SL sports ministry wants funds allotted for grassroots development

Sri Lanka's sports ministry will ask Sri Lanka Cricket to set aside 10% of its revenue for cricket development from the start of 2014, a ministry spokesmperson has said. The measure aims to ensure appropriate attention is given to growing the game at the grassroots, as the board attempts to lift itself out of heavy debt.

"We know that in Colombo and in many big schools, cricket is well resourced," ministry spokesperson Harsha Abeykoon said. "But this will ensure that even villages and the provinces will have some sort of resources to support cricket. Nationally, there is no more important sport than cricket, and it's vital that the opportunity to play is available to people everywhere."

The news may complicate SLC's financial situation in 2014, given the only home international tour scheduled for the year is England's limited-overs trip in November. SLC treasurer Nuski Mohamed, however, recently said the board was managing its finances for the time being, thanks largely to new sponsorship and broadcast deals struck earlier this year.

Mohamed had also said in April that the board expects the government to wipe a large portion of its debt, and SLC has since requested a government grant for a figure believed to be around LKR 3.2 billion (approx $24.6 million).

Mohamed recently said that that request was still under review, but minister Wimal Weerawansa - a key figure in Sri Lanka's government - has since labeled the board a strain on the country, criticising it for raising employees' wages when austerity measures would have been more fitting.

SLC also recently made grants to its controlling and affiliated clubs, but most of these are based in Colombo.