In Sri Lanka Cricket anything is possible

The Lankan cricket was and will always be lost in this masquerade. At one point of history no one, barring a dedicated few and may be another minute faction who had an axe to grind, got involved in cricket.

As a matter of fact, though Sri Lanka was admitted to the level of a full Test playing member of the International Cricket Council the Lankan game was still afflicted with amateurism and an on going internal strife that left the rest of the big players either looking at an opportunity to play a game against the island nation, rather a hassle instead of a challenge ahead. So the attraction of becoming a member of the administrative mechanism was not an attractive proposition. Most of the time the poor guys were out of pocket while also being out of the media limelight.

The giant of the institution of Sri Lanka Cricket was a wisp of a man – Tissa Gunaratne who was flanked by his dedicated band – Raji, Ryle, Nimal and a few others whose names now I forget. This lot sent teams abroad, hosted the Test teams whenever they were forced to play on Sri Lankan soil. Besides that they also handled all the local tournaments which were played in more intensity than at present, while looking into the administrative intricacies on a day-to-day basis. If it was Sunday and if the call was there – the gang was there like a usual working day. It was a well tuned machine that was geared to handle the Lankan affairs akin to the demands of the time. But, what I am trying to explain here is that there were no opportunists or gold seekers because Tissa would have snuffed them out before the clock struck twelve. At the same time it must be said that the Board of control for Cricket in Sri Lanka as the institution was called at that time was not a rich entity with hidden pots of gold.

Upali will have to keep looking over his shoulders.	Thilanga: The bad boy who is kept to standby the wall at the end of the hall.

One cannot contest that Lankan cricket was devoid of political patronage or politicians getting involved with the game directly over history. Earlier names of former president J.R. Jayewardene (got involved with the game long before he became the president of Sri Lanka) N.M. Perera, Tyronne Fernando and Gamini Dissanayake (a very powerful minister under the J.R. Jayewardene regime) directly got involved with the game. In fact it is Gamini Dissanayake who is credited for Sri Lanka gaining full Test Status after the country had gone through a running battle with the ICC to gain its due place in cricket.
Powerful, dedicated and sincere they may be, the politicians were a naïve lot where cricket was concerned. At one point Minister Tyronne Fernando when he was the head of the BCCSL converted the De Zoysa Cricket Ground, Moratuwa (far too small for the level of International Cricket) and directed some the International matches to be played at this facility and also changed its name to the Tyronne Fernando International Cricket Stadium. However the facility cannot be up graded because of its location.

Then the doyen Gamini Dissanayake bulldozed and upgraded the ground of his alma mater – the Trinity College Ground as an International venue and called it the Asgiriya International Cricket Stadium, but the location was owned by some other party and eventually had to be given up. So the development of the Pallekelle Cricket Ground became a very timely move. If not the game would have got stuck in the City of Colombo.

If it is right, the concept of an International Cricket Stadium coming up in Hambantota came during the interim tenure of Jayantha Dharmadasa. With the current Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa hailing from the area and the Cricket World Cup 2011 coming over to the Indian sub-continent taking a few World Cup games there in a brand new facility looked a very politically correct move. But, the concept lived though Jayantha did not and took a bit of a beating during the Arjuna tenure. Yet his bother Nishantha who took control with former Sri Lanka leg spinner D.S. de Silva hurried through the delayed work and thus ran into a muddle though the ground became a reality.

Now the Lankan cricket machine has run out of gas. The once full coffers are empty and every cent they earn gets sucked into the bank arrears. Meanwhile the government in their bid to change the interim committee image has called for elections.

Initially it was known that it was going to be a one horse race. Then it was learned that Member of Parliament Thilanga Sumathipala had thrown a spanner into the works by entering the fray.

Businessman and former BCCSL President Upali Dharmadasa who apparently got the blessings from the top to get a continuation from his Interim Committee position as the Lankan head of cricket now has a clear run with the withdrawal of Sumathipala to the post of the President of Sri Lanka Cricket. Though Sumathipala withdrew (we have a little understanding as to how it happened in reality), his brood is still in the run and on January 3, 2012 we would learn who the other members of the cricket body are. (Notwithstanding the application of the man from Badureliya – Sumith Perera in his quest to be another contestant for the post of President).

Upali Dharmadasa may become the president of the SLC, how far he gains control of the situation is yet to be learned. If the Sumathipala Group has a majority, still Sumathipala would be an integral part of cricket in the country, like what he did through the Mohan de Silva operation. Nishantha Ranatunga for his worth is seeking to become the elected secretary.

We would like to see how Sri Lanka Cricket is going to get out of their present financial predicament barring divine intervention. But, if they do, there is gold in the offing. In mid 2012 the TV deal is up for grabs. Then it is followed by the T20 World Cup preparations for September 2012. The days of the dedicated cricket lovers are gone. “Wait for your turn – you support me and I will see to that you get your pound of flesh at the right time.” said the candidate to the greedy club man. At the same time who knows if someone pulls a legal tack on the whole episode?