Our duty is to select teams for national tours, says Ashantha

By Jatila KARAWITA

Chairman of cricket selection committee Ashantha de Mel is of the view that if his committee is asked to select a team irrespective of it being a strong or second-string they will do so for the two-Tests and three-match ODI series in England next year, in the wake of the on-going rumpus between the core of Sri Lanka cricketers and the Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket's Interim Committee, Arjuna Ranatunga over the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the England tour in April-May 2009.

"Our job as selectors is to select teams for whatever the tours the national team undertakes," De Mel told 'Sunday Observer'. "It does not concern us whether it is the England tour or for that matter any other series.

"As selectors from the players available we have to pick teams whenever Sri Lanka Cricket asks us to do so". De Mel, the former Sri Lanka fast-bowler stated that in his personal view if SLC fails to send its first-choice team at least for the two-Test series in England, then the whole tour would become a non-starter as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will not accommodate any second-string team considering the involvement of television companies, advertising and sale of match tickets etc. "I feel extremely doubtful whether the ECB will stand for anything less than the full-strength national team", he continued.

"This is no ordinary tour. I mean it involves Tests and ODIs and of course the ECB will want Sri Lanka Cricket to field their best possible outfit. "Anything less will ensure that the series will be a damp squib". The Chairman of the selection committee noted that he was confident the current impasse between Mahela Jayawardene led key Sri Lanka players and the Interim Committee head Arjuna Ranatunga on the priority to be given to the IPL or the England series could be solved amicably so that both assignments can be honoured.