No set ICC time frame for SLC reforms: Eran

Asserts new Constitution will not be pushed through the backdoor 

Insists by word for Committee is meritocracy 

The newly-formed Cricket Transformation Committee (CTC) for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Chair ex-State Minister Eran Wickramaratne averred that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has not set a deadline for the reforms to be introduced to the cricketing body.

He made this remark while addressing the nation’s mainstream media for the first time since being named in the Committee by the Sports Minister late last month, at SLC headquarters at Maitland Place yesterday (21).

“We had extremely cordial and constructive discussions with two ICC officials ( ICC Deputy Chair Imran Khawaja, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia) recently,” Wickramaratne, 68, told reporters.

“We told them (ICC) clearly what we intend to do with regard to Sri Lanka Cricket, and the amount of time that will be required to implement certain reforms such as the overhauling of its Constitution, the governance and the financial aspects etc.”

He said the CTC membership has been "very open and transparent” in its interactions with the Dubai-based world body and observed the latter would want them to continue in a similar vein.

“We want to finish off our task as quickly as possible. But, at the same time we don’t want to bring some Constitution through the backdoor, and push it through. We will go through the consultative process in doing it and I think they (ICC) fully understand and appreciate how transparent we would be.” 

The two-aforementioned ICC officials arrived in Colombo last week for urgent talks with the President, government officials including Minister of Sports and Transformation Committee members since the ouster of the Shammi Silva-led SLC Ex-Co on 29 April.

The previous administration had been plagued by allegations of corruption and mismanagement, while coming under fire from a success-starved cricket public over the national team’s dismal performances on the pitch. 

The former investment banker turned opposition politician stated that introduction of the intended reforms will be undertaken efficiently but sans violating the principles and by giving stakeholders and the public to have their say.

Wickramaratne explained that legal personalities will need to be given adequate time to draft a new Constitution and noted that afterwards it will need to go through a due Parliamentary process.

“You know the Parliamentary procedures. There will be three readings there, and then there will be a time period given for any person to go to the Courts and challenge it and if you look at all of that, it will presumably take around six months or even more.”

The Transformation Committee chair pointed out that under the new Constitution to be drafted they will ensure SLC would be an independent institution in which its decisions could also be taken independently.

He said that in the Constitution that is still in the works for Sri Lanka Cricket he would look to include certain ethical principles that are upheld by the law as opposed to not being upheld by the law in order to prevent undesirable individuals from seeking future office.

Wickramaratne also dismissed claims by certain quarters that there were religious connotations to the formation of the Transformation Committee and stressed that his Committee’s by word would be meritocracy.

“There will be no room under my watch for caste, creed or even for class or race. This Committee is all about cricket and during our stint we will uphold the principle of meritocracy period.”

Head of the Cricket Committee of SLC former opener Sidath Wettimuny acknowledged that Sri Lanka could feel hard done by the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle having not played a Test for 12 months.

However, he said the changing global cricket landscape with ultra-focus on short format cricket had also played its part in reducing the Test quota for certain ICC Test nations.

But he said Sri Lanka was set to play seven Tests in the ongoing WTC cycle commencing with its tour of the West Indies early next month.

Also present were Transformation Committee Secretary Prakash Schaffter, and PCs Dinal Phillips and Upul Kumarapperuma.

Source: The morning