Re-examination of Sri Lanka Cricket elections
by Gunasiri Wanigaratne
As the curtain falls and dust settles over the Sri Lanka Cricket
Board elections, ever expected winds of change and breath of fresh air
failed to blow once again into the web of Sri Lanka Cricket.
Cricket lovers every nook and corner of the country and more so 80
affiliated member clubs, District provincial bodies must be struggling
to fathom and comprehend, how the history repeat itself, as key posts of
President and Secretary posts were uncontested. To take stock of this
incredible "election", if one may wish to call it, the adopted
procedures seems beyond belief somewhat farcical and non-transparent.
Pre-election campaigns were blighted by plethora of court cases
against nominees and a highly publicised announcement, by the former
Chairman of Interim Committee that he is contesting for the Presidency
at an event held at the Galadari Hotel with recorded video footages from
his supporters. When the results were announced to everyone's surprise
his brothers' name Jayantha Dharmadasa appears as President of course
uncontested.
The SLC has been controlled by nine Interim committees, a true
reflection of the fragile nature of our cricket lacking in culture,
dedication and integrity. When the previous Chairman of IC took over on
July 1 2011, the reigns from D.S. De Silva on the request of the
Minister of Sports, to sort out alleged malpractices including financial
irregularities during the last World Cup.
The Interim Committee of which Nishantha Ranatunga was a key figure,
is blamed for SLC's current financial crisis running into several
billions of rupees. Now we are witnessing the unbelievable appointment
of the very person uncontested to the Secretary of SLC governing body.
On the same token, Suraj Dandeniya who took a chorus of criticism for
dragging Sri Lanka Cricket into a financial crises as Head of organising
Committee SLC World Cup, was elected uncontested a new President of the
Sri Lanka Badminton Association.
Surely the past can be forgotten, but not erased from the
connasseiure's memories.
President for 4 years
As for the President elect Jayantha Dharmadasa without a contest to
the SLC governing body. Now for a lengthy spell of four years, will be a
thought provoking and testing tenure.
As memories are for ever and cannot be erased, its worth reminding
ourselves the election campaign for the Galle Cricket Club years 2008,
where Jayantha Dharmadasa contested for the Presidency to be re-elected.
Jayantha Dharmadasa honourably resigned. This may be a bitter pile to
swallow, but the ethics and ethos that surrounds, knocks the confidence
of SLC.
It is on a sad note to find that cricket stadiums built for the World
Cup namely Hambantota and Pallekele and nor the Dambulla grounds has
essential facilities and fall short of international stadiums and
standards. One wonders, the planners and the role played by the
administrators at an enormous cost, yet to be accounted for in real
terms.
With the formation of new committee or body ever so often the
structure of the Premier Tournaments appears to change. This is surely
unsettling for the clubs and players. To promote Test cricket and
discipline towards longer version, Premier League should be four-day
format and should maintain the Inter-provincial 4-day Competition. Yet
one sees only the elite enclaves of Colombo clubs dominating the Premier
Tournament except for a handful of outstation clubs like Chilaw,
Baduraliya, Ragama.
Building stadium not enough
SLC should be contemplating and diverse energy and enthusiasm to
vigorously promote outstation cricket at least in the main cities of
Kandy, Kurunegala, Galle , Matara, Hambantota etc. Merely building
stadiums is not enough, incentives to budding young crickets from above
districts to stay and play and strengthen their local clubs rather
migrating to Colombo Clubs looking for elitism and stardom.\
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