As the fortunes of Sri Lanka Cricket stumble into new lows, a heated exchange took place between Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara and Petroleum Resources Development Minister Arjuna Ranatunga at the weekly Cabinet meeting held yesterday morning.
The Sports Minister had berated the former cricket captain for demoralising the team with his comments.
Ranatunga addressing the media on Monday had criticised the Sports Minister for having accepted the nomination of Thilanga Sumathipala to contest for the post of President at the Sri Lanka Cricket Board elections. He blamed the the cricket administration for recent spate of defeats.
The Petroleum Resource Development Minister who has been a strong critic in matters of cricket has also written to President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to ‘put an end to the destruction of cricket’ and to change the present cricket administration into an interim committee or commission. Ranatunga who contested for the post of the Vice President, lost to Sumathipala’s team at the election. Since then he has alleged that the election was rigged.
Minister Jayasekara had observed in the Cabinet that the constant remarks by Ranatunga simply added to the confusion and was detrimental to the cricketers who have been under great pressure to perform.
The minister at last week’s Cabinet media briefing noted that the ministry planned a workshop for all those who are involved in cricket to come and discuss the ‘future of Sri Lanka Cricket’ in a constructive manner and to formulate a plan of action instead of pursuing their own personal vendettas.