A renaissance of Sri Lanka Cricket

by Gunasiri Wanigaratne

Cricket: As winds of change blows across SLC inducing a breath of fresh air, a much needed renaissance of our great game cricket is in the offing, perhaps an ominous reminder of the forthcoming SLC elections for a new board, where affiliated clubs and districts will vote to elect board members full of vitality, values and vision to take SLC to another galaxy.

In the recent past, we have observed some disarray and disharmony leading to letters and statements from players to administrators, a conflicting scenario, where board failed to be a beacon of light to the players, creating a confident playing conditions to the players. Previous boards and committees failed to hit the correct code with the cricket lovers and players alike. So the need of the hour is a new board, not the old faces merely dressed in new colours.

But sadly according to latest reports already a panel being appointed to probe into the objections against the contenders, but whatever the outcome it is crystal clear the same phenomena of previous ill fated Boards and interim committees replicating themselves even before the elections. The new board should not face the ignominy of previous hierarchial howlers and blunders a repercussion of events and history repeating itself.

What is paramount is fair play and the elected body from a contest to be politically correct in terms of cricket for the greater good of Sri Lanka Cricket where players contest through talent and every post for the board fairly contested.

The cricket lovers must applaud the Minister of Sports for instrumenting changes to the Sports Law to streamline and filter the good from the bad getting into the basket. Yet it’s a sad sight to witness the COPE findings of the previous interim committee not being subjected to approval and members yet functioning in key posts bringing in its wake a hollow and emptiness to our players and supporters. Surely a feeling as one wonders where stability and steadfastness will catapult into cricket administration of Sri Lanka.

From the time immemorial SLC has being in financial problems in connection from all quarters with regard to balancing its books.

While in debt to the turn of a reported US dollars 32.5 million to various authorities, one is made to believe there will be a loss of estimated Rs.600 million next year. Surely this vicious cycle cannot recur and the Minister of Sports should intervene, bringing external auditors to manage the funds.

At one point the players were paid directly by ICC. To build for the future, develop young blood and promote school cricket and maintain and resurrect pitches and grounds needs money. With continuous portrayal of bankruptcy the players and the public loses confidence on SLC and look to the future investment in cricket with dreary eyes.

There is a new set up and a breath of fresh air and landscape of cricket must change for the better.

As for Angelo Mathews it was not the greatest baptism into captaincy in his first Test. Bangladesh established all sorts of records where our much talked about Galle pitch became batsmen friendly and failed to favour our spin bowlers. Yet our new captain can take a lead out of South Africa’s captain Graeme Smith’s book the only man in the history of the game to have captained his country in 100 Test matches. It is an astonishing achievement. Smith was offered the captaincy at the age of tender 22 years and had played just eight Tests. His measure of success and durability claiming No.1 Test playing nation through thick and thin, restless nights, thorny selection issues, troublesome selectors, annoying administrators and not to mention dressing room egoistic characters will be a fitting tribute to the essence of the achievement.

I am sure Angelo Mathews will have to face the selectors, administrators, coaches alike as they come and go and will have to learn to navigate some difficult waters.

The captain should inherit a good greater level of support within a strong net work with strong back room help. An element of capacity surprise to showing strength of purpose and character should help.