Horse traders, fisticuffs mar cricket elections
View(s):A 20-year period in cricketing time is huge. Many things could happen and two decades could easily fit into three generations of players.
Moments after the fistucuff between SLC President candidate Nishantha Ranatunga and Sujeewa Godaliyadda, a supporter of Thilanga Sumathipala, took place at the Ministry of Sports on Friday - Pic by Amila Gamage
Sri Lanka had just won the 1996 cricket World Cup and against the backdrop of an internal strife that had bugged the country since 1983, it was a time for rejoice.
Most Sri Lankan at that time loved the game, the country’s cricketers and everything that was connected to it and were over the moon.
It was like a new lease of life had been infused to a country that was harried by the unwanted ethnic strife.
Even across the shores of this little island it was like a sports explosion. A pack of virtually unknowns had walked away with the world’s cricket plum.
Yet, what was not known during that period was the horse trading that was taking place behind the curtain. It was cricket election time and there was a buzz that enveloped the cricket administration.
On its face value it looked as if the incumbent President, Ana Punchihewa, could just walk in unhindered to a seat which he thought that was his by popular conviction.
Yet, the horse traders who were moving with guile were looking to trade in the new prize that they knew about and it was there in the horizon.
The game of cricket would never be the same again. It was like they were intending to pull off the ‘Italian Job’. There were riches and glory in every nook and cranny and the horse traders wanted to be the game’s custodians.
At the same time, there were some influential ones who were looking to trade in a hard bargain. One such bargain was that one cricketer wanted to crown his brother and he wanted the job at any cost. (I see the same thing has happened in a different context now).
Then there was this VP who was gluing the map together so that he could crown himself at one point of time. The list kept growing at that time, but, the irony is some of the faces are still there – may be in different factions.
It was March 31, 1996 – the date set for the cricket AGM at the BMICH. Yet, by 30th evening still Punchihewa was ahead by quite a few votes. But, then there were also rumours about the turncoats who were running from one camp to the other testing the pulse of the moment.
Former ICC Elite Umpire Asoka de Silva who was present at the BMICH explained what transpired on that day. “It was a head-to-head fight, and there were instances where Ana Punchihewa as the presiding officer had over ruled some objections and cleared some members – incidentally they voted against him.
But, the biggest disappointment came when the crucial NCC vote which was pledged for the Punchihewa faction was cast against him and he lost the election by a single vote.
“After the vote, Punchihewa was standing by the meals table all alone. I walked upto him said ‘do not worry Sir you will get your chance one day. Yet, Punchihewa answered in the negative and said ‘I don’t think I will ever come back again”.
Now twenty years hence, the scenario is almost the same. Thilanga Sumathipala who was the prime mover in the bid to topple Punchihewa is making a comeback after 2007.
His nemesis Arjuna Ranatunga is also back into the fray after being an interim head for eight months in 2008. Both players initially were true cricketers, but, were pushed into active politics through events and now are members of the same ruling coalition. Yes, Arjuna Ranatunga hails from a political family, but, did not take a plunge into politics till early 2000.
Yet, the main fight now is between Thilanga Sumathipala and Arjuna’s brother, Nishantha Ranatunga, with Arjuna vying for the seat of vice president.
However in this year’s elections, still there are wheels within wheels. Both factions say they are confident of a win. It is said that the Ranatunga camp believes that it could muster 96 votes while the Sumathipala camp believes it could easily get 110 ‘Ayes’ in their favour from the 147 votes at stake.
Prior to the green light for the elections from the minister of sports, there was an inquiry into the past deeds of those involved with the game between January 2012 and April 2015.
Commenting on the subject in parliament, Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera this week admitted there was fraud at a massive scale at Sri Lanka Cricket at that time, but, said that it would take time to determine who the culprits were.
Though they have been given the consent to take part in the elections, if any one of them is found guilty of any misdeeds, he would have to step down, even if he is a member of the incoming executive committee.
There are charges and counter charges, some openly dealt and some others held back to be delivered like a ‘sock-on-the-jaw’.
By Tuesday the Nishantha Ranatunga camp was kicking up a row and were questioning as to how the names of Thilanga Sumathipala and Jayantha Dharmadasa were cleared.
It was revealed that at least on four occasions, the delegates whowere nominated by their club’s authorizing officers have gone against their clubs’ mandate.
As the election campaign hots up, divisions within divisions in clubs have emerged.
At Negombo CC, the row culminated in a bout of fisticuffs involving Nishantha Ranatunga, an aspirant for the post of SLC President and Sujeewa Godaliyadda, a Sumathipala supporter.
Adding insult to injury, the incident occurred in the presence of Sports Ministry officials who were inquiring about the complaints over club mandates.
In a more cohesive note, the two warring factions agreed to withdraw their court cases against respective vice president candidates – K. Mathivanan (Thilanga Sumathipala factions), Asanga Seneviratne (Ranatunga faction) along with Eastman Narangoda (candidate for the post of treasurer from the Ranatunga faction).
They were now cleared to contest for the elections at the SLC AGM on January 3.
However, at the same time the clubs are being visited by both factions in a bid to woo their preference and it is said that in some instances even monetary inducements had been promised. It is rumoured a show of hand would fetch up to Rs. 500,000.
Rather unhappy about the impending situation, there are some candidates who are disillusioned. One such person confided, “I think this is the worst cricket election that is going to be held.
It is getting dirtier by the moment and in the coming days we could accept some real stinkers”.
Just imagine, twenty years ago it was bad enough. Yet, the cricket world in Sri Lanka was just waking up to reality. Now twenty years hence, the quagmire is looking more sinkable and the political stink is much more unbearable.
Honestly, I wonder why persons go to such lengths just to grab hold of the power of the bat. Is it really the love for the game that we all love or some other inexplicable agenda?
With the violence sparked at the inquiry probing into to club voting representation on Friday, the situation appears to be gradually getting out of hand with nearly about two weeks to go for the D day. What could be the next incident? It would be anybody’s guess!
