Jayasuriya back in business – SLC CEO Ashley de Silva
The four national cricket selectors back in the saddle
Bringing an end to all speculation about the tendering of the resignation of Sri Lanka National Cricket Committee Chairman Sanath Jayasuriya, now it is reported he is as usual back in business.
There were speculations on Thursday that the four-member Cricket Selection Committee, headed by Sanath Jayasuriya had resigned citing interference.
The news item stated that the reason for the Jayasuriya resignation had been the attempt by cricket administrators to include seven under-performing national players in the Sri Lanka ‘A’ Team for the home series against the England Lions.
On Wednesday there was a media conference unveiling the ‘A’ team series between the two countries, but no captain’s name was announced. The unofficial Test series begins on February 17 in Pallekelle.
It was stated that experienced players in the calibre of Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dhananjaya de Silva and Jeffrey Vandersay were among the seven players SLC wants to try out during the England ‘A’ series against the wishes of the selectors.
On Thursday SLC chairman Thilanga Sumathipala stated “Yes, we agree that it is their business to select the respective players, but, it is the job of the SLC to lay down the policies. It our business to know what sort of product that we need”.
However on Thursday evening – upon Jayasuriya’s return to the island, according to very reliable sources, there was a meeting between the National Selection Chairman and Thilanga Sumathipala which lasted for around thirty minutes, but, the outcome of the meeting was not known.
However on Saturday when the Sunday Times contacted the SLC Chief Executive Officer Ashley de Silva he said “I have no knowledge about Thursday’s meeting between the SLC President and Jayasuriya, but, he contacted me on the phone about the composition of the three-day warm-up game which is scheduled to begin on Sunday at the Moratuwa Stadium. Though Jayasuriya did not meet the players on Friday, two other selectors met them. Nevertheless the full selection committee is scheduled to meet on Sunday and finalise the composition for the first unofficial Test match”.
The team for tomorrow’s game will be picked from — Nipun Karunanayake (Captain), Irosh Samarasooriya, Hashan Dumindu, Dilan Jayalath, Hashan Prabath, Leo Fransisco, Ron Chandragupta, Asitha Fernando, Kasun Madushanka, Vimukthi Perera, Nisala Tharaka, Malinda Pushpakumara, P.H.T Kaushal.
The UK Lions tour of Sri Lanka is scheduled to begin from 13th of February and will last till the 10th March. The tour includes two test matches of which one is scheduled to be played at the Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium while the other will be played at the Dambulla International Cricket Stadium.
There are also five one-day matches scheduled of which two are to be played in Dambulla, while the 3rd match is scheduled to be played in Kurunegala and the 4th and 5th matches are to be played at CCC respectively.