Thilanga Sumathipala - youngest president of the BCCSL (30 Mar 1998)

Monday 02, February 1998

Thilanga Sumathipala - youngest president of the BCCSL

by SA'ADI THAWFEEQ

Thilanga Sumathipala overcame all handicaps laid in his path by opponents, to be elected president uncontested, at the 50th annual general meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka at the Cricket Board headquarters yesterday.

A.J.M. Muzzammil who was to contest Sumathipala for the presidency resigned on the floor yesterday, leaving the post uncontested.

"It was like the Australian tour we went through before we won the World Cup," said Sumathipala after his successful campaign to become the Cricket Board's youngest president at the age of 33 years.

"There were enough allegations, controversies, decisions for and against," said the newly elected president who came through it all very well.

Sri Lanka's tour of Australia in 1995-96 was embroiled in controversy with allegations of ball tampering, chucking and frayed relationship between the two teams, all of which led to Sri Lanka having the sweetest revenge by beating Australia for the World Cup in Lahore.

The much looked forward to contests for the other key posts failed to materialise, for with the exception of the post of vice-presidents, the rest of the office-bearers were returned uncontested.

In the contest for the vice-presidency, Mahinda Seneviratne received only 39 votes in comparison to the two candidates who were elected - Anuruddha Polonowita (107 votes) and Abu Fuard (91), both former Sri Lanka cricketers.

Saliya Ahangama, was the first Sri Lankan Test cricketer to be elected to office when he became the honorary secretary. The post of honorary treasurer went to Nuski Mohamed, a former secretary during the Gamini Dissanayake regime. The assistant secretary's post went to Lawrence Amerasena and the assistant treasurer's post to Mahinda Deshapriya.

After a prolonged discussion of the accounts, the house decided to take up the ratification of accounts at a Special General Meeting (SGM) to be held shortly at which the former treasurer Kumar Weerasuriya (who was not available at the AGM) will be present.

Nihal Leuke, the outgoing assistant treasurer who deputised for Weerasuriya, could not respond to certain queries raised by the membership of the house. The outgoing president Upali Dharmadasa assured the house that Weerasuriya will be present at the SGM to clarify the matter on the accounts.

Other posts: Controlling Clubs : B.N. Jurangpathy, Shammi Silva, P.H.A.N. Dias; Affiliated Clubs: H. Premasiri, P. Algama, District CA: Prasanna Ranatunga, S. Godaliyadaha. Committees - Tournament: C. Bernadus (chairman), B. Dissanayake (secretary), R.G. de Alwis, J. Jayaweera, D.P. Wickremarachchi, Umpires: A.R.M. Aroos (chairman), H.O.P. Weerasinghe (secretary), L. Ranasinghe, M. Cooray, N. Ranchigoda; Sponsorship: L. Rodrigo, K. Attanayake, S. Premadasa, Pemlal Fernando, S. Alwis; Tour Organising: S. Cooray, A. Vitharana, Jagath Jayawardena, H. Aponso, A.W.R. Madurasinghe.

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