No nonsense Arjuna to put cricket in right place!

By Lal Gunesekera

CRICKET: The newly appointed Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket's Interim Committee (SLC) Arjuna Ranatunga, is a pragmatic person. He spends at least 12 hours a day at the headquarters of SLC trying to sort out matters that will eventually be beneficial to the game in this country. Ranatunga is determined that Sri Lanka will seen in a position to challenge Australia for the No. 1 or No. 2 position in the Test arena before the end of this year. With that in view, he has decided to "sit down" with the cricketers and find out what their needs are and what has to be done to elevate the game right to the top.

Knowing Ranatunga as a man who does not mix his words, he appears to be confident of putting Sri Lanka right on top of all cricket playing nations. It was Arjuna Ranatunga who put Sri Lanka's cricket on top of the world in 1996 when he piloted the Sri Lanka team to be champions in the World Cup Tournament. He is now a parliamentarian who seems to have the full backing of the top personnel.

Speaking to the Sunday Observer Ranatunga said that he will discuss with the Cricket Committee this week to finalise and implement many plans that he has for the game. He has also requested former Sri Lanka cricketer D. S. de Silva, Adviser to President Mahinda Rajapakse on cricket to give him (Ranatunga) a report within a month on his recommendations to improve school cricket at rural level.

"Minister of Sports and Public Recreation, Gamini Lokuge, is scheduled to return to the country from overseas at the end of this month. I will speak to him about having a selection panel for junior cricket too and implement a national policy for selections. I will get past captains and work out a scheme which could be implemented" said Ranatunga.

He went on to say that school cricket "is in a big mess" with players at under-19 level getting their priorities all mixed up. He said it's like a business. They are interested in the money aspect. The standard of school cricket right now is poor and some serious thought must be given to bring it back to the high level it was a couple of years back.

Ranatunga who is awaiting the return of Minister Lokuge to the country wants to replace a few members of the present Interim Committee of SLC with "new and honest blood". He said that he does not want to mention names at this juncture, but said "wait and see". He said that he is not on a witchunt, but will do everything possible to improve cricket and its administration. He said that there are over 200 employees at SLC and will monitor their work and if necessary reduce or replace them and "cut down" on unnecessary expenditure.

Ranatunga, always an outspoken personality even during his playing days, said that he will not permit any person to "play-out" money and he will see to it that money is dispensed in a proper manner. He is to get the services of a private firm to audit the accounts at SLC.

Ranatunga further said that he wants to invite past cricketers to get themselves involved in the administration of the game. He will also hold discussions with the national selectors regularly and see that the best players will be picked to represent the country.