by Rex Clementine

Following the national cricket team’s shocking display in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup in India, Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe sacked the Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) headed by Shammi Silva and appointed a seven-member Interim Committee headed by former Test captain Arjuna Ranatunga.

Other members of the panel are retired Supreme Court Judges S.I. Imam, Rohini Marasinghe, retired High Court judge Irangani Perera, former board chairman Upali Dharmadasa, Attorney-at-Law Rakitha Rajapakshe and businessman Hisam Jamaldeen.

The Minister acted according to the powers vested on him by the Sports Law.

The national cricket team had suffered new lows during Shammi Silva’s tenure as President as they were forced to play three Qualifying Tournaments in three years after failing to earn automatic qualification for ICC events.

Discipline among cricketers too had eroded significantly but on most occasions the players were let off with a slap on the wrist.

There are also allegations of mass scale corruption during Shammi Silva’s tenure and s everal irregularities were pointed out by a forensic audit done last year.

The Minister has been under intense pressure to sack the Executive Committee and there were public protests as well. Ranasinghe had resisted moves to sack the Ex Co but had requested on a few occasions to stay out of trouble.

The board has been accused of lack of planning for mega events like the World Cup, diluting domestic cricket and not having suitable individuals at key positions like for example Selection Committee and support staff for the national team.

Shammi Silva’s Executive Committee also took on the media cancelling accreditation for journalists who were critical of the board while at occasions entire media organizations were denied entry to venues to cover games.

Several activities of SLC will be probed as well as to how much money the board had spent as legal fees and conducting the Lanka Premier League where the board is believed to have not received the money that was due from the organizers.