Sri Lanka: CB Exec-Co bungles in appointment of junior cricket officials (17 Sep 1997)

Wednesday 17, September 1997

Sri Lanka: CB Exec-Co bungles in appointment of junior cricket officials

By SA'ADI THAWFEEQ

The Cricket Board's Executive Committee which recently received a lashing from the Sports Minister, for the manner in which some of its office-bearers had sought office, has bungled in the appointment of officials for the forthcoming junior (under 19) tour of India.

The Ex-Co appointed Carlton Bernadus as manager and Hemal Mendis as coach of the Sri Lanka under 19 team for a period of one year from January 18, 1997.

At the time the appointments were made, the stand taken by the Cricket Board was that they were based on the results of the advanced coaching examinations conducted by Les Lenham of the National Cricket Association of England.

Bernadus we understand, finished second to Roy Dias in the examinations.

Both Bernadus and Mendis, successfully did a good job when India under 19 made a tour here in February/March.

They were getting the squad ready to take on the Indians in India, when the Cricket Board's Ex-Co decided that the junior squad should be put in charge of a former Sri Lanka Test cricketer.

Thus, they made the following appointments : Bernadus (cricket manager), Mendis (coach) and Jayantha Seneviratne (manager).

At last Friday's Ex-Co meeting it was pointed by one of its members that in the interest of Sri Lanka cricket, there should not be a personality clash between the coach and the cricket manager as their line of work were similar.

The Ex-Co agreed on principle, that it was a wrong decision they had taken, and decided to retain Mendis and Seneviratne in their capacities as coach and manager, doing away with the cricket manager's post.

By doing so, Bernadus, who got the second highest marks at the coaching examinations finds himself in an embarassing position, without an appointment, while those with lesser qualifications have been favoured.

Also, what the Ex-Co officials are apparently unaware of is that Seneviratne is not a former Test cricketer. He has represented the country only in representative matches against touring teams labelled as unofficial tests.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)