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All out: End of an Empire?
By Callistus Davy
Colombo, April 29 (Daily Mirror) - Eventually and finally the Empire that was Sri Lanka Cricket came to its long-awaited end yesterday as incumbent president Shammi Silva and his executive committee decided to officially step down, making way for what many believe could be the beginning of a new era for the country’s best-known passion and most marketable brand name.
Silva and his executive board had one final meeting on Tuesday as the clock ticked following President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s decision to overhaul cricket’s administration that had swung from a once dignified entity to a repository of position, power and fiefdom.
The Daily Mirror exclusively reported on April 22 the move by President Dissanayake to change the old guard and replace it with an interim caretaker until a new and acceptable governing system can be implemented according to recommendations made by high-profile probe committees over the past four years.
Silva and most of his committee members had seen the entry and exit of no less than three Heads of State during almost eight years of dominance before incumbent President Dissanayake was compelled to make the change.
The administration of Sri Lanka Cricket survived three public uprisings and two roaring Parliamentary debates for change following drastic drops in the performance of the country’s once-adored cricket team amid accusations and allegations of abuse, mismanagement and player indiscipline.
But although the change took place, fears are also being expressed that discussions will never be made public and that a comeback by the old guard may be possible at the next election of office-bearers unless the recommendations and proposals for a board of governors to replace a disputed voting system is put in place.
Silva’s team proved they were the best at cultivating voting clubs and were also excellent at knocking out opponents who often became sitting ducks at elections.
History will record that Sri Lanka Cricket, once a hallowed address where cricket was a gentleman’s game and men of impeccable stature made decisions, ended up as an impenetrable fortress of a new alliance of caretakers with contrasting lifestyles.
From a mere Rs. 300,000 in its bank account when a band of unsung cricketers lifted the World Cup in 1996 to what it is today, Sri Lanka Cricket was transformed into a place of untold riches that made it a most coveted public institution and its hot seat made second only to the head of state in importance.
Sri Lanka Cricket media manager Prasan Rodrigo in a statement said all office-bearers and members of the Executive Committee tendered their resignations and that President Dissanayake and Sports Minister Sunil Gamage have been notified.
NEW SRI LANKA CRICKET COMMITTEE
The new committee to run the affairs of Sri Lanka Cricket has been named as:
Eran Wickramaratne (Chairman), Sidath Wettimuny, Roshan Mahanama, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinal Philips, Prakash Schaffter, Thushira Radella, Avanthi Colombage and Upul Kumarapperuma.
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