KO tournament on hold till court matters are cleared
View(s):By S.R. Pathiravithana
The Lankan Premier League Limited overs tournament which was scheduled to begin yesterday, after launch amid much controversial circumstances at an ostentatious launching ceremony where the cost ran into millions of rupees is now stillborn.
Colombo District Court on Friday issued an enjoining order preventing Sri Lanka Cricket conducting the Lankan Premier League Tournament after considering a case filed by the Negombo Cricket Club for suspending them from participation in the Tier ‘B’ three-day tournament.
Disciplinary Committee Chairman Asela Rekawa, former national player Jayantha Paranathala and SLC’s Security and Investigations Chief Sarathchandra Liyanage at the inquiry session - File photo
A top SLC tournament committee official tried to bring some sense into these topsy-turvy events of the Negombo Issue in a nutshell. He said “In 2015 Sebastianites SC won the P. Saravanamuttu Trophy Tournament while Negombo CC ended up as the runners-up. However Negombo CC brought to the notice of the Tournament authorities that the Sebastianites had included a number of unregistered players and thus the Sebastianites were suspended and Negombo CC were promoted to play in the Premier League Tier ‘B’ division tournament in the 2016/17 season.
“Making things matters rather complicated Sebastianites obtained an injunction against that decision and the matter is still pending. Then when Negombo was about to take part in the Tier ‘B’ tournament Sebastianites protested. As a result both teams were kept away from any further participation of the tournament. However as a solution to this knotty affair we even suggested to the court that we could arrange a re-match and the winner to be promoted, but, Negombo CC were not ready for that on principle. So the SLC tournament committee had no option but, to suspend Negombo CC until the original matter is settled in courts”.
Now until such time a solution is sought to this problem the Premier League Knock Out tournament will also be put on hold.
Meanwhile the match fixing issue of this year’s Tier ‘B’ tournament – the match between Panadura SC and Kalutara PCC is also pending.
The three member committee headed by SLC Disciplinary Committee Chairman Asela Rekawa which also includes former national player Jayantha Paranathala and SLC’s Investigations Chief Sarathchandra Liyanage has met and are in the process of filing charge sheets against the two clubs.
SLC vice-president K. Mathivanan who in charge of tournament matters told the Sunday Times “We are in the process of charge sheeting the two parties and we are hoping to have the next hearing by February 23rd.”
However there is no suspension against these two clubs.