Sri Lanka's new president: hero or villain?

After 26 months of control by government-appointed interim committees, the clubs and associations that make up the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) have finally got what they have been clamouring for: a democratically elected administration headed by Thilanga Sumathipala, who has been the most powerful man in Sri Lankan cricket since the 1996 World Cup.

Sumathipala's win in Friday's election was always a forgone conclusion. Nevertheless, the sheer size of his victory against Arjuna Ranatunga, the 1996 World Cup winning captain, was a surprise. He won 121 of the 138 votes cast in the open ballot. It was not so much a landslide as an avalanche. Ranatunga was humiliated, winning just seven votes.

A bitter Ranatunga told that media afterwards that "at least seven clubs loved the game" before scuttling away from the Sports Ministry headquarters, where the election was held amid tight security. He hoped that the size of the victory would be an "eye opener" for the government, claiming it was the result of a deeply flawed and corrupt system. "If I can only get seven votes after giving my 100% to Sri Lanka cricket then there has to be corruption in the system," he reasoned. In a typical show of defiance, he added: "This is not the end, I will continue my battle."

There are many who concur with Ranatunga's sentiments, about the suitability of the current open ballot system, and also about the suitability of Sumathipala for the leadership. Indeed, the current chairman of Sri Lanka Telecom, who presides over an impressive business empire of his own making, has staunch enemies. For some, he is a man of ambition and vision with the best interests of Sri Lanka's cricket at heart, but others are distrustful, suspecting that something more sinister drives his apparently unquenchable lust for cricketing power. Sumathipala is an enigma: few really know whether he's a hero or villain.

His two previous terms in office have been controversial, both cut short by the government. In 1999 his executive committee was forced out of office for legal reasons, as his opponents campaigned in the courts after an ugly election. He swept to power again at the next elections, but that stay was also curtailed prematurely, this time on the pretext of a constitutional technicality by the sports minister, Laksmann Kiriella.

In the immediate aftermath of the sacking, rumours of wrongdoing abounded. Corruption stories were fuelled by the outgoing BCCSL chief executive, Dammika Ranatunga, who claimed that the tender process for the award of a three-year television contract with WSG Nimbus was flawed. The mushrooming bill for the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Sumathipala's pet project at the time, also raised suspicions about the fairness of the tender process for building contractors. An official inquiry was launched.

The inquiry's preliminary report concluded that there had been "financial mismanagement" but its conclusion carried little weight. It was a kangaroo court, set up and run by persons with an axe to grind. Sumathipala successfully persuaded the courts of this fact and the inquiry was halted. Since then there has been much gossip but no hard evidence. For all the mud thrown at Sumathipala, none has stuck. Some of his closest allies have erred, but his record is still clean.

To suggest that Sumathipala won the elections by simply waving his chequebook to under-funded cricket clubs is far-fetched. No one can buy off that level of support. The fact is that for the last five years he has listened to the clubs attentively and built a cohesive plan, called the National Development Plan, that addresses their needs. That is sound thinking in any electoral system.

They also know that Sumathipala is a doer in a country of delays. For the last two years interim committees have prevaricated too much and done too little. The recent establishment of the cricket academy was really the only achievement of note. The domestic competition remains a mess, a cradle for soft cricketers, and the standards of school cricket have dropped. The clubs have seen Sumathipala build an entire stadium in 165 days - they know he can implement what he promises.

Although the state of domestic cricket and the school system remains high on the agenda, Sumathipala's first task is to solve a serious financial crisis. The recent decision by a Singapore tribunal, which ruled that the BCCSL cancelled a three-year US$27.1 million contract unlawfully, means that Sri Lankan cricket faces an US$11 million damages bill - a claim that the BCCSL cannot afford considering a financial loss of US$940,000 in 2002.

It was Sumathipala who negotiated the original deal with WSG Nimbus, the largest television deal in Sri Lanka's history, and he must salvage the situation now. He has wasted no time in starting the process, calling the current rights holder, Taj Television, for emergency talks this week. He will then sit down and negotiate with WSG. He promises a solution: "I am confident that I can sort this out, although at what cost to the BCCSL I do not know." Despite a reputation for being a master negotiator, it will be no easy task.

Sumathipala had also promised a permanent coach within 30 days in the run-up to the election. In the event he needed just six hours, announcing the imminent appointment of John Dyson, a former Australian opening batsman. A physiotherapist and a physical trainer will be appointed shortly, according to Aravinda de Silva, who has been placed in charge of cricketing affairs.

Whether the Sumathipala magic wand can revive the ailing domestic structure remains to be seen. Ultimately, a complete shake-up is needed, but he is unlikely to upset the clubs by splitting the Premier Division in two. The most likely solution is the addition of a new "Super Tournament" where the cream of the talent is condensed into six teams.

During the coming weeks Sumathipala's team will put flesh on their ideas, producing a blueprint for change, which will then be presented to the clubs for their endorsement. It's an eagerly awaited document, for everyone is agreed that change is needed. But the key will be implementation: both the end result and the manner it's achieved. Sumathipala's reputation is at stake and this time he needs to be squeaky clean. His personal ambition is to head the International Cricket Council (ICC) and he cannot afford to be thrown out by the government for the third time.