Sanga’s Lords Lecture Shocks Sports Minister

Sangakkara slams SL Cricket Board at the Lord's

FIRED UP SPORTS MINISTER ABOUT SANGA’S LECTURE DISCLOSING DESCREPANCIES AND CONTIONOUS CORRUPT ACTIVITIES IN THE CRICKETING STRUCTURE CALLS FOR AN IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION:

Kumar Sangakkara’s’ MCC’S Spirit of Cricket, Colin Cowdrey Lecture 2011’was a keenly awaited subject spoken widely and highlighted widely in our media. This speech was keenly awaited and given the widest publicity. It was the first Sri Lanka cricketer who was afforded this unique opportunity to deliver this lecture for the very first time after several cricketing legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Clive Lloyd, Martin Crowe,and  Imran Khan delivered speeches in the recent past. The organisers of this ‘ Collin Cowdery Spirit of the game lecture 2011’ may have given this rare opportunity as he was well known for his high command of the English language.  Perhaps after a massive preparation former Sri Lankan cricket captain delivered this prolonged speech yesterday at Lords, the 4^thof July. However certain statements he made during his speech was extremely detrimental to our cricket administrators and it was a question that has to be addressed, the Sports Minister had quipped. His elaborate and prolonged speech touched on many hatters other than cricket focussing on our past cricket from the time it evolved a well over a century ago.

About disclosing the corrupt malpractices of the SLC administrators were exposed during his speech, has been a deep concern to the Sports Minister.  Sanga very boldly disclosed the exact situation that prevails at present in our cricketing administration under the interim committe. During his lecture malpractices and corrupt activities of the officials of the SLC were exposed. When his audio tape was heard, the manner he slammed the SLC administrators was proved beyond much doubt. In Sanga’s prolonged speech he spoke step by step about our cricket history, about our past cricketers, how Sri Lanka got Test status, how the cricketers from the elite schools dominated our cricket, the advent of a new era after Arjuna Ranathunga ,the winning of the World Cup in 1996,the team did not include a single player from the so called elite schools. how the corrupt practices began when the then BCCI  was swimming in dollars. With so much money there was a great momentum and enthusiasm for officials to get into the administration simultaneously.

In the latter part of his speech he emphasised more on corruption with politics playing a pivotal role. He said For one to get selected to play for Sri Lanka he had to first get registered in the Sports Ministry and after one was selected, his name had to be ratified by the Minister of Sports. The Sports Minister had exclusive powers to dissolve the SLC authorities, who were elected or hho were appointed on an interim committee. Since of late, Sanga added that the present cricket administrators were heavily politicised than before.

He spoke about the Tsunami 2004, how the parents of cricketers were affected and the period Sri Lankan armed forces fought the ethnic war, about the shooting incident the cricketers faced in Pakistan in the midst of a Test match. He had a great regard for Arjuna, Mavan,Aravinda ,Murali,Mahela and Lasith for bringing laurels to our cricket.

He emphasised that after Sri Lanka won the World Cup in 1996 when there was funds that flowed to the then BCCSL, there was a huge interest for officials to get into the administrative structure even by using tactics like thuggery and arms with a firm view to swindle funds. When such things were happening Sri Lanka was even eliminated in the preliminary round of the World Cup in the year 1999.However with the captaincy periods of Marvan,Sanath and Mahela  standard of cricket improved drastically. If ICC intervened the corruption and malpractices would have been avoided. With the changes in the cricketing administration at regular intervals, the mental stability of cricketers was affected. Amongst many other incidents he said finally that there should be a drastic change in our sports structure.

By Sunil Thenabadu © SLPLT20.Co