Who will have the last laugh?
Players are up in arms against signing contracts while SLC stand firm with their new criteria - File pic
Sri Lanka cricketers protesting over their annual contracts are likely to meet their Waterloo with cricket authorities deciding to shut the door on those refusing to sign the deals on offer. This was a major point of discussion on Friday, when Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) hierarchy met with members of the cricket technical advisory committee (CTAC) and national selectors.
Aravinda de Silva heads the CTAC with Roshan Mahanama, Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralidaran as members while Pramodya Wickremasingha is the Chairman of Selectors. Thirty-eight players, including 24 who were offered performance-based central contracts are at war with SLC demanding transparency in the process of player evaluation.
The national white-ball team traveled to England uncontracted after SLC agreed to revealing specifics about the player evaluations that form the basis of the Board’s new proposed contract scheme. Players have maintained that the methodology by which they were placed in various payment categories under the proposed scheme was opaque.
“We are in the same wavelength on this matter and several other cricket-related issues,” said a senior cricket source.
“If they want to play for the country, they will have to sign the central or tour contracts. Those not willing to sign will not be considered for selection. We have even got the backing of the political hierarchy to do so.”
“Their job is to play cricket and not to worry about the contract. I think, the cricket committee has come up with a wonderful plan moving forward and we will stick to that,” he explained.
Players have now been categorised into four groups according to a new points system which gives priority to levels of fitness, discipline, performance in international and domestic cricket during the last two years, leadership and overall value to the team. While performance and fitness carry 70 percent of the overall mark, leadership, professionalism, and future potential/adaptability carries 10 percent each.
As committed, the Board shared the information with whomever had requested it but this might not end the stand-off, as players are also demanding to grade them only on performance and fitness. The SLC is unmoved on this request on the advice of the CTAC.
Given their performance in England, there are calls by many, including former Sri Lanka cricketers, to recall Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal. Dimuth Karunaratne and Lahiru Thirimanne back to white-ball cricket to provide stability and experience into the side.
However, the selectors seem to think otherwise. They have not been called for training as Sri Lanka prepares for a limited-over series against a ‘second string’ Indian team starting July 13.
This week, SLC announced a list of 39 players who have entered into contracts of ‘Senior”, ‘A’ team and ‘Emerging’. They are currently in training in Dambulla and Colombo. This includes three players — Roshen Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama and Minod Bhanuka–who were among the 38 players protesting.
“I think most of the young players are happy with what has been offered to them and the system in place and we are hopeful they will sign the contracts upon their return from England,” he explained.