During the Thilanga Sumathipala regime Sri Lanka cricket has at his lowest point mostly for the Unaccountability of the board administrators. However, the most disheartening fact during his era is the outright downfall of Sri Lanka domestic cricket, as to keep an eye on Vote Bank, Sumathipala has totally ignored the quality of the game.
Poor domestic cricket structure of Sri Lanka is nothing new, though. As the clubs are authorized to Vote in the SLC elections and choose the president and other administrators, it has become a power game. Unfortunately, The domestic cricket suffering badly, and the glamours and Non transparent administrators of SLC has made it worse!
Before the yet another arrival of Sumathipala as SLC president in 2015, Sri Lanka had 14 clubs with First Class status. Already, the quantity was too much, and was one of the main reason for the lack of competitiveness in the domestic cricket.
Sumathipala came, contested and conquered once again. How he did this, is a case of study!
However, what he did after that with the Domestic cricket, that nailed final coffin in the already struggling system.
During the last season, Sumathipala granted first class status to ten more teams, thus increased the number of teams playing first class cricket to 24.
It was not pathetic, shameful also! The legends like Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara were crying at that time for the complete reshuffle of domestic cricket.
However, Sumathipala’s first priority was to do the favour to those, who helped him in conquering SLC once again. There is a strong political interference in the functioning of SLC, and this is not a hidden fact by any means. Dayasiri Jayasekara, the Sports Minister of Sri Lanka, Goes to CCC daily for a fitness session and then keenly keeps close eye at the SLC. this mysterious fondness of Dayasiri could have been a blessing for Sri Lanka cricket, unfortunately it has turned into a disaster. Reason, again no accountability of SLC administrators.
Sanjay Manjrekar, even after being an outsider, realized within three and half days that Sri Lanka domestic cricket lacklustre Condition is the main cause for its national team downfall.
“SriLanka is half the size of Tamil Nadu & it has 23 first class teams. Right there you see the problem with Sri Lankan cricket & where the solution lies to their problems.
#INDvSLŲ” former India player and now a well-known commentator said after Sri Lanka embarrassingly lost the Second test at Nagpur in three and half days, and registered the heaviest defeat of their test history, in terms of runs.
Though, Manjrekar is just an outsider. Sumathipala and Co. Never listen to their own legends like Murali, Mahela and Sangakkara.
Obviously, he didn’t show any concerns regarding this. Simply, because SLC doesn’t gives importance to this kind of Cricket developing things. It’s not in the priority list of Sumathipala And Co.
