Cricket: SLC’s kick-starts downsizing programme

The new administration of Sri Lanka Cricket is taking a serious look at its various components and is also considering at ways to make the whole cartwheel more manageable. 

The hierarchy of the Lankan cricket administration has carved itself into six pillars so that each top administrator would be in-charge of one important channel.  

President Thilanga Sumathipala will be in charge of Development, Vice President Jayantha Dharmadasa – International Cricket, K. Mathivanan -- Local Cricket, Secretary Mohan de Silva – Administration, Treasurer Shammi Silva – Finance, with the Corporate Communications – Assistant Secretary Ravin Wickramaratne and Assistant Treasurer Lalith Rambukwella – Marketing and Corporate Communications.

It is said the initial focus has been put on the coaching and allied staff who are projected to be down sized from the present 37 to around 20.

There are some in the coaching staff whose contracts have not been renewed even after expiry on December 31 2015. 

The list dished district coaches include -- three from Colombo and one each from Kurunegala, Badulla and Vavuniya to name a few.   

Also caught in the melee are the big names of SLC coach Romesh Kaluwitharana and fielding Coach Upul Chandana.   

They also were caught up with the December 31 stipulation, but it is learned the two former cricketers have held a meeting with Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera requesting a reinstatement. 

However it is said that there is a strong likelihood that former national coach Davenell Whatmore would be offered to take over the ‘A’ team while the coach of the in-coming national team will be made a director of coaching and will be in overall charge of all segments of the game.  

Another big fish that has been caught in the crossfire is former Operations Manager of SLC – Carlton Bernadus who is now to be in-charge of only the domestic cricket segment.