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by Lal Gunesekera

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will meet top officials of the Colombo District Cricket Association (CDCA) before the end of this month (April) regarding the dissolution of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in March last year (2005) by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Jeevan Kumaratunga, citing among others "financial misappropriation". Since this date, SLC, is run by an Interim Committee headed by well known Businessman Jayantha Dharmadasa.

A spokesman for CDCA told the Sunday Observer that it was an unanimous decision of those who attended a meeting called by the CDCA to write to President Rajapaksa requesting a meeting. President Rajapaksa's Secretary, Lalith Weeratunga, in response to this letter by the CDCA has stated that President Rajapaksa will give them an appointment before end April.

Meanwhile, the Interim Committee for SLC in a report to President Rajapaksa have stated that they (the Interim Committee) have made a profit of Rs. 424.5 million since they were appointed in March 2005 against the loss of Rs. 321.5 million by SLC in 2004.

The Report also states that the Interim Committee has spent Rs. 173.4 million within eight months in office, including Rs. 95.1 million for international events and Rs. 137.8 million as administrative expenses, compared to the Rs. 169.3 million spent by SLC for administrative purposes in 2004.

The Interim Committee also claims that their members have not claimed any expenses for their travel from SLC for various meetings of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

They (the Interim Committee) claims that SLC had spent Rs. 8.7 million for officials for ICC meetings and Rs. 1.2 million for ACC meetings in 2004.

To the Interim Committee's statement that SLC has shown a profit since 1999, a spokesman for CDCA said it was a total fabrication which will be proven to President Mahinda Rajapaksa when they (officials of CDCA) meet with the President later this month.

Since March 2005 when the Interim Committee took over the running of the affairs at SLC, Sri Lanka have slid to Seventh out of 10 positions in both Test and ODI rankings. Now, Sri Lanka, has to qualify to play in the ICC Champions Trophy tournament along with West Indies, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh later this year.

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