Jayasuriya-led selection panel quits

Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka's chairman of selectors, handed in his resignation on Friday, praising his co-selectors for helping him run a successful committee for the past two years.

In his email to sports minister Navin Dissanayake, Jayasuriya stated, "I am extremely proud and happy that during my tenure Sri Lanka was able to emerge world champions in T20, win the Asia Cup and a long-awaited Test series against England as well and also emerge semi-finalists in the Champions Trophy.

"These are milestones the Sri Lanka cricket team including the entire selection committee and coaching staff worked extremely hard for. These are achievements that we can be proud of as Sri Lankans."

Jayasuriya and his co-selectors Pramodya Wickramasinghe, Hashan Tillakaratne, Eric Upashantha and Chaminda Mendis, who had all resigned with him, had till the end of April to continue as national selectors. Their term was to end on April 30 after former sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage had extended their term by one year.

Jayasuriya thanked Aluthgamage for giving his committee a free hand to act independently and take decisions of their own without any interference.

It was during Jayasuriya's tenure that paid selectors were introduced (there were two of them in Wickramasinghe and Tillakaratne), and all the selectors ensured they personally attended matches from school level onwards.

The national selection committee's resignation comes in the wake of comments made at a media conference held on Wednesday by Dissanayake and newly appointed interim committee chairman Sidath Wettimuny.

"There were issues with selection all round. I wouldn't agree with some of the selections that happened," Dissanayake said. "You cannot come to a conclusion where Sri Lanka cricket is from one match against South Africa. But I have been critical of the selection process and some of the things that have happened. I don't want it to happen in the future that's why I appointed a professional interim committee."

While admitting the current selectors had not done "that bad", Wettimuny said it was important to have fresh thinking in selections.

"If the same bunch looks at the same crop of players all the time I don't think that's good," Wettimuny said. "Changing selectors is important from time to time and we have till April 30 to make that call."

A revamp of the national selection committee was imminent after the new interim committee was appointed from April 1.

There was a call for new thinking to be infused and a complete overhaul of the committee, with more credibility from the selectors. It is understood that clubs have been asked to submit names and that a few have been suggested as selectors - all ex-Test cricketers.

Sri Lanka don't have any international engagements until June when Pakistan are due to make a full tour comprising three Tests, five ODIs and two T20s.