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| Sunday, 25 September 2005 |
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'Mr. Hilton' to be ruled out? Straight Talk by Lal Gunesekera Mr. Hilton the so-called media pundit attached to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), continues evading the "bouncers" hurled at him and digging in the "yorkers" sent down pretty well and continues striking the ball confidently on both sides of the wicket despite his age. He was nearly "run out" recently at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium where the First Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh took place when the father and brother who is a well known swimmer, nearly manhandled this individual who had issued a media accreditation to a young girl (by no means is she attached to any media) for the tour. He now faces "bouncers" from his original employer (Colombo Hilton Hotel) where he is employed in the Sales Department, though serving the Interim Committee of SLC as Media Manager where he is paid a sum of Rs. 22.500 too, although he once again says that he does not earn a "red cent" from SLC for his services. If he is found guilty by Colombo Hilton for working in two places in the on-going inquiry, Mr. Hilton, will finally be ruled out and will have to depend on "his masters" at SLC for his bread and butter. Then comes the news that Mr. Hilton had taken 60 invitations to be sent out for media personnel (both print and electronic) for the Banquet hosted by SLC at the Galle Face Hotel last Sunday (September 18). However, many mediamen did not receive any invitations for this function. He is alleged to have misused them to invite his "friends". Who couriered these invitations? Your guess is right - it's Colombo Hilton of course, and not SLC!. This former provincial correspondent who was attached to certain newspapers, is hated by a majority of the employees at SLC, and "inside sources" say that he has hardly put a step into the headquarters for the past many weeks, and when he does come, it's not for more than a hour. Perhaps Mr. Hilton is avoiding coming to the SLC HQ's as he is being hounded by both the Police and a state bank over a payment of nearly Rs. 2 1/2 lakhs on his Credit Card. Murali dismisses allegations Sri Lanka's spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan has dismissed the allegations that he is involved in the betting scandal surrounding Tannu, the Indian bar dancer, gambling syndicates in India and underworld figures. Initial investigations had revealed that a "record breaking Sri Lankan bowler" and another "former Sri Lanka captain" were involved in this affair. Tannu who was questioned by the Indian authorities several times was taken into custody last week under the Gambling Act. Police have already questioned many Indian bookies and are in the process of going through Tannu's mobile phone records. She is also alleged to have placed bets on the Ashes series between England and Australia too, besides the Indian Oil Cup Triangular final between Sri Lanka and India in Colombo. It has been revealed that Tannu had links with underworld figures and had even visited Dubai in 1997, and is being investigated to find out whether she had any links with the drug world too. She has admitted being involved in betting as a punter. The Indian authorities have also unearthed the name of Jagdish Sodha ( a film producer cum bookie) who was linked to Kenya's Maurice Udumbe, who was found guilty of being involved in the betting scandal earlier and banned for five years in 2004. Also arrested were two other Indians, Pradip Parmer and a bookie known as "DJ" along with Tannu. Also questioned was Bollywood actor, Aditya Pancholi, who had taken Murali to the Deepa Dance Bar where Tannu was employed. Two investigators from the International Cricket Council (ICC) Anti-Corruption Unit, Martin Hawkins and Alan Peacock, were also scheduled to visit both Mumbai and Colombo, while the Mumbai Police visited Dubai as part of their investigations into the affair. The ICC headquarters are now based in Dubai. Dambulla again Once again, the Interim Committee of SLC shifted the venue for the Second unofficial Test between Sri Lanka 'A' and South Africa 'A' to the Dambulu Rangiri International Cricket Stadium from Kandy's Asgiriya Stadium due to heavy rain. The beautiful stadium at Dambulla in the dry zone, was built by former cricket supremo Thilanga Sumathipala who came into a lot of criticism by the present administration of SLC, for the vast amount of money spent on its construction, but now, the very same poeple are shifting matches to this venue when it rains in other parts of the country. Sumathipala must be certainly enjoying a good laugh. Nail on head! The President of the Netball Federation of Sri Lanka (NFSL), Mrs. Tamara Dharmakirthi Herath, has "hit the nail on the head" regarding Sri Lanka's failure to retain the Asian title recently in Singapore. This failure has touched out Sri Lanka from next year's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia as well as from the World Championships in Fiji on 2007. Sri Lanka finished in third position after losing to Malaysia (56-63), though beating Hong Kong (60-22), and Thailand (69-38) and Thailand again (86-31) in the play-off for the third place. Singapore emerged champions beating Malaysia (55-39). Mrs. Herath has said that the netaball administrators themselves have to take the blame for the country's failure in Singapore. The event was to have taken place in April, but the then administration had requested for a postponement, citing the Boxing Day tsunami. However, countries like Thailand and India who were also affected had not asked for a postponement. The Sri Lanka 'pool' had started training well in advance, but faced numerous problems between the players and administrators at that time. They (the NFSL) owed money to the Sugathadasa Stadium Hotel for meals and accomadation and even the national coach (Mrs. Lourdes Jayasekera) was removed due to reasons well known. The pool was even disbanded and many did not return to it, including top centre court player Damayanthi Jayatilleke and the experienced Somitha Kumari. It was a big loss. Then came the annual general meeting and some of the previous administrators unable to accept defeat sent petitions to the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Jeevan Kumaratunga, stating that the AGM was not properly held. An inquiry followed and the present administrators were cleared only in July. Mrs. Herath has said that during this period, countries like Singapore and Malaysia, who did not have to face any problems at all, had continued with their training programmes unhindered and the results were very evident in Singapore last month. The NFSL, Mrs. Herath says, had a lot of shortcomings since July without any sponsors to meet the requirements of the national poolists. Money was paid back to the Stadium Hotel and the authorities were unable to give the team the much needed exposure before going to Singapore. Anyway, now is not the time to cry over spilt milk, but every effort must be made to get back to the No.1 spot in Asia again very soon and with Mrs. Herath at the helm of affairs, at the NFSL it's not an impossible task. Threatening players Four top players from the CCC (Michael Vandort, Lanka Silva , Suresh Perera and Damith Hunukumbura) have crossed over to Badureliya SC and Pasan Wanasinghe of Moors too has been pressurised to do the same. This club is been backed by a former Chairman of SLC's Interim Committee as well as the present chief who has yet to pay the Galle CC cricketers' match fees for the 2004-05 season. A former Sri Lanka captain seems to be behind these moves, according to well informed sources. No grant for Golf Golf is now quite a popular sport in Sri Lanka. There are many promising juniors who are doing well, not only on the local scene, but overseas as well, but they are handicapped without a proper coach. The Sri Lanka Golf Union (SLGU) needs at least Rs. 3 million to get down top professional Henk Stevens for a longer duration, but they are in a quandrary to find the finances and even the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has not helped them. The Ministry has not given the SLGU an annual grant like they do to other controlling bodies. Why? The Ministry must step in even at this stage and help the SLGU to develop young talent and promote the sport. Explanation called An explanation has been called by the Secretary to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, S. Ranugge, from the national athletic coach, Lakshman de Alwis, for a statement he had made to the effect that not a single Sri Lankan could win a medal at the recent Asian Championship held in South Korea. Sri Lankans won six medals, including two golds. It was unworthy of De Alwis as national coach to make such a statement, but De Alwis, has denied he had done so. Another Interim Committee? How many Interim Committees does the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports propose to have in sports controlling bodies? I understand that an Interim Committee is now being contemplated for the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU), which is without a President for the past several months since the resignation of Rear Admiral Wasantha Karannangoda, who is now the Commander of the Navy. A few disgruntled individuals have banded themselves together to oust SLASU's Vice-President Vijitha Fernando, and even sent a petition to Minister Kumaratunga who initiated an inquiry. Even the Ministry Secretary, Ranugge told me that the allegations made against Fernando were mostly on a personal level, and had requested those who had sent the petition to solve matters among themselves. These individuals are even contemplating conducting the Nationals. How
come? It's SLASU who should conduct the big meet. |
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