Sri Lanka Cricket set for overhaul

Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket's interim committee DS de Silva (R) has a lot to answer for. AFP PHOTO / Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI.

May 9, 2011 (Island Cricket): After a fundamental rights petition on behalf of local cricket clubs by the United Southern Sports Club, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court on Monday ordered elections at Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
The sports ministry was ordered to ensure that the current interim committee, including the controversial chairman Somachandra de Silva and secretary Nishantha Ranatunga be replaced by July 6.
The current chairman and secretary have come into heavy criticism over their professional conduct, with allegations of corruption, financial mismanagement and nepotism made against them.
Furthermore, colossal financial losses under their watch has also prompted an investigation by the parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE).
“We have asked the SLC to appear before COPE and answer allegations of discrepancies in its accounts, misappropriation of funds and other irregularities,” COPE chairman minister D.E.W. Gunasekara told the local media today.
“The Auditor General has been asked to make available to COPE all documents pertaining to SLC transactions and payments.
Nishantha Ranatunga (2R) and Somachandra de Silva (1R) were appointed secretary and chairman respectively in 2009 by the then sports minister Gamini Lokuge. AFP PHOTO/Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI.
“This is the first time COPE has summoned the SLC for an inquiry. The impression in the past was that COPE had no power to probe SLC activities but our legal advisors have said COPE has constitutional power to investigate the SLC,” he added.
Elected by the sports minister, at the behest of the ruling party, SLC has been governed by government appointed officials with no oversight and have been blamed for much of the problems facing Sri Lankan cricket and its governing body today.
“Good teams like Australia usually have got strong or good management backing the team up. That's an area we can improve here,” outgoing coach of the Sri Lankan side Trevor Bayliss told AFP in an interview recently, highlighting the current SLC administration as a hindrance to the Sri Lankan side’s progress on the field.
In recent days, SLC has been embroiled in a dispute with its Indian counterparts, which many say was instigated by the sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage after he claimed that he was mistreated during the World Cup final in India, causing tensions between SLC and its own players to soar.
In addition, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has said that it is planning on amending its constitution to ensure members and their respective bodies carry out elections and to eliminate government and political interference in member nations.