England tour failure costly one for SLC

Chris DHAMBARAGE

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) will be forced to pay compensation to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in case their proposed tour to England is cancelled next year.

Sri Lanka is schedule to play two test matches and three one day internationals against England in April/May but the series is in danger of been cancelled as the dates clash with the second session of the high profile Indian Premier League.

Chairman Sri Lanka Cricket Interim Committee Arjuna Ranatunga revealed at the monthly press briefing yesterday that they will be forced to compensate the ECB with a payment in case the England tour is cancelled.

The SLC could have earned more than two million dollars had the tour taken place but now they are in real danger of paying back the ECB for tour cancellation. However Ranatunga said that they could escape if the West Indies or Pakistan agree to tour England as a replacement for Sri Lanka during the same period.

Ranatunga also stated that they have not yet received any official statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding the cancellation of the US Dollars 70 million deal with the IPL.

He said that the deal is still on and hope to meet some of the high ranking officials of the BCCI this week to solve the crisis. Ranatunga further said that he has asked the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Duleep Mendis to provide a full report on their visit to Bangkok where the SLC delegation had an official discussion with Lalit Modi Chairman and Commissioner of the IPL.

The Sri Lankan delegation were forced to return empty handed as their official discussions with the IPL ended in an unsuccessful manner in Bangkok last week.

The IPL have raised their concerns over the SLC’s recent comments at the ICC meeting in Dubai in connection to this lucrative deal which will also allow a domestic team from Sri Lanka to participate in the Champions League Twenty20 tournament from next year.

The million dollar deal would have led to the full participation of the Sri Lankan players in the IPL as well as in the Twenty20 Champions League for the next decade.

Sri Lanka Cricket also revealed that very soon they will be calling for bidders for new sponsorships of their national team, official clothing and for broadcasting rights.

All three present sponsorships will expire on December 31, 2008.