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by Dinesh Weerawansa

Former Sri Lanka captain Aravinda de Silva, along with two others, were included in the national cricket selection committee by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Johnston Fernando yesterday.

As exclusively stated in these columns earlier this week, Minister Fernando asserted his authority and included Aravinda de Silva and former Sri Lanka Test cricketers Lalith Kaluperuma and Ashley de Silva.

There had been protests by some members of the earlier selection committee as well as members of the BCCSL Interim, committee over Minister Fernando's decision to include De Silva. But the Sports Minister stood firm and played straight, flatly rejecting the unfair demands by some BCCSL Interim committee and selection committee members.

However, Guy de Alwis (chairman) and Roger Wijesuriya (member) were retained in the new selection committee too with the former continuing to be chairman.

The three names originally submitted by the BCCSL Interim Committee to be appointed as selectors were Ranjith Madhurasinghe, Lalith Kaluperuma and Ashley de Silva. Despite strong objections by interested parties both in and out of the BCCSL Interim Committee, Minister Fernando brought De Silva into the committee, rejecting the BCCSL's proposal of Madhurasinghe.

Immediately after the appointments were made, the senior member of the existing selection committee had we understand, insisted that the 15-member team picked by him and the other member for next month's tour of Sharjah should stand. But Minister Fernando, who first rejected to approve the squad given to him last Sunday, insisted that selecting the team to Sharjah is the duty of the new selection committee and that he would not ratify the team picked by just two selectors.

Owing to this issue, a couple of top persons in the Selection Committee it is understood had threatened to resign. But the Sports Minister did not tolerate nonsense and stood for justice when he said the final decision has been taken in the best interest of Sri Lanka cricket at this crucial juncture.

Earlier, some selectors even objected to Minister's decision to expand the selection committee up to five, which has now put an end to a virtually a 'one man show'. The appointments of De Silva and Kaluperuma have been commended by knowledgeable persons in the game. Former captain De Silva is probably the best batsman that Sri Lanka has ever produced and retired from international cricket after last week's World Cup tournament in South Africa.

Though he was seen not good enough to some in the BCCSL Interim Committee to become a selector, it was not so for Minister Fernando and majority of cricket experts.

Kaluperuma, another good choice of Minister, played Test and ODI cricket at the very early stages Sri Lanka gained Test status. He has been a good all-rounder in the final stages of the pre-Test era.

The new selectors would now meet to pick the squad to Sharjah. It would be interesting to see how they voice as the two earlier selectors have made some surprise decision in their controversial squad to Sharjah, named last Sunday.

New national cricket selection committee appointed by Sports Minister: Guy de Alwis (chairman), Roger Wijesuriya, Lalith Kaluperuma, Aravinda de Silva and Ashley de Silva.

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