Sideshow sets stage for knockout blow
Personality clash likely to decide next set of
office-bearers to run Sri Lanka Cricket as Thilanga Sumathipala returns
to face a rapidly looming tide:
by Callistus Davy
Just a day after he submitted his nomination to contest the top post
at Sri Lanka Cricket, Thilanga Sumathipala has put himself on course for
a possible bust-out made evident by his ex-adversary turned crony
Jayantha Dharmadasa sneaking in as cover-candidate for the presidency
after initially declaring himself as vice president runner.
|
Thilanga Sumathipala (right) walks in to announce his
candidacy flanked by antagonist turned buddy Jayantha
Dharmadasa (Pictures by Rukmal Gamage) |
Sumathipala faced the same predicament on two occasions in the past
and withdrew apparently over his connections to the betting industry
which according to the International Cricket Council (ICC) charter
disqualifies him.
If he can withstand the storm ahead of the January 3 election, the
country will see two of the most hardcore heavyweights in cricket
administration set for a major confrontation unlike never before in the
history of the sport unless one decides to throw in the towel.
The battle lines were drawn on Thursday when Sumathipala entered the
fray, this time as the challenger taking on the swashbuckling Nishantha
Ranatunga who within a relatively short span of time rose to a
bull-fighter.
Ranatunga threw Sumathipala the challenge when he claimed that 96 of
the 144 votes were already in his pocket, a claim the latter disputed.
"Let's wait for January 3 (election day) when the votes are counted",
Sumathipala told the Sunday Observer on the sidelines when asked where
he stood after launching his candidacy.
His presentation was initially to take the form of a press
conference, but more than 50 smartly clad invitees who attended the
event were non-media personnel or 'plants' said to be supporters from
voting clubs and associations.
Sumathipala asserted that he no longer had links to a sports
equipment marketing store and claimed he was clean-sheeted by the ICC
over connections to the betting industry, two factors which went against
him in the past.
He showed no documentary evidence of being cleared by the ICC but in
presenting his manifesto to the Press, Sumathipala bragged he had what
he called the "best quality team to save cricket from neglect" as he
came out with a six-point plan covering the Sri Lanka team and future
players, club cricket welfare, a corporate business plan for systematic
development, administration,a financial advisory committee and
International communications to uplift the image of the country.
"Nobody can match the experience we have in our team. It is far
greater than imaginable. We have not only succeeded in the public and
private sector but have served in the ICC and our aim is to transform
the game and take it to a different level", said Sumathipala as he
introduced his running mates.
|
In an unprecedented act even before the ballot can be cast,
Thilanga Sumathipala and his men declare themselves as
elected cricket administrators at a media circus at the SSC
ground in Colombo on Thursday. From left: Shammi Silva, K
Mathivanan, Sumathipala, Jayantha Dharmadasa, Mohan de Silva
and Ravin Wickremaratne |
Among them were former presidents of SLC Jayantha Dharmadasa and
Mohan de Silva and one time vice president K Mathivanan.
Another two ex-SLC administrators Shammi Silva and Ravin
Wickremaratne are contesting the posts of treasurer and assistant
secretary respectively.
But analysts argue the race is more of a personality clash than
administering the game as cricket in Sri Lanka will always have its fair
share of benefactors and sponsors no matter who holds the reins in its
governance.
Cricket also provides unlimited social and financial 'opportunities',
too tempting to miss.
Two weeks ago Nishantha Ranatunga boasted of his team comprising his
brother and former World Cup winning captain Arjuna, ex-SLC president
Upali Dharmadasa and former vice president Asanga Seneviratne, who are
all vying for the vice presidency, Hirantha Perera a former assistant
secretary now running for the secretary's job and veteran banker Easman
Narangoda as treasurer.
Clubs, district associations and provincial organizations with voting
rights conduct a meeting prior to Election Day to decide whom they
should support. But in some cases votes can be cast contrary to what had
been decided based on the trend and swing of the voting pattern making
it boil down to the top two candidates in the fray whose team members
are invariably elected.
A cross section of voting clubs and associations interviewed by the
Sunday Observer said they have only names and faces to direct them with
manifestos and pompous boasts of development having little or no bearing
on influencing voters. |
