Wednesday 8th September, 2010

Only last week, the top brass of told this newspa- per that SLC is a corpo- rate body and they know what they are doing. The Sanga says CEAT Awards could current administration, corrupt to the core and promoting nepotism all around were badly exposed mere a week Nishantha after claiming they were match up to Alan Border Medal Ranatunga a ‘corporate body’ at a

BY REX CLEMENTINE after the Sri Lankan awards presentation in Bangalore. “We at CEAT believe in high performance and ri Lankan address- quality of performance and similarly cricketers also , ing journalists at a media conference yesterday believe in these things. Performance is about talent, yet again! Sto announce the annual CEAT-Sri Lanka Cricket consistency and commitment and must be accorded Awards said that the local awards could match up to due recognition.” CEAT Managing Director Randeep media briefing yesterday when they didn’t the prestigious Alan Border medal in Australia, Narang said. have some basic ideas about an event they which is conducted annually and attracts global inter- The Awards Ceremony is set for the 4th October at were promoting. est. the Water’s Edge, where 61 awards will be presented CEAT Sri Lanka, a leading tyre manufac- turer, had committed to sponsor the annual CEAT, a leading tyre brand, tied up with Sri Lanka to country’s best cricketers. cricket awards for three years and in the first Cricket last year to sponsor the cricket awards for The awards will include 16 categories and will rec- annual awards alone had spent millions of three years. Tillekeratne Dilshan was named CEAT ognize the efforts of cricket players in both domestic rupees. At a media briefing held in Colombo Cricketer of the Year last year after consistent per- and international matches. Performances in the yesterday to announce the second annual formances in all three forms of the game. Under-23 level, women’s cricket, Premier League awards, a question was raised as to perform- “CEAT sponsorship to Sri Lanka Cricket had Tiers ‘A’ and ‘B’ and Premier League Limited Overs ances of which time frame will be considered grown very strongly since its inception. The Cricket Tiers ‘A’ and ‘B’ will be recognized during the func- for these awards. The sponsors clearly indi- cated that it was up to SLC to decide on that Awards can be recognized on par with other most tion. and when the question was referred to con- prestigious awards like the Alan Border medal in In International cricket meanwhile, awards will be troversial Secretary of the Cricket Interim Australia,” Sangakkara said yesterday addressing presented for the best and bowling perform- Committee Nishantha Ranatunga, he passed journalists. ances in Test and ODI cricket. There will also be an the buck on elsewhere. “We should aim to be on par with Australia not award for Emerging Player of the year, Best It was confirmed that the performance of just in cricket, but in all sports. It’s important to have International Women’s Cricketer of the Year and Best the season will be the yardstick for awards; prestige and prime recognition. We want Sri Lanka Junior Player of the Year. however, SLC was clueless about what would happen to the international awards. cricketers to be the best cricketers in the world and It was revealed that five past cricketers will be Ranatunga said, “I am not too sure,” paused the cricket team to be the best team in the world,” felicitated for their lifetime contributions to the game. a while before saying vaguely, “I think per- Sangakkara number one ranked Test batsman in the Randeep Naranga, Managing Director of CEAT Sri Three big names of Sri Lankan cricket, Sanath formance since the last awards will be con- world at the moment said. Lanka hands over a replica of the annual CEAT-SLC Jayasuriya, and Chaminda sidered.” Sangakkara is also the only Sri Lankan shortlisted cricket awards to national cricket captain Kumar Vaas will also be presented with special awards for The statement certainly wouldn’t have for this year’s prestigious ICC Award for Cricketer of Sangakkara at a media briefing held in Colombo their contributions to the sport. impressed the sponsors who have invested millions on the project. And furthermore, if the Year. The ICC Awards will take place just two days yesterday. Picture by Dimuthu Premarante. SLC is the corporate body they claim to be, aren’t they suppose to have a clear idea about what they are intending to do? Since the day Secretary Nishantha Ranatunga tried to undermine the position of What is the role of the Additional CEO? former captain and CEO of SLC Duleep Why is SLC silent? Mendis attending all overseas meetings The rather inglorious and attempting to usurp the powers inquire from the board what are meant for the CEO, we have raised concerns Questions have been asked the allegations. By delaying depressing manner in which of the CEO. the expected duties and specific and wondered whether there could be any Duleep Mendis, a colourful per- While the appointment of responsibilities of the as to why Sri Lanka Cricket an inquiry, SLC is only leav- other person more suitable than the charis- sonality with an illustrious and Air Commodore Ajit Jayasekera Additional CEO? Surely, when has maintained complete ing room for speculation, matic former Sri Lankan captain to represent an enviable record both as a as the Additional CEO was com- the board decided to create this silence over the alleged mis- which is increasing by the Sri Lanka at overseas events. cricketer and administrator mended by the cricket loving position it would have at least behavior of three Sri Lankan day. SLC recently responding to an article in was required to relinquish his Sri Lankans, regrettably, he is prepared a ‘Job Description’ set- cricketers during a tour of It has to be also noted that ‘The Island’ in defence of Ranatunga said, duties as CEO of SLC has been not permitted to make a mean- ting out the primary duties, the Zimbabwe more than three it was the same board that “It is the Interim Committee and Sports subject to much comments and ‘Chain of Command’, the aspect Ministry that decided that SLC should be rep- months ago? Speculation is was quick to punish players acute criticism. The reasons Letter of answerability, authority, resented by its Secretary (in overseas meet- given by SLC have been contra- accountability and terms and rife that the three players for comparatively to a less ings), taking into account his skills in negoti- dictory, amusing and totally conditions of employment. allegedly brought serious dis- serious offence, within 48 ating on behalf of SLC.” But if what was unacceptable. ingful contribution to the What is confusing is that while repute to the country during hours of the no ball fiasco. exhibited yesterday was the actual skills of A matter directly interwov- administration of the cricket having created an important the tour, but SLC seems to Was the board trying to be in Ranatunga, then we fear for the worst for the en, consequent to the departure board. The Air Commodore has senior executive position, Air have turned a blind eye on the the good books of the Indian future of cricket in this country. of Duleep Mendis is the role maintained an excellent record Commodore Ajith Jayasekera is whole issue. board by immediately punish- When representing the board at an and responsibilities of the as a cricketer and also excelled not given the essential authori- important event such as yesterday, we The board belatedly said ing the players at that Additional CEO. It is timely and as an effective administrator; ty to make a meaningful contri- expect those who are present to be well relevant to inquire from SLC as above all he is a gentleman par bution to Sri Lanka cricket. that they will look into the instance? And why are they equipped with facts and figures and not to to the functions and responsi- excellence. Why? matter and punish the offend- still keeping the whole give vague answers. Ranatunga was very bilities of the additional CEO, Strangely, the cricket board ers, but there seem to have Zimbabwe issue under the badly exposed yesterday and the question particularly in the context of keeps him out of the limelight. Sqn.Ldr.J.T.Rex been no inquiry made into carpet? has to be posed whether he should represent reports of various officials It is quite appropriate to Fernando, SLAF (Retd) the country in future high profile meetings! The local media, both print and electron- ic, have time and again reported on Ranatunga’s sinister moves to sideline a world renowned figure like Duleep Mendis and promote himself in that slot. Yesterday, he showed that he wasn’t prepared for an event of that magnitude and Sri Lanka Cricket was reflected in poor light especially after captain Kumar Sangakkara had hoped that SLC’s awards scheme will match up to the prestigious Alan Border medal in Australia. We have time and again pointed out that in past Interim Committees the position of Secretaries were filled by men who champi- oned the cause of club cricket. Ranatunga’s grand contribution to domestic cricket was attending just one meeting of his club - Colts CC - for the whole of last year. The past Interim Committees had leading businessmen, some of them like Rienzie Wijetilleke and Hemaka Amarasuriya men of unquestionable repute as heads. Then there also was one , a solid leader, a man who turned around Sri Lankan cricket and one who took great pride in being Sri Lankan. Whom have we got today as the head of Sri Lankan Cricket? A former player who demanded money when he was called up to represent the country in its inaugural Test Match and was parachuted from total obscu- rity to head Sri Lankan Cricket. And what does he do? He in turn parachutes his nephew for the highest paid job in cricket here and another nephew for another lucra- tive post. These men don’t seem to care too. There has been intense criticism on the way the appointments have been made, but they have carried on regardless and the authori- ties seem to have given them a blank cheque to do whatever they want. And it is with these men like Nishantha Ranatunga, D.S. de Silva, Suraj Dandeniya and Kapila Dandeniya (the two nephews of D.S. de Silva), SLC is speaking of corporate governance. It’s good enough to win an award for joke of the year!

Published by Upali Newspapers (Private) Limited, 223, Bloemendhal Road, Colombo 13 and Printed at 195/187, High Level Road, Homagama on Wednesday 8th September, 2010