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| Sunday, 19 March 2006 |
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Powerful and effective reforms needed to uplift men's standard by Leslie Fernando What's happening to our cricket? This is the question on everyone's mind these days, but no one cares a damn! said Gwen Herat, President of women's cricket in Sri Lanka. I was taken aback when I tried to ask the well informed lady on the debacle that our men had fallen into. Gwen Herat is not just a lady who speaks with an idea of merely condemning the cricket set-up, but she has gathered loads of facts and information that has enabled her to keep Sri Lanka's women cricketers abreast with women cricketers in other parts of the world. Gwen, who was a vibrant product of Bishop's College and Presbyterian Girls High School, related some startling facts that would speak for themself. Q: Cricket is generally associated with men. As President of WCA how would you feel in a man's job? A: I do not bring in the gender issue for sports or for that matter for any thing. The late Gamini Dissanayake spotted my passion for the game and dragged me into this. I gained much administrative experience under him and as the President of the Puttalama District Cricket Association for nearly 15 years before I took over women's cricket under my wing. Q: Were you happy in the role? A: Yes, I worked till some political goons made me quit. This is the scourge of the country - Politics creeping into cricket and other sports. I kept politics out of cricket, even though my husband was a very powerful minister. Q: What have you to say about the state of men's cricket. A: Sri Lanka cricket needs powerful and effective reforms to fall in line with the rest of the playing nations like Australia and India for example. It has become necessary to kick out the present nagging constitution and amend it for the Executive President of the country to nominate the SLC President who will be directly responsible to him. This will prevent vote-buying and eliminate thugs of undesirable elements from controlling the game. The Executive President should have the power to remove SLC loss in the event he fails in his job. The rest of the executive committee (Secretary downwards) to be elected once in two years and not annually because what happens today is, once they are elected they work only for six months and the next months they are preparing for the election of office-bearers again. Q: Why do you recommend two-year period? A: For the tours and domestic cricket to run smoothly on this given span. We have seen what happens at SLC AGM's. Thugs invade and prevent elections taking place. This has a bad taste on cricket and cricketers as well. Our Cricketers can play the game, assured that and honest President who has been the Executive President's choice will run SLC and not be obliged to the executives of SLC. Corruption and waste of money can be kept in check because such a President is answerable to his Excellency, the President of the country. Q: If his Excellency and the Minister of Sports are satisfied at the end of two years the work that has been done by the President of cricket, should his term of office be extended. A: Good question. This can be extended for further two years and nothing more. A President should serve only for four years and make room for another to be nominated. Q: What part would the Ministry of Sports play in this set up? A: They will remain as the authority over cricket and be the watchdog. Q: What role would the ICC play. A: Same as today. But the ICC must abstain from accepting long term interim committees whether in Sri Lanka or any other country. Q: Do you see a woman heading the SLC? A: Certainly. If women can head their countries around the world , cricket is peanuts. I'm a strong believer in what the former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said, 'If you want to have a chat, do so with a man but if you want a job done, as a woman'. For someone who spoke a mouthful, Herat remains a strong and transparent
administrator in women's cricket. Being the only woman to have written two
books on the game. She knows what she is talking about. |
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