Navin’s six and hidden bouncers
Lankan cricket is burning at both ends – or is it three? At one end, in New Zealand, the players are readying themselves to face the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, but one could easily say that they are not in the prime mental status having lost their last two overseas ODI series badly to India and New Zealand. Also in New Zealand I cannot see the coaching staff engage themselves in an after-practice coffee and chat. They too are at loggerheads looking for a scapegoat for the two debacles. Well they are highly paid professionals whose reputation or job security is based strictly on performance – not theirs alone, but the team as a whole.
Then on Monday the new Sports Minister, Navin Dissanayake cracked the whip on the cricket administration and came up with a six pointer that he expects would infuse “Yaha Palanaya” into the cricket administration.
The six pointers read as:
1. In keeping with important and broadly accepted principles of good governance by a legitimately elected board all major operational and policy decisions should be made by the Board and Mr. Jayantha Dharmadasa President of the Board has the complete backing of the Minister and the Sports Ministry. The Minister was of the strong view that he will encourage teamwork and consensual decision making and adhere to the constitution of Sri Lanka Cricket. 2. As there is a new government in place and allegations of corruption in many institutions abound, the Minister directed the Secretary of the Ministry Mr. Rafeek to employ the services of a Sri Lankan Audit firm to do a complete financial audit and give the report to him in one months' time. 3. There cannot be any conflict of interest by Board members and Sri Lanka Cricket. This means that Board members cannot employ those related to them or promote them nor can they have any contracts that supply any services or goods to the Board. 4. The CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket Mr. Ashley de Silva will carry out his tasked duties namely of executing policy decisions made by the Board. He will also represent SLC at the CEO Conferences of the ICC. 5. No member of the Board should have direct communications with overseas Cricket Board individuals. All such contacts and communications should be done by the President's Office or on an officially accepted basis. All such communications should be shared by the President, Secretary and the CEO. 6. The immediate priority of the Board will be the Cricket World Cup of 2015 and the Board will not incur unnecessary expenditure in this regard but will only utilise those expenditures that are necessary for winning the said World Cup. The meeting began at the Sports Minister shortly after 10 a. m. and the Minister met the cricket hierarchy this time with enough background material to keep him in control of the situation. He was polite and cordial, but stuck to the points that he had been informed of and posted with a balanced mind.
Meanwhile, the JVP too carried its own set of woes on cricket to the Bribery Commission and named former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and present Secretary Nishantha Ranatunga as respondents. Even the most veiled insinuation in the sixpointer is tantamount to the actions carried out by SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga.
This is not the first time the administrative differences of the SLC were taken up by a Sports Minister and it is no secret.
However, the most welcome news is that that there would be an audit query and another probe into the allegations made by the Lankan cricketing icon Kumar Sangakkara. We at this end feel that all these allegations made by people should be probed and investigated for the mere fact that it is no secret that Nishantha Ranatunga is aspiring to contest the SLC Presidency soon after the World Cup and it would be good for him to clear his name prior to the elections.
Yet at this end this is our frank opinion. During the last regime yes, Nishantha Ranatunga wielded the clout and the clock ticked around him. The wagon that he held the reins rode the streets of cricket. Yet ideally what should not happen is that the wagon should not be ridden by another jockey on the opposite direction, because if that occurs, once again it would be Sri Lanka Cricket that would suffer. The factionalism will still prevail and the corridors inside the SLC will become no safe place for one to walk alone.
Whatever the Minister says, there is one undeniable fact. Through the Sports Law of this country, the Minister of Sports holds sway over entire sphere of sport.
As much as the other contributors to the game, Minister Dissanayake has a responsibility towards the game of cricket. Today, his father is remembered more for his contribution to the game of cricket by the people than what he achieved at political level. Then in the cricket community he is the only non- cricketer who is held in that high pedestal along with the Arjunas, Sangakkaras and the Aravinda de Silvas. Yet, they were also able to take the game to its present position because his father had helped to open the doors for them.
What we feel is the Minister should probe and ascertain for himself as to what ails the game in this country and why it is in a trip backwards that it does not enjoy.
Pasting plasters is not going to turn the worm. The minister should probe and understand the system. Even though it looks a democratic process, is the present election system of cricket really democratic? Even if the intentions are pure and he has the knowledge and the skills to put Sri Lanka into the main road of cricket, could a person like Sidath Wettimuny seek the ticket and win the SLC election on merit?
Does cricket attract the attention of people in the calibre of Robert Senanayake, N.M. Perera or the Minister’s own father anymore?