Sangakkara wants politics out of Sri Lankan cricket

Sangakkara wants politics out of Sri Lankan cricket[ Tuesday, 05 July 2011, 04:21.11 AM GMT +05:30 ]

Sri Lanka cricket star Kumar Sangakkara has welcomed the International Cricket Council (ICC) directive requiring all national boards to be elected without political interference.

His call came just days after Sri Lanka's sports minister said he had forced the national cricket board committee to step down following allegations of financial mismanagement.

Sri Lanka co-hosted the 2011 World Cup and were left with a $69 million bill, with media reports suggesting that mismanagement by Sri Lanka Cricket had been responsible for cost over-runs.

"We have to aspire to better administration," said Sangakkara in the text of his MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture delivered at Lord's on Monday.

"The administration needs to adopt the same values enshrined by the team over the years: integrity, transparency, commitment and discipline," added Sangakkara, the first active cricketer to deliver the lecture, who on Sunday played at Lord's in the Sri Lanka side that beat England by six wickets in the third one-day international.

"Unless the administration is capable of becoming more professional, forward-thinking and transparent then we risk alienating the common man," said Sangakkara, who stepped down as Sri Lanka captain after the World Cup final defeat by India in Mumbai in April.

"Indeed, this is already happening. Loyal fans are becoming increasingly disillusioned... It is their passion that powers cricket and if they turn their backs on cricket then the whole system will come crashing down.

"The solution to this may be the ICC taking a stand to suspend member boards with any direct detrimental political interference and allegations of corruption and mismanagement.

"This will negate the ability to field representative teams or receive funding and other accompanying benefits from the ICC.

"But as a Sri Lankan I hope we have the strength to find the answers ourselves."

There was a controversial start to the one-day series, where Sri Lanka are 2-1 in front with two to play, when veteran batsman Sanath Jayasuriya, now an MP in Sri Lanka's governing party, was allowed to play in The Oval opener, which the tourists lost, as a final match before his retirement despite having been out of the team for nearly two years prior to the tour of England.

Last week the ICC gave all member boards until its next meeting in June 2012 to implement the new ruling and a further 12 months -- to June 2013 -- before any sanctions will be considered.

The lecture was inaugurated in 2001 in memory of the late former England captain Colin Cowdrey.

MCC -- Marylebone Cricket Club -- owns Lord's, the self-styled 'home of cricket' in north-westLondon.

Although it is more than 40 years since MCC ceased to run English cricket, it has retained worldwide responsibility for the sport's rules or Laws.

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State media gets cricket broadcasting monopoly

Cabinet has decided to grant the television and radiobroadcasting rights of International Cricket matches played in Sri Lanka andoverseas to State Media only.

Tamil protestors abused at Sri Lanka-England cricket match

Tamil protestors abused at Sri Lanka-England cricket match[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 June 2011, 03:47 GMT]
Three dozen Tamils protesting Tuesday evening outside the Oval ground where Sri Lanka played England in the first one day international were taunted by some Sinhala spectators who gloated over the mass killings of Tamil civilians in 2009, until police intervened and moved them on. Earlier in the day a small group of Tamil activists setting up for the protest were spat and sworn at by other Sinhala spectators. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan parliamentarian Sanath Jayasuriya, recalled to his country�s team at the behest of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was dismissed for two runs off four balls, as England won the match.

Activists of the Tamil Youth Organisation (TYO-UK) organised Tuesday�s protest between 5 and 8 pm as part of their summer-long awareness raising campaign.

Activists and supporters positioned themselves at the entrance to the Oval ground, and chanted slogans, distributed leaflets, and chatted to arriving and departing spectators. Others distributed leaflets to commuters at the nearby Oval underground station.

Some of the Sinhala spectators confronted the protestors outside the Oval�s entrance, waving Sri Lankan flags and taunting them over the mass killings of Tamils in 2009. Some remonstrated with police who moved them on.

�They challenged us to come back to Sri Lanka, saying we�d suffer the same fate [as those who killed in 2009],� TYO activist Jegan (one name) said.

Four TYO activists who arrived at the Oval in the afternoon to set up banners and Tamil Eelam flags at the location agreed with police were also confronted by Sinhala youth who spat and swore at them.

�They hung around taunting us and being confrontational until the police arrived. Then they demanded the police take down our banners and flags. The police moved them on,� Jegan said.

�In response to their abuse, we hoisted another flag on our main flagpole.�

Speaking to reporters towards the end of Tuesday�s protest, TYO spokesperson Thusiyan Nandakumar condemned the abuse and thanked police.

�This [abuse] exemplifies the problem faced by Tamils in Sri Lanka, who are unable to protest or otherwise express dissent without suffering reprisals,� he said.

�Happily, many other Sinhalese understand the Tamils� protest. As at our previous protests, they have took our leaflets today, as did many England supporters and local residents. We handed out another three thousand leaflets today.�

�The police were brilliant. They acted swiftly to move along those making trouble, and upheld our right to protest. On behalf of TYO, I want to express our appreciation,� Nandakumar said.

Inside the Oval, despite a sudden thunderstorm that disrupted play, England defeated Sri Lanka by 110 runs.

Sri Lankan cricket legend Sanath Jayasuriya's controversial farewell to his international career ended in disappointing fashion as he made just two runs before being out caught, AFP reported.

Jayasuriya, an MP since January 2010 of Sri Lanka�s ruling party, was selected for the one-day leg of Sri Lanka's tour of England following political pressure, reportedly from President Mahinda Rajapaksa to ensure he received a fitting send-off from the international game.

 

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Jayasuriya’s inclusion in cricket team raises awareness of SL mass killings

Several dozen British Tamils leafleted Saturday outside the Bristol grounds where Sri Lanka’s cricketers played a Twenty20 match against England to further raise awareness of the mass killings of civilians at the end of the war in 2009. Their efforts were assisted by critical commentary in the British press of Sri Lanka’s inclusion of all rounder Sanath Jayasuriya, who is also a parliamentarian of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s ruling party, for the remaining one day matches of their tour. Ahead [...]