Sri Lanka Cricket Team To New Zealand Leaves February 24 (10 Jan 1997)

10 January 1997

Cricket Team to New Zealand leaves Feb 24

By Sa`adi Thawfeeq

Asanka Gurusinha`s future in the Sri Lanka cricket team depends on what course of action the disciplinary committee of the Cricket Board takes with regard to him giving press interviews here and abroad.

The 30-year-old left-hand batsman with 41 Tests and 144 one-day appearances behind him for his country since 1985, has got himself into troubled waters by violating the Cricket Board`s constitution and contract which debars cricketers from making any press statements or interviews without obtaining prior permission.

Prior to his departure to Australia to play for North Melbourne club, Gurusinha had given an interview to a Sinhala newspaper (not ANCL) and had also been interviewed by `The Australian` newspaper in Australia.

Gurusinha we understand, will be asked to explain his actions. What course of action the disciplinary committee recommends to the ExCo of the Board after that, will decide Gurusinha`s fate of being picked for the tour of New Zealand.

Gurusinha is a member of the pool currently preparing for New Zealand.

Depending on the Cricket Board`s decision, Gurusinha is expected to return home two weeks prior to the team`s departure to New Zealand. The team is scheduled to leave on February 24.

Cricket Board sources said that Gurusinha has been exempted from their new conditions laid down last November for its cricketers playing abroad, because he had already signed up with the club before the conditions came into effect.

The Cricket Board has made it compulsory for all national cricketers to play at least 60 percent of the matches in the major domestic tournament - the division I Sara trophy, and return home five weeks prior to departure if they are not playing in the major competition of another country.

Gurusinha is currently playing district cricket - the second level of competition in Australia.

The Cricket Board is monitoring Gurusinha`s performances through their representative in Australia, Dr. Quintus de Zilwa.

The national pool is presently training under manager Duleep Mendis and physio Alex Kountouri until Bruce Yardley, the former Australian Test spinner arrives on January 20 to take over as coach. Yardley has been contracted for two-and-a-half-year as coach, succeeding another former Australian cricketer Dav Whatmore, who resigned to take up a coaching job with English county Lancashire.

The captain and the team for New Zealand is expected to be picked in the first week of February.

Sri Lanka play New Zealand in a series of two Tests and three one-day internationals in their one-month tour starting on February 27.

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