Aussie cricket tour budget cuts

26 June 2011 08:58 am - 6 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Sri Lanka's cash-strapped cricket administration has slashed the budget for Australia's tour, Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said, stressing security will not be compromised.

But minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage on Sunday ordered Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to trim the 50-million rupee ($A445,000) security bill to just nine million rupees ($A81,000).

Australia are due to play three Tests, five one-day matches and two Twenty20 games during their August 6 to September 20 tour. "We are taking austerity measures because we can't even recover the monies we are spending," Aluthgamage told AFP.

"Lots of frills like distributing hundreds of free tickets and banquet meals for invitees will be cut."

SLC had budgeted 300 million rupees ($A2.67 million) but the projected income was a "dismal" 150 million rupees. Sri Lanka hopes to spend about 100 million rupees instead on the tour, said the minister, who has moved to overhaul the cricket administration amid allegations of massive corruption and mismanagement.

Despite ending a decades-long ethnic conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009, Sri Lanka maintains tight security for visiting teams which includes commandos and private security guards.

"There is no war now, and I think there is enough officers in the military and police that could assure us very good security, at a fraction of the cost," he said.

The newly-built Pallakelle International Stadium in the central town of Kandy will host the Twenty20 games, as well as the opening one-dayer and the second Test.

Another new cricket facility in the southern town of Hambantota will host two one-dayers. Both venues were built for the 2011 World Cup.

Aluthgamage has promised a new set of administrators after Sri Lanka's tour of England ends in early July as part of his shake-up of the sport's governing body.

"I am inundated with reports that allege the committee had helped themselves to money, mismanaged funds. We are investigating all these allegations," he said.

Aluthgamage this month sought government approval to allow SLC to seek an unprecedented two-billion rupee bailout from the treasury and a further 1.5-billion rupee loan from a state-run bank.

This month, police Criminal Investigations Department were called to probe the disappearance of computer disks containing some of the financial accounts relating to the 2011 World Cup, which the island co-hosted with India and Bangladesh.

Cost overruns and building three stadiums for the tournament left the governing body with bills amounting to $A65 million which have forced them to seek the bailout. (AFP)

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Comments - 6

harakath Sunday, 26 June 2011 09:56 AM

you could start with cutting free tickets and meals/hotel rooms to the politicians and their corrupt offspring and henchmen

mirun Sunday, 26 June 2011 04:25 PM

How much you wil spent to the Commpnwealth Game?

Gihan Monday, 27 June 2011 12:49 AM

This guy is good.. The development in the Nawalapitiya town in recent times, bears testimony to his ability of 'getting the job done'. Hope he'll be able to turn this predicament around.

Anu Monday, 27 June 2011 01:40 AM

The minister is STILL not sacking the Interim Committee.

Googly Monday, 27 June 2011 02:44 AM

He deserves to be made the finance minister.

duminda Monday, 27 June 2011 05:43 AM

Y can not u remove top rogues in SLC first ???????????

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Aussie cricket tour budget cuts

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