SLC interim committee to continue

DS de Silva, the Sri Lanka Cricket chairman, has said that the sports minister has given him an assurance that the present interim committee will continue, though the minister did not specify for how long. The minister has also appointed a new selection committee, which will be headed by former Sri Lanka captain Duleep Mendis.

"First they appointed me to look after the schools and then they appointed me take over as chairman of the interim committee," de Silva said. "In the past two years I personally think that I have done very good work for Sri Lanka cricket.

"I have taken cricket two steps forward building these three unbelievable World Cup venues (at Pallakele, Hambantota and R Premadasa). Everybody not only the locals even the foreigners and ICC officials have sent a letter stating the three venues are one of the best cricket stadiums in the world. That is something that everyone must appreciate ICC also said that we conducted the World Cup very well."

Mendis had been the head of the selection committee before. In addition to Mendis, the five-member committee will comprise four other former Sri Lanka cricketers Brendon Kuruppu, Don Anurasiri, Ranjith Madurasinghe and Chaminda Mendis, and was finalised by the minister in consultation with Sri Lanka Cricket.

The new selection committee was named after the previous one headed by Aravinda de Silva resigned following Sri Lanka's defeat by India in the World Cup final.

The first task of the new selectors is to pick a captain and the team for the tour of England starting next month. They will also have to pick a Sri Lanka 'A' side also which will be touring England concurrently.