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Saturday Nov 16, 2024
Thursday, 24 August 2017 00:27 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Chathuri Dissanayake
In an attempt to revive the ailing national cricket team, Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara will hold a brainstorming session to get input from all stakeholders to prepare a strategic plan to develop the side.
Refusing to interfere in the internal matters of team management, he said that he would not dismiss the elected board of Sri Lanka Cricket.
“I will not dismiss any elected board for any sport. If I dismiss the current board then it becomes political interference and this will then affect our membership in the ICC. All this time when we had the interim cricket board we were only observers of the ICC, now finally we are able to take part. So I will not jeopardise that,” Jayasekara said.
Making a passionate appeal to avoid criticising the team over failing to perform, Jayasekara yesterday said that the team, which has secured many victories, is still capable and should be supported.
The Minister plans to hold a workshop with the participation of all stakeholders to develop a strategy to raise performance up to the mark again.
“We need to do something about it. So all those who have criticised the team and have opinions on how it can be improved should come for this workshop; past captains, journalists and club leaders are all welcome. They should come and give their input without making statements elsewhere,” he said while speaking at the weekly Cabinet briefing.
The Minister revealed that he has appointed a four-member committee led by National Sports Committee Chairman Milton Amarasighe to organise the workshop. All past chairpersons of Sri Lanka Cricket, chairpersons of the interim cricket board, past captains of the national team, senior journalists covering cricket, current and former team selection board members, national cricket coaches, district cricket club presidents and other individuals who are experienced in handling national sports were invited to take part in the workshop, the Minister said.
