Sri Lanka's interim committee dissolved

Sri Lanka's sports ministry has dissolved Sri Lanka Cricket's (SLC) interim committee and appointed a panel, headed by former SLC chairman Upali Dharmadasa, for the next six months. The other members of the new interim committee are Prakash Shaffter, Nimal Perera and Sidath Wettimuny, the former Sri Lanka opener. Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Sri Lanka's sports minister, said the outgoing committee, headed by Somachandra de Silva, had wanted to resign after the 2011 World Cup.

"The previous interim committee stayed on for more time after the previous World Cup because of my request," he said. "There were shortcomings as well as successes in that committee." There had been allegations of corruption and mismanagement of funds against the outgoing committee.

The dissolution comes a day after the ICC, at its annual conference in Hong Kong, gave all cricket boards a one-year deadline to free themselves from any government or political interference. Aluthgamage said he wanted to restore democracy to Sri Lanka Cricket by holding elections in early 2010. He said the new panel would act as a stepping stone towards appointing the right person to head SLC.

"I don't have any personal agenda. Let me appoint a correct person democratically to head the cricket board next year. I appointed the present committee only for six months, so as to take time till we can pave the way for someone who is respectable, does not depend on the sport and really loves the sport to take over cricket administration."

Aluthgamage said the financial crisis in Sri Lanka cricket was one of the first things the new panel had to attend to. "One of the main tasks is to keep an eye on the finances. We are in a financial crisis after the World Cup. We spent more than we budgeted for."

He said the SLC's cash problem would ease with a government grant and a government loan in the offing.

SLC has undergone tough times in recent months, incurring a debt of $23 million over the construction of stadiums in Hambantota and Pallekele for the 2011 World Cup. In addition to that, there have been allegations of corruption and pressure to hold elections following a petition filed by Asoka Mendis - the president of the United Southern Cricket Club - against the appointment of an interim committee by the sports minister without the prior approval of the member clubs, which he claimed bypassed the electoral procedure.

On Wednesday the ICC launched an investigation into "black marketeering" of World Cup tickets, after its executive board received a confidential report criticising the handling of ticket sales in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.