'MINORS’ TRYING TO UNDERMINE TOUR - SLC

Sri Lanka Cricket has accused a group of former national players of trying to undermine the second phase of the Sri Lanka vs Australia series.

In an unprecedented special communiqué, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chairman Upali Dharmadasa said the group seems to be working on “hidden agendas”.

“It is with agony that I state that a few individuals in Colombo think that they are indispensable,” the chairman was quoted in the communiqué.

Mr Dharmadasa told BBC Sandeshaya that the refusal by the group to help organise the matches at R Premadasa stadium is completely different to help received from Kandy and Hambantota.

The group has told the SLC at a meeting on Thursday that they would not be able to make themselves available as volunteers to help organise the matches to be played on Saturday and Monday.

Pallekele and Hambantota

The former national players, currently working as cricket coaches have argued that volunteering would undermine their status as former national players.

“Even cricket stars such as Arjuna Ranatunga or Sanath Jayasuriya would happily make themselves available if the SLC sought help,” said Mr Dharmadasa.
“I think it is wrong for these minors, those who have played few matches for the country to say that they can’t help us,” the chairman told BBC Sinhala service.


He added that the group who refused to volunteer are paid employees of the SLC.

“They are paid monthly by the SLC. We did not ask them to sell tickets, clean the canals or to paint the building,” said Mr Dharmadasa who refused to reveal the names of the said individuals.

Apart from the major tournaments, it has been the norm for SLC workers and cricket lovers to volunteer to organise all other international matches in a similar way, the chairman added. - (BBC)