Sri Lanka Cricket treated Charith Senanayake like a wet rag
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Charith Senanayake, a man of his words
He has gone through the revolving door at Sri Lanka Cricket many a time as the manager of the Sri Lanka Test team, in short he has been in an out at the SLC not only as Manger but also as head of marketing.
Charith Senanayake greeted me with open arms at his Rajagiriya Residence which only had the bare necessities. I was dumb struck to note after serving at the SLC at top level wearing two different hats for quite some time why he has not accumulated the riches. It was evident from the start that this guy oozing with confidence was squeaky clean and fit as a fiddle. Charith would call a spade even if he had to go against the grain.
Offering me a diet coke Charith mentioned that he started at Ananda climbed the ladder form junior to first eleven, scoring many centuries that he has lost count of. The lanky left handed batsman was “poetry in motion” when he started driving on the off. He was selected to tour England under the captaincy of Navin De Silva from Wesley Collage (a brilliant all rounder). After a brief spell at the Bloomfield, Michael Tissera enticed him to join Colombo Cricket Club.
Charith carried on his school heroics at the CCC, runs were flowing from his bat with least effort. In his early days he was a bit of a rebel, cocky and carefree. Charith yearned for more Test exposure and that did not occur and Sri Lanka missed out on an elegant left hander of the David Gower mould. He toured New Zealand with the Sri Lanka team as an opener.
Charith cut his teeth as a tea taster at Maharaja’s and went onto blaze a trail in Kenya. Charith worked for an English Tea Firm for a couple of years and then ventured on his own. He was the pioneer who took calculated risk to successfully establish himself and open up his own tea firm with two Kenyan partners. It should be noted that Charith has shown the way to many Sri Lankan entrepreneurs who are doing well at the moment in Kenya. He established himself in Kenya before Ranfer Teas.
After 10 years in Kenya he returned to Sri Lanka and joined SLC as the Team Manger, Arjuna Ranatunga was the head of the Interim Committee then. Trevor Bayliss and Paul Farbrace were in charge of the coaching and they were marvellous stated Charith pointing out that they kept everything simple and uncomplicated. He went on to state that he still a have a good rapport with them.
Charith then had to make way for Nishantha Ranatunga to become the team manager subsequently marketing manager’s position fell vacant due to Jayantha Kudahetty leaving. He was installed as the head of marketing. Eventually his contract ended after two years.
During his tenure as head of Marketing he changed the whole culture and ran it as a corporate entity bringing in many sponsors, Mobitel in particular, he had sponsors for different areas bringing millions of dollars to the coffers of the SLC stated Charith. This was done within a framework of good ethics, integrity and the spirit of cricket. The writer fathoms that Charith’s negotiating skills too played a major part. He took advantage of the trade mark “Sri Lanka Cricket” and capitalised on it. Charith reminisced the fact that it was the No1 brand then and it had a massive demand. At present there is negativity and the brand value has eroded to high degree lamented Charith.
UNCEREMONIOUSLY DISMISSED
This happened because he opposed Sooriyawewa Cricket Stadium being built and he wanted Pallekale Stadium to be completed. This happened during the 2011 World Cup and according to his budget spending money on Sooriyawewa was not Viable and that was the reason stated Charith for his dismissal.
Charith predicted that SLC would go into red in 6 months if they go against his plans and what really occurred was that it went to red in 3 months.
TRAITOR
The aftermath was that he lost his job and was branded as a traitor and was unable to find a job for a long time since that unfair stigma lingered longer.
The writer realised the calibre of Charith Senanayake instantly as he relied on his gut feelings and would not cow down to anyone.
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Don’t we need people like him who will not be lured by money or perks to run our country leave alone Sri Lanka Cricket, which is corrupt to the hilt except for the CEO and a few others. Charith had a good word for the CEO but stated that he is confined to obey instructions of the policy makers rather than to implement them with a greater degree of freedom.
Charith was grateful to his old club for giving him a coaching assignment. The winds at the SLC changed and Upali Dharmadasa became the Chairman, Graham Ford came as the coach and Mahela was the captain, for the second time Charith was invited as the manager and he got fixed not for match fixing but letting Mahela to use his phone to inquire about a paper article. Charith openly stated that he was fixed by the management at the SLC for the second time.
REVOLVING DOOR AT THE SLC
Now the musical chairs went on and when the music stopped at the SLC Thilanga Sumathipala plonked onto the hot seat.
On came graham Ford for the second time and through the revolving door in walked Charith Senanayake again. Few days before the South African tour out went Charith through the revolving door (it should be noted that Charith’s wife had paid for her air fare, including internal air travel to no avail). Charith had already gone through their MOU, organised the practice schedules and he got to know about his sacking only Through the media.
Charith was managing the ‘A’ team in the West Indies and when he came back he was offered the mangership for the fourth time and Chandika Hathurusinghe was the manager and for reasons best known to him, he accused Charith’s influence having a detrimental effect on the team and Charith crestfallen resigned and stated that he will be migrating to the States.
Charith is looking for better opportunities to express himself since his own country has no value for him.
Sunil de Silva Borella