NSL committee on a fence
The tournament committee chairman Samantha Dodanwela of the National Super League (NSL) getting underway tomorrow defended their stance and selection basis of players saying the 78 nationally contracted players were equally allotted to each of the five team.
This is due to the part the Sinhalese Sports Club representing the Colombo team, is stacked with several top names and appears to be carrying an undue advantage unlike the other teams.
“In all the groups, we have the equal number of contracted players. May be, a player or two, here or there. One group might be having 10-12, another 13-14. But somewhat similar. That is how we have clustered,” he said.
Answering to the unfairness that Kandy, to be led by all-rounder Kamindu Mendis has been entrusted with captaincy ahead of a returning Niroshan Dickwella, only a wicket-keeper in the side, he said the move was all about nurturing young blood as future leaders and the former is a familiar figure with captaincy having skippered the U-19 captain squad.
However, he declined to give full clarity, passing the buck onto the selectors claiming that selections were handled by them. This is despite, Dodanwela sitting as the tournament committee chairman, and he is notified about the process and procedure.
He said the reason behind the move was also to groom players for leadership.
“People like Charith Asalanka has been made the vice captain for his side of Colombo. We’ve to groom them and it’s the same with Mendis’s captaincy. You’ve to have down the line in five years, people to take over the leadership. Or else, the vacuum’s created by seniors and veterans won’t be filled forever. Actually and otherwise, Dickwella would have been the ideal person. But can’t either. He’s returning after a suspension,” he backed the ambidextrous Mendis.
Dasun Shanaka, captain of the men’s white-ball squad, would be spearheading Colombo, under which, his test captain Dimuth Karunaratne to several others national players have been slotted in same side making it a heavy SSC presence.
The national team’s first T20 assignment for the year would be against Australia, starting mid of next month. This means, when those players set out for Down Under and even India thereafter, from a strong-SSC team the team would only comprise new-found-names to standby players.
“Yes, that is why we have a backup plan and earmarked others also. If you take, after the first two matches, the national caps would be going into bubble for the Aussie affair. Then, the rest will take over,” he explained and defended the process.
He also reiterated selections of the players were under the national selectors and coaches, and, hence, he could not comment on that area. Chairman of National Selectors, Pramodya Wickramasinghe, having handled the player selection was not immediately available for comment.
