Sri Lanka: Cricket administration in safe hands now, says Minister (1 November 1998)

1 November 1998

Sri Lanka: Cricket administration in safe hands now, says Minister

By S M Jiffry Abdeen and G M R Gunaratne

Cricket Administration is now in the safe hands of those who have played the game and have an inherent love for the game. The game has been taken away from the mudalali types and this augurs well for the future of game, said the Minister of Sports, Mr. S. B. Dissanayake at a largely attended function at Poramadulla Central College Grounds, Poramadulla at the inauguration of two concrete pitches donated by the Cricket Board through the Kandy Regional Cricket Board yesterday (Saturday).

Minister Dissanayake said that the present Cricket Board President, Thilanga Sumathipala has excelled for Nalanda Vidyalaya and also has turned out for a leading club at top grade cricket. The Kandy Regional Board Chairman, Tillina Tennakoon was an outstanding cricketer at Dharmaraja College and captained the school and also played club cricket at top level. Therefore the present officials have a cricketing background as they are delivering the goods. Their objective is to serve the game and not to make foreign trips or earn a name for themselves.

Mr. Dissanayake said that those 'mudalalis' made every endeavour to prevent these officials being elected. They even filed a court case and he was also cited as one of the respondents. Tillina Tennakoon had a big fight in his hands in Kandy as all strategies were harnessed to defeat him in Kandy but he emerged a winner and the game was the ultimate winner.

Minister Dissanayake further said that the three Test cricketers who were present at the ceremony namely Suresh Perera, Russel Arnold and Niroshan Bandaratilleke though from Colombo did not have much facilities and they had to work hard to reach the top. Therefore the sportsmen of Poramadulla Central should make the best use of the wickets gifted by the Cricket Board to improve their skills.

The President of the BCCSL, Mr. Thilanga Sumathipala said that the donation of these wickets were possible through the excellent performance by the Sri Lanka cricket team which brings in a lot of money by way of sponsorship and television rights and these are in turn diverted to develop the cricket infrastructure in the grounds.

Therefore it is the responsibility of all to safeguard these concrete pitches maintain them and get the maximum benefit from them to improve their batting and bowling skills.

The cricket structure has been changed to meet the needs of the times. If there is a good player in a team which has fared badly but still he can reach the top from junior levels through the Regional Board system which has been now implement.

The principal of Poramadula MMV, Mr. Bandula Gunawardena said this was a great day for the village and the school as test cricketers have graced the occasion and now they have the facility to improve their cricket.

Also gracing the occasion were Tillina Tennakoon, Janaka Pathirana (both from Kandy Regional Board II) and Director, National Development, Mr. Malcolm Perera.

Cricket materials were also donated to the school by the Cricket Board.

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