Hashan Tillekeratne will work closely with Cricket Chairman Arjuna to improve umpiring

By Ranjan Anandappa

CRICKET: The newly elected president of the Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers, former Test captain Hashan Tillekeratne who was elected without a contest, is a man with a vision and is ready to begin his mission towards the development of the umpires.

Tillekeratne was quite confident with the assistance of his two former colleagues Arjuna Ranatunga (Chairman SLC) and Asoka de Silva (Only member in Sri Lanka of the Elite Panel of Umpires), the umpires could look for a better future. One of his top priorities is to see more Sri Lankan umpires being absorbed into the ICC Elite Panel of umpires.

At the moment, there is only - Asoka de Silva, but there are more than one in other Test playing nations. Australia has six in the Elite Panel of Umpires. To achieve this, the standard of umpiring should be improved drastically, said Tillekeratne in a recent interview with the Sunday Observer.

After representing the country in 83 Test matches with 11 hundreds and over 5000 runs against Tillekeratne, a fighting left-handed utility player, has performed almost in every Test playing nation and has been under the scrutiny of almost all the Test umpires during his playing days. Tillekeratne is the second Test player to hold the top post among the umpires and scorers, after Bandula Warnapura.

Excerpts of the interview...

Q: What made you to take up this position as the president of the ACU&S (SL)?

A: Several umpires approached me and asked whether I am willing to take up the post, and come forward to help them. I thought it is my duty to take up the position as I understand that the umpires seem to be in dire straits.

Q: What are your immediate plans to uplift the standard of umpiring?

A: As we all know, the standard of umpiring has deteriorated, and we have to take some drastic measures to rectify the mistakes and uplift the standards. I am also planning to have a retirement scheme and an insurance cover and medical cover and also give the umpires the opportunity for more exposure at international level.

I am also planning to conduct seminars frequently with the help of local and International umpires to enable our umpires to gain better knowledge of the changing laws and playing conditions of the game and that’s the way of the ways of improving umpiring.

Q: How are you going to get the finances to do these things?

A: So many people have contacted me and have assured that they are ready to help to develop the progress of the umpires. I am also hoping to work closely with Arjuna Ranatunga as I need his support as well. I am sure he will come to my assistance.

Q: Do you think that it is compulsory for an umpire to be a cricketer?

A: There are umpires who have not played the game. But I personally feel that gaining cricket knowledge will help one to do a better job. So a player is certainly in a better frame of mind and will have more confidence in controlling the game than a person who has not played the game. It is heartening to see more and more top cricketers taking up the job which augurs well for the future.