Cricket fans, cricketers and all concerned with the progress of the game in the country will heave a sigh of relief now that the Competent Authority that was running cricket has announced that the long delayed Annual General Meeting of Sri Lanka Cricket will be held by February 7, 2019.
There was upheaval and a lot of uncertainty when the scheduled elections were postponed. This did not cut a good image for SLC on the World’s turf.
Cricket is a Gentleman’s game given to the world by the Brits and we should not allow it to suffer any ignominy in the eye of the cricketing world after having struggled to get international recognition vindicated by winning the World Cup.
As for us who have been in the sports writing business for over 50 years and who has followed the game and its administration keenly and very closely make bold to say that sport must be played on the field and in the office and not be taken to the law courts. When it is taken to court it leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
With nominations closing on December 31, there is going to be a hive of activity with the contestants for all posts. Like in politics we can well expects
promises of the moon and the stars! But the cricketing public are a mature genre and should not be taken for granted. They will want a choice soon that will bring great credit to the game and to our country.
The vote-maker will be king till the results of the elections are announced. They must do a lot of soul searching, study the credentials of the contestants in the fray very intelligently and cast their vote for the individual, individuals with a proven record and those who could deliver.
One hopes that the AGM will be contested with behavior that will be above board and not descend to intimidation that we had seen years ago.
At the end of this election that will no doubt be hotly contested, it is hoped that the best men with experience and the right credentials to take strike and score for the game, the player and the country will be given their rightful seats in the all important Sri Lanka Cricket.
Cricket in the country has been running for far too long without an elected administration. So much so that it earned the ire of the world
governing body --the International Cricket Council --who had to finally put their foot down and ask SLC to endeavour to have an elected body.
Now a big burden and responsibility is to ensure that the election is conducted in a manner fitting the the highest standard of ethics .
If the election is conducted in an unruly or a questionable manner, it might again end up in courts and it might take a long time for the court
to give an order and again it would mean the game, the player and the administration being on a sticky wicket.
The International Cricket Council will not take kindly to it and there is the possibility of them reconsidering our status.
The nomination list shows an array of illustrious gentlemen with tremendous experience in the fray. For the all-important posts of PRESIDENT are: Mohan de Silva, Jayantha Dharmadasa, K.Manthivanan and Shammi Silva.
VICE PRESIDENTS: Shammi Silva, Ravin Wickremaratne, K.Mathivanan, Arjuna Ranatunga, Pramodaya Wickremasinghe and Mohan de Silva.
SECRETARY:Bandula Dissanayake,Nishantha Rnatunga, Shammi Silva and Mohan de Silva.
TREASURER: Lasantha Wickremasinghe, Ravin Wickremartne, Nalin Wickremasinghe, Shammi Silva.
ASST.SECRETARY: Chrisantha Kapukotuwa, Bandula Dissanayake, Ravin Wickremaratne, Hirantha Perera.
ASST. TREASURER: Lalith Rambukwella, Nalin Wickremasinghe, Eastman Narangoda Sanja Sedera, Gihan Weerasinghe. Former cricket’s strongman Thilanga Sumathipala has opted out of the running for President saying that he is heavily involved in politics and could not find the time to devote to cricket administration.
With Sri Lanka throwing their heavy artillery in an endeavor to bring home the 2019 World Cup that is to be worked off next May/June in the home of cricket England, changes in the coaching department have been effected.
With the announcement that former Aussie wicket keeper Steve Rixon has been saddled with fielding coach title, comes the news that former England batsman John Lewis has been appointed batting coach.
Losing out are Manoj Abeywickrema and Thilan Samaraweera who were the fielding and batting coaches. To their credit it must be said that they did everything possible at their command and with their expertise to help improve the fielding and batting.
And that they could not succeed was not entirely their fault.
It is said that you could take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink. Similarly Abeywickrema and Samaraweera showed and told the cricketers how, but that the charges failed to respond and deliver was sad.
It won’t be long before Sri Lanka Cricket begins to look for a foreign bowling coach. Who will strike that big paying job will be interesting to watch.
At international level the coaches can’t show their charges how to play a stroke or how to take a catch or how in the other aspects of the game.
Those should have done by their coaches at school level.
At this level coaches should talk and tell the players how to adapt to situations.
And if the players can’t do that, then they should not be playing the game at this level and the coaches cannot be blamed.
In lighter vein, it would not be a bad idea for SLC to push for a running between the wickets coach and a coach who will teach the cricketers how and when to use the Decision Review System!
Anyway with the bottom line being to bring home the 2019 World Cup, and with the signing of new coaches and with many more to follow and more changes likely to be effected, and with the new administration in the saddle it is hoped that the cricketers will play their part to perfection and deliver so that the country could celebrate the bringing home of the World Cup 2019.
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