No signature; no matches – the player SLC stand off continues
View(s):The player decision to not to sign the yearly contracts with Sri Lanka Cricket stood the same by 2.p.m. on Saturday.
Would Mathews miss the bus to captain his first Test. The picture shows Angelo Mathews and the Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim at the icebreaking press briefing. - Pic by Amila Gamage
The players were against scraping of the 25% guarantee fee to players from ICC events, deduction of salary for players taking part in the IPL, scrapping of one business class air ticket per year for wives of players and reducing the number of contract categories.
A senior Sri Lanka spokesman told the Sunday Times “Up to now none of the contracted players including the newly appointed captain Angelo Mathews have singed the contracts. We had given seven days notice to them and the last date is today (Saturday). If they do not sign the contracts by the end of today, according to the Sri Lanka Cricket regulations they are not eligible to play. This means the selectors will have to meet on Sunday morning (today) and select a squad for Tests from non contracted players”
When asked if Kumar Sangakkara would be eligible to play in today’s three day game the spokesman said “That rule does not apply to the game in Matara. It is a practice match. This rule applies to only international engagements proper like Tests, ODIs and T-20s.”
The spokesman further lamented “I think the players are being very unreasonable. At present the players get 70% of the board’s revenue. Still they get their contracts, match fees, winning bonuses. Even if they injured and stay away for 2-3 games they get insurance fees. Even if they get a slight reduction in their revenue there is a huge packet still going their way. The problem is with the first twenty contracted players. If they keep away we will be compelled to go for the next lot.” (SRP)
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