Lankan cricketers disappointed at chief selector's statements

CRICKET: Coach Tom Moody and the rest of the Sri Lanka team currently touring England have officially complained to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) expressing their disappointment at the statements made by newly elected chairman of selectors Ashantha de Mel to a news agency.

De Mel criticised the current team's performances after they lost inside three days to England 'A'. He also said that Moody had failed to deliver and that his predecessor John Dyson did a better job than him.

Moody in a statement to SLC had said that the remarks made by De Mel had hurt him and the rest of the team and added that this was not the time to discourage the players with such remarks. He added that at this point of time the media and cricket officials should back and encourage the inexperienced side, which has a lot of young players.

Stormy session

The inaugural meeting of the newly elected selection committee headed by De Mel ended in a stormy session at the SLC headquarters yesterday.

The four-member selection committee were divided on certain issues and it is later understood that the Sports Minister had spoken to De Mel and reprimanded him for his conduct at the meeting.

It is also reliably understood that the Minister is contemplating appointing an additional selector to the panel to make it five so that any contentious decisions need not be decided by the chairman's casting vote.

Former cricketers Mahes Gunatillake and Jayananda Warnaweera are in the running for that slot.