New cricket administration a safe bet... What a relief!

The seven-year wait for a General Election of Sri Lanka Cricket is complete with the election of office bearers for 2012. What is regrettable is that it has become fashionable for the losers to cry foul at the end of it without being gracious and accept defeat. But the caravan should move on!

In cricket, especially, when you are given out, one needs to walk. Sticking on the crease as the parlance goes. is "not cricket!" Former chairman of the Interim Committee Upali Dharmadasa was elected uncontested as Chairman.So were his two vice presidents K. Mathivanan and Asanga Seneviratne, with all others being elected uncontested. The only contest was for the Assistant Treasurer's post.

A look at the list of office-bearers gives us more than confidence that in this team one can safely repose trust and rest assured that the administration of cricket will once again will be in safe hands.

These men who are gentlemen par excellence - and let's remember that cricket is after all known as a "gentleman's game". And we now have a team in the administration who will take the standards of custodianship to new heights.

It is now up to Upali Dharmadasa who has tons of experience in leadership and management to lead from the front and, to use cricketing parlance again, play an all round innings that will set up a new record on good governance.

Secretary again

Nishantha Ranatunga who was the Secretary in D.S. de Silva administration was also elected uncontested.

Now that the elections are over, the new-office bearers must pad up and score for the game, the administration and above all, to do things to improve the finances of SLC and put them on a viable and sustainable path.

Needless to say a first priority should be to ensure that both the cricketers and the administrative staff are assured of payment of all arrears and that going forward they would be paid on time. In addition, and importantly, creditors need to be settled for services rendered. Early in 2012 there is need to have a "clean Balance Sheet".

Dharmadasa is fortunate to have two very efficient colleagues to help in Vice Presidents in K. Mathivanan and Asanga Seneviratne. Mathivanan has previously batted as Secretary and did a clean as a whistle job.

He is the President of the Colombo Colts Cricket Club and the club is what it is today because of his love for the game. And he has seen that the fabled club rose to new heights. Going beyond his remit, he has helped a lot of players and clubs.

Top class batsman

Seneviratne was a top class batsman at S. Thomas' College and continued his good form playing in the colours of the Colombo Cricket Club in highest level of the game. He was also an outstanding ruggerite and played for CR and FC and sported Sri Lanka colours with great distinction.

He will also soon take over the high office in the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union.

It is also gratifying to note the return of Rajan Udeshi in the Sponsorship Committee. Udeshi served in the Jayantha Dharmadasa Interim Committee and did a job to the satisfaction of all concerned.

After doing an excellent job, he was unfortunate not to serve in the Interim Committee headed by Arjuna Ranatunga. Isn't it said that you can't keep a good man down?!

Dharmadasa has apparently started off on the right foot. He has said that the past is not his concern. He wants to be on the fast forward mode. And a right stroke he has played is to attempt to negotiate with the Board of Control for Cricket in India to host some of the Indian Premier League matches in Sri Lanka to raise money for Sri Lanka Cricket.

Mega dollars

The Twenty20 is a big draw in India and brings in the mega dollars and with the BCCI always been supportive of Sri Lanka cricket they could look on Dharmadasa's request as an opportunity to regionalise the Premier League.

We cannot, however, agree with Dharmadasa when he says he is going to request India to play only one-day internationals and Twenty20 games in Sri Lanka on their tour in July instead of the scheduled Three Test series.

This should be debated.

True that the SLC needs funds badly, but that does not mean that Test cricket which is what the game is about be relegated to the land of the forgotten. Giving step-motherly treatment to Test cricket is not the way to develop the game. Dharmadasa strategy will be appreciated if in addition to the Test matches, he succeeds in coaxing the Indians to also figure in the Limited-over games.

To the connoisseur Test cricket is the be all and end all. And that is how it must remain.

Here's wishing the Dharmadasa administration the very best in its endeavour to regain Sri Lanka's former cricketing glory which was admired and followed by other cricketing nations.

Dinesh Chandimal

That Dinesh Chandimal, the stylish right handed Sri Lankan batsman and wicketkeeper is highly talented there is no doubt. He made a wonderful debut in the historic Test win against South Africa in Durban with nicely made twin fifties and some clever wicket keeping.

Now there is a rush to talk about his abilities in glowing terms and compare him with the past and present great willow wielders.

Some talk of him being the next man into the 10,000 run hall of fame like did Mahela Jayawardena in the Durban Test. Chandimal is still very young and it is best that he is allowed to develop. The men in charge of him must nurse and nurture his natural all round abilities and not try to spoil the young man by trying to compare him with the greats. He has it in him to be even greater than some of the greats. That will only happen if he is allowed to blossom and bloom without pressure.

Lovely strokes

In making the twin debut fifties, he played some lovely strokes and showed that he has the right technique and temperament.

He needs, however, pick the right ball to hit and not wildly swing his bat at every delivery in haste. There is no need for rush even if the adrenaline is running.

If his work behind the stumps is an indication, then he should cling on to this post for a long time. The selectors will have a tough time in slotting Prasanna Jayawardena back into the longer version of the game.

The selectors at one time were toying with the idea of gloving Chandimal in the one-day games, thus relieving Kumar Sangakkara of the burden and allowing him free rein in his batting where Sangakkara, like Mahela Jayawardena, is our insurance policy when the chips are down and when leadership is needed.

The selectors can give Chandimal the nod against the South Africans in the five one-dayers to follow.

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