka currently stands suspended following the decision taken by the global body, not to allow any member of the Transformation Committee to attend its board meetings.

“The way I look at it is that the ICC has already imposed a sort of suspension on us, as we don’t have a chair,” the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) lawmaker told a weekly television interview on Monday (12).,

“Our cricket has been suspended. It is a known fact that the ICC has prohibited any member of the Sri Lanka Cricket’s Transformation Committee, from attending its meetings since its formation last April. They have been reduced to mere observers. This is akin to a suspension imposed on Sri Lanka in my book.”

Jayasekara revealed that currently with the blessings of the Transformation Committee, the structure of district cricket has been diluted in favour of undue prominence to provincial cricket when it should have been the other way around.

He noted that cricket in this country had always thrived with district cricket associations, but alleged that the existing concept has been overhauled giving unnecessary weightage to provincial bodies which he feels is entirely faulty.

“I don’t think the provincial associations can do justice to the district cricket associations. The provincial system is entirely a different administrative body.”

The MP then charged that at the behest of a former Sri Lanka cricketer whose name he mentioned but withheld by this newspaper, around 35 coaches have been allegedly removed from an ongoing junior cricket tournament.

Asked specifically for the reasons Jayasekara stated that the ex-national player has resorted to his actions as the coaches had refused to embrace a certain prominent religious cult, which he insisted has spread its tentacles around Sri Lanka cricket over time.

He added that he has already disclosed details to this effect in Parliament as well. “This is nothing but destruction of cricket, and it will in no way help to develop the game or improve the lot of the coaches,” he said.

The ex-Sports Minister also alleged that the Transformation Committee since taking charge of the SLC, has paid scant attention to the aspect of fitness of the national team, and identified it also as a core reason for the declining performances of the national team across the formats in the recent past.

He lastly took a swipe at the Kapila Wijegunawardena-led selection committee and emphasised that past players who had represented the nation in the 1980s and 90s being thrust into their current roles, will not serve the long-term purpose for the sport here.

“This selection committee is mostly made up of players who played cricket some 30 to 40 years ago,” the SJB MP pointed out.

“Cricket has evolved so much from those days to what it is today. I doubt whether these folks have any idea of what the present-day requirements are. I think the results on the pitch is proof of the pudding, and I rest my case.”    

The sport’s local governing body has been under an interim setup since late April this year, following the resignation of Shammi Silva and his Ex-Co.

This stemmed from persistent allegations of corruption and mismanagement of funds, besides record revenues not transforming to positive results on the pitch which brought forth sustained public outcry.

The nine-member strong interim administration helmed by ex-MP Eran Wickramaratne was formed by the subject Minister, to address current issues and implement structural reforms, which the former investment banker turned politician feels at best could take six months or more.

However, the International Cricket Council which does not recognise interim arrangements in member nations, has already barred any representatives from the island nation from attending its meetings.

The Dubai-based controlling body has punished Sri Lanka by stripping it of hosting rights of the inaugural edition of the Women’s Champions Trophy next year and handed it over instead to India.