This is my last attempt-Mahela

Soon after accepting a request to join a Cricket Advisory Committee formed by the Minister of Sports, former Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardena said this would be his last attempt to help transform the game. Jayawardena is part of the six-member committee headed by Hemaka Amarasuriya to make sweeping changes to the way Sri Lanka Cricket is administered and the game is managed.

This committee also comprises three former national captains--Anura Tennakoon, Aravinda de Silva and Kumar Sangakkara-- the Director General of the Sports Medicine Unit Dr. Lakshman Edirisinghe and Ruwan Keragala (Secretary). A few years back Mahela Jayawardena prepared a blueprint on lifting the standard of domestic cricket but this was left to collect dust.

“I wasted a good one year last time making recommendations. I sincerely hope whatever we proposed will be implemented for the good of the game,” Jayawardena said. “This is my last attempt and if I see things are not moving the way we expect, I will definitely quit.

Jayawardena who is making a career in coaching has reluctantly accepted the request.

Kumar Sangakkara and Aravinda de Silva also speaking press said it’s too early to comment at this stage.

“We need to sit together and discuss how we are going to go about this,” Sangakkara said.

They were provided with a report prepared by a four-member committee appointed to make recommendations to improve the fortunes of cricket has advocated sweeping changes to the way Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is administered and the game is managed.  

The report's 53 proposals will now be assessed by another five-member committee headed by former Sri Lanka Cricket President and respected businessman Hemaka Amarasuriya.

Among the recommendations are rationalizing the existing voting system; changing the domestic cricket structure; appointing a Cricket Advisory Committee of former cricketers; providing more international exposure to age groups and Sri Lanka A cricketers; appointing full-time paid selectors; establishing a cricket brain centre for data analytical work; implementing a performance-based reward mechanism for all contracted players, coaches and selectors; a proper mechanism for player rehabilitation and counseling; and improving infrastructure facilities including upgrading and expanding existing high-performance centers.