Gamini's contribution to world cricket

Late Gamini Dissanayake was President of the Board for Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (now known as Sri Lanka Cricket) from June 1981 to June 1989 and thereafter for a brief period of 4 months immediately prior to his tragic demise in October 1994.

Accomplishments

Gamini's top priority on assuming the Presidency of the Cricket Board in June 1981 was to obtain full membership of the ICC which would enable Sri Lanka to play Test Cricket.

He thereafter embarked on a programme of work with a vision to achieve what he felt was best for Sri Lanka cricket in order to enable the cricketers to compete at the highest level.

These included inter alia:

a. Construction of the Cricket Board Headquarters to set up a permanent secretariat for cricket administration.

b. Construction of modern Indoor Net facilities.

c. Development of Asgiriya International Stadium and improvement to other Provincial venues for international and domestic cricket.

d. Faced and survived the South African Rebel tour immediately following our ascent to Test Cricket, amidst much controversy and confusion amongst the cricket loving public of Sri Lanka.

e. Inaugurate a programme to send young cricketers for training overseas.

f. Launched the Cricketers benevolent fund.

g. Commenced regional Cricket development at district level.

h. Together with India and Pakistan started the Asian Cricket Council of which he was elected President from 1985 to 1987.

i. The creation of the Cricket Foundation for funding and development.

j. Staging of the Asia Cup Tournament in Sri Lanka in 1986 (first time a tournament of that magnitude was held in Sri Lanka).

k. Commenced programmes on intensive training for Coaches, Curators and Umpires at International level.

Attributes

a. Gamini's one purpose was to see that our cricketers perform to peak capacity, beyond themselves and excel for the greater glory of Sri Lanka. He knew very well that as in many fields of activity the cricketers battle was a battle of the MIND a battle to deal with the pressures and tensions in the field. He identified this as a psychological dimension of the most complex kind and the question as to how these cricketers should motivate themselves into one cohesive battle plan - to perform to achieve and to WIN.

b. In order to achieve this mental journey he got down top class foreign coaches of the calibre of Sir Garfield Sobers, Peter Philott, Khan Mohamed etc. and also Dr. Rudy Webster to work with the team as a Specialist. The coaches and the experts Gamini got down saw enormous talent and potential in our young and inexperienced Cricketers. Gamini's goal was to harness this talent into a WINNING COMBINATION by getting these foreign Coaches to work in unison with our local Coaches.

c. Gamini maintained a close dialog with the Cricketers at all levels and communicated with them effectively in order to get them to perform to their true potential. He made them realise that they have to compete with the best in the world. He treated the cricketers as adults and men. He once told an audience "if you treat these players like schoolchildren they will perform also in that way and in no other way."

d. Gamini always took the side of the young players and maintained to the establishment that they are the ones who matter to him at all times. He fully understood and sympathised with their position in terms of social responsibility and social needs.

e. These are the great attributes of a man who read all these issues in our elevation from FIRST CLASS to TEST CRICKET to perform as PROFESSIONALS and not as AMATEURS at the highest level. He thus brought about a new dimension to our cricket which was phenomenal at the time.

Significant contribution to international cricket

a. Gamini made an impassionate plea to the ICC and vehemently supported India and Pakistan to host the 1987 World Cup away from England for the first time. In his own words addressing the Chair he said "Mr. President, there are millions and millions in the sub-continent obsessed about this game of cricket. Are you going to deprive them of the opportunity of viewing a World Cup? You have already staged 3 World Cups in England from inception in 1975 and it is time we globalise this event in the best interests of the game of cricket!

b. Gamini was a part of the team which moved for the doing away of the VETO power of England and Australia which resulted in the successful appointment of a study group and a working committee. Eventually the VETO was removed and democracy prevailed in the International Cricket Council.

c. Gamini took a hard line on the apartheid issue and canvassed the Member Countries both at ACC and ICC and made a very useful contribution towards the anti apartheid stance ultimately taken at both forums.

Conclusion

Gamini at the time he was President of the Cricket Board was a Senior Member of the Cabinet of Ministers with a mega portfolio. However, he carried out his responsibilities as Board President with consummate ease and tact. He was well aware of the divide and the club rivalries in cricket, yet he endeavoured to make the Cricket Board a place that is accessible to all no matter who, so long as it is in the interest of cricket. He was primarily responsible for opening up the game and was of the opine that is how it should be and continue to be.

Gamini was a dynamic personality with a mega vision and made a terrific impact to the game during his tenure as the Cricket Board President. I feel proud and privileged to have been associated with him throughout this period.

- Nuski Mohamad