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Cricket crisis deepens

2 March 2013 05:18 pm - 28     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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By Channaka de Silva
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) issued an ultimatum to all national cricketers to sign their annual contracts by tomorrow (Sunday) morning and have warned them that unless they sign the contracts for the next year before the deadline, a totally new team made up of fresh faces who will sign contracts will be picked to face Bangladesh in the home Test series starting on Friday in Galle.

SLC top officials who met the 23 national players tonight at SLC headquarters at a crisis meeting aimed at resolving the current dispute have informed the players that they will not change their stance under any circumstances and have re-iterated that none of the players who do not sign the contracts will be considered for selection.

National selectors headed by Sanath Jayasuriya will meet at Matara on Sunday and will only consider players who have given written consent to sign the annual contracts under present terms without any amendments.

As exclusively revealed by Daily Mirror on Saturday morning, players had earlier refused to sign the contracts as they did not agree to four points in the offered contracts, and none of the 60 players who had been offered contracts had signed the documents by Saturday which was the initial deadline given by SLC for the players.

“We explained our position to the cricketers at the meeting. Though we have scrapped certain allowances of national players, we still pay the players more than any other country. So, we cannot agree to any of the player demands. We told them that unless they agree to sign the new contracts, they will not be considered for Test selection” SLC Secretary Nishantha Ranatunga told “Daily Mirror”.

According to Ranatunga, SLC had been paying the 23 national players an unbelievable 79 percent of SLC’s total annual income till this year. “Even with the measures we have taken when we drafted this year’s contracts, we are still paying 67 percent of the total SLC annual income to the 23 players” Ranatunga said.

He said that they presented all figures including SLC income to the players and explained the matter. No other cricket board pays players more than 25 percent of their annual income, added Ranatunga.

This means that SLC will be left with only 33 percent of their annual income to meet all other expenses such as to pay the other 37 contracted players, pay salaries of staff, pay the clubs, carry out cricket development etc. SLC also provides the players all facilities such as medical and training facilities. Players also get support of best of coaches secured and paid by SLC.

Tonight’s urgent meeting summoned by SLC started at 6.30 p.m. and the SLC was represented by President Upali Dharmadasa, Secretary Ranatunga, Vice President Asanga Seneviratne and Assistant Secretary Hirantha Perera. The officials had left the discussion at 7.30 p.m. and the players remained in the SLC headquarters to have their own discussion and decide on the immediate action.

All national players including seniors Kumar Sangakkara, Tillekaratne Dilshan, Tilan Samaraweera, Lasith Malinga had attended the meeting tonight. Mahela Jayawardene who is in Thailand on a private visit was only top player absent.

Related link
Contract dispute rocks Sri Lanka team

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  Comments - 28

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  • Mohamed Jihaddeen Sunday, 03 March 2013 04:19 AM

    Recently SL donates USD 25,000 to Philippines typhoon victims but no respect for our heros

    lasantha Sunday, 03 March 2013 11:26 AM

    Why not appoint Mervi Silva as Captain and resolved the matter. Gas Bedala hari Karai. Miracle of Asia.

    wickrama Sunday, 03 March 2013 10:12 AM

    First of all, the crooks like Nishantha Ranatunge should be fired.

    Yehiya Sunday, 03 March 2013 08:54 AM

    First appoint good minister to sports. Navin is the best for cricket body.

    D Sunday, 03 March 2013 08:01 AM

    Like how he did justice to SF and SB ?

    Kasun Sunday, 03 March 2013 07:08 AM

    Players play Cricket and Cricket board earns from them...But, SLC doesn't want to pay them correctly.Pathetic...RIP Sri Lankan Cricket....

    DXB Sunday, 03 March 2013 06:54 AM

    ochchara salli mokatada manda... kawada hari marunama owwa aran yanne ne... haiyooooooooooo!!

    Mahehs Sunday, 03 March 2013 06:23 AM

    IPL must be behind all those problems. Its clear that most of the players are puppets of IPL owners.

    Huna Sunday, 03 March 2013 06:12 AM

    MR should intervene here and do some justice to the players

    jude Sunday, 03 March 2013 06:16 AM

    Hey, All Players stick together!!!. You can't fire bunch of National Players by lock-out????. Remember, WICB came down on knees to get Gayle to play for WI again. And thst's only one player!!!!... You can fire SLC President, CEO, Chief Selector or the coach. However, it's impossible to 'rid of 23 players or more. No way!!!??.

    lalitha Sunday, 03 March 2013 06:07 AM

    slc can start cutting costs by cutting down the staff at slc.... so many jobless ppl hanging around there

    Punchi Malli Sunday, 03 March 2013 05:29 AM

    SLC why don't you increase your income by selling TV rights through a proper tender. Also, reveal how much are you paying for the SLC executive committe and management. You could be paying the highest percentage of salary compared to other countries, but please compare how much you are making compared to other cricket boards

    ravisandu Sunday, 03 March 2013 04:59 AM

    Huh, no problem at all...We have a superb Diyawanna Lions team who have beaten even Aadivaaseen...Offer them contracts and off we go..

    hunter Sunday, 03 March 2013 12:00 AM

    Another miracle. It's not players fault that lousy slc doesn't know how to make money. pathetic via DM Android App

    Bell Saturday, 02 March 2013 12:00 AM

    Cricketers Who brought glory to this Country Not corrupted SLC. SLC ruined country's after the WC. SLC is fully backed by politics from the president to selection committee chairman. We SL cricket lovers always with players Noooooot corrupted officials.... via DM Android App

    robi Sunday, 03 March 2013 03:52 AM

    The Cricket board should take firm actions and it enables to create sport loving players in future.

    Rev Sunday, 03 March 2013 12:00 AM

    Why not we take this to BBS ? via DM Android App

    Arun Sunday, 03 March 2013 03:03 AM

    dont sign the contract guys!!!

    Pasel Sunday, 03 March 2013 02:58 AM

    Now Sri Lankan government doesn't has the wr time entertainment budget to cover the sky rocking expenses

    Calistus Jayatilleke Sunday, 03 March 2013 02:42 AM

    If this dispute ends in an impasse, there will be a golden opportunity for the cricket officials and parliament members to form a formidable team to beat Bangladesh. After all, the MPs have vast experience in playing "pandu" with the ordinary people and taking their wickets.

    nicky karunarathna Sunday, 03 March 2013 02:12 AM

    These guys are not playing for the country but for themself and self-aggrandizement These cricketers think they are sultans! So in future before giving contacts - give them basic lessons of selflessness and before them country come first.

    jena Sunday, 03 March 2013 01:36 AM

    imperialism everywhere.. earlier it was tamils facing it.. now seems all are!!

    k.soysa Sunday, 03 March 2013 01:29 AM

    I agree with the Board. Its the money that has ruined our cricket and if these players are more concerned with IPL and other sub-contracts then they should be left to play for those teams and not for Sri Lanka

    abhil nizam Sunday, 03 March 2013 01:26 AM

    Well done.. Everything has been destroyed in this country. The only pride we had was cricket. Destroy that also!!!! This country is cursed (with political idiots)

    MagodisThuma Sunday, 03 March 2013 01:29 AM

    Now we have to start from " Hoodiya ! "

    Roshan W Sunday, 03 March 2013 01:27 AM

    This is how money ruins cricket. Greedy officials breed greedy players. sad indeed.

    Fair N Square Sunday, 03 March 2013 01:22 AM

    Without reputed players NO spectators.... Players are the ones who bring in the crowd, NOT the officials. Officials make blunders and SLC has to pay fines and penalties thus affecting the income of players..

    Wonder if 'ALL" monies due to ALL players have been paid.
    True there has to be discipline BUT where does the buck stop for the " Officials" ?

    Players are NOT a bunch of cows, to be herded around... PERIOD...

    Cylonese Sunday, 03 March 2013 12:00 AM

    Our cricketers make India happy. Thst is in the bottom line. via DM Android App


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