SLC new Interim Com’s main focus: World Cup 2011

CHRIS Dhambarage and SAMPATH Bandara

The newly appointed Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket Interim Committee D. Somachandra de Silva said that his vision is to add trust and confidence into the SLC Administration and to bring professionalism into the entire system. The new Interim Committee of the SLC headed by former Sri Lanka leg spinner and Presidential Advisor Somachandra de Silva will take over their letter of appointments from the Minister of Sports and Recreation Gamini Lokuge during a ceremony at the Sports Ministry today.

Former Ananda College captain, SSC, Colts CC, Moratuwa SC and Sri Lanka cricketer Nishantha Ranatunga is the Secretary with veteran Sujeewa Rajapaksa retaining the position as the Treasurer. The other members of the new Interim Committee are former SSC and Sri Lanka player Ranil Abeynaike, member of the 1996 World Cup winning team Pramodaya Wickremasinghe, Lalith Wickremasinghe and Gunaratne Weerasinghe.

De Silva who also captained the country in two Test matches thanked President Mahinda Rajapaksa for entrusting on him the task of carrying Sri Lanka Cricket towards a new era and vowed to make it a reality within the next two years.

De Silva said that his Committee will concentrate purely on the overall development of the game and the main focus will be on the 2011 World Cup to be staged in the sub continent.

He also noted that his Committee will concentrate and make every endeavour to help the Sri Lanka team to win the Under 19 World Cup in Kenya, Champions Trophy mini World Cup and the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in England.

De Silva further said that they will also look into the infrastructure development and the preparations for the upcoming World Cup and will make sure that the Hambantota International Stadium will be fully completed in time to host one of the semifinal matches.

The new Chairman further noted that his Committee will also look into the welfare and the facilities of the cricketers especially of those players effected from the recent Lahore attack.

He also stressed the importance of having a close relationship with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and negotiating with the other countries for bilateral tours for the Sri Lanka ‘A’ team and under 19 team. Nishantha Ranatunga the Secretary of the new Interim Committee, is no stranger to Sri Lanka Cricket having served the Board since 2000 where he was a member of the Executive Committee.

In addition he had also served as the Secretary of the Infrastructure Development Committee, Inter Provincial Cricket Secretary, Chief Executive Officer of the Sri Lanka Cricketers Association and Team Manager for the tours of Canada and Zimbabwe.

The SLC Interim Committee: D. Somachandra de Silva (Chairman), Nishantha Ranatunga (Secretary), Sujeewa Rajapaksa (Treasurer), Ranil Abeynaike (Member), Pramodaya Wickremasinghe (Member), Lalith Wickremasinghe (Member) and Gunaratne Weerasinghe (Member).