Archives

Tetley messes up ICC

by Shirajiv Sirimane

The Sri Lankan cricketing establishment ranging from the current and former players to members of the Interim Board are angry at the way some officials of the International Cricket Council have treated the locals.

A number of important issues have arisen in the way logistical arrangements have been made with regard to the hosts by the organisers. The primary one is the manner in which complementary tickets and car passes have been issued for the ICC Champions trophy cricket tournament which is starting today in Colombo.

The ICC has issued eight car passes for the eleven members of the Board and the members were preparing last night to draw lots as to who will have the privilege to go by car for the opening ceremony.

>The ICC official responsible for the mess Chris Tetley when contacted by the 'Daily News' refused to comment on the issue. "I am not hear to talk to the Press, I have other work to do," he said. "You go and speak to the other ICC officials who are here to talk," he said.

However a friendlier president of the ICC, Malcolm Gray set an example to his minions and said that though there were some problems with regard to tickets they were ironed out with the president of the BCCSL Interim board, Hemaka Amarasuriya yesterday.

Friendly, Gray was but not informed. When the 'Daily news' spoke to a cross section of players and officials it was found that though Gray had made a sincere effort to settle this dispute, Tetley has been undermining Gray's efforts to resolve the problem.

Many expressed the view that actions of an individual official, the one responsible for logistics is damaging the high image of the ICC.

A very senior cricketer said that as a national player he expected at least a few tickets so that he could bring along his family members and friends along. "We get many more tickets for all other events played in Sri Lanka".

Another player said that he does not have the money to spend to take his family members abroad to see him play. "This is the only chance I get to play in front of my family, but sadly that chance too has now been stopped," a relatively new member of the Sri Lanka team said.

A senior cricket manager a former dasher from Moratuwa too said that it is very unfair for foreigners to come and dictate terms in an event that is being played in Sri Lanka.

"This is a case of foreigners coming and telling us how many of us should come, where we should watch the match from and where to park our vehicles. There is an element of a colonial hangover here."

Another noteworthy point is that though Rs. 500 tickets have been printed for the preliminary round matches none of them were advertised for sale.

When contacted the Media Manager of the BCCSL Niresh Eliyathamby said that the event is run by the Global Cricket Corporation, the marketing arm of the ICC.

"They decided on the ticket allocations for each country and for the Sri Lankan BCCSL as well."

He also confirmed that the quota of tickets issued to players and officials were less than for other tournaments played in Sri Lanka earlier. "There is a high demand for tickets for this tournament."

Many senior cricketers who expressed their view to the 'Daily News' said that the host country and especially the BCCSL members and players should have got a better treatment. "The Sri Lankan officials are being treated like peons."

"If this tournament was played in a country like Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, England or even in Holland local players and officials in that country would have been equally treated," a former Test umpire said.

"Perhaps it is a matter of skin colour."

caption:

Chris Tetley of the ICC caught unawares by our staff photographer Saman Mendis at Hotel Taj Samudra lobby yesterday.