Sri Lanka Chief Selector Graeme Labrooy’s Incompetence in selecting right players for the national squads exposed badly once again on Thursday in front of entire World, as he selected a player, who is currently playing in Bangladesh, for a warm-up match against touring South Africa. Even after few hours when Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) media unit picked the embarrassing fault and tried to correct it, Labrooy kept commiting
fault on a ‘mad Thursday’ and became a laughing stock.
Currently, South Africa team is in Sri Lanka to play Two tests, five ODIs and one-off T20I.
Before the start of the Series, they are scheduled to play a two-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka President XI on July 7 and 8.
On Thursday, Graeme Labrooy led selection committee picked Angelo Mathews led squad for the warm-up match. However, Labrooy picked a player named Nisala Tharaka into the squad, without realizing that he is currently in Bangladesh and right now is playing the second test for Sri Lanka A Team.
As he sent a wrong squad to the SLC, at 2.57 PM board Media Unit Sent the mail to media. Labrooy not only got wrong in including Nisala Tharaka, he also picked Shehan Jayasuriya, Malinda Pushpkumara, as well as put two U19 Players Nipun Malinga and Kamindu Mendis as reserve players into the squad.
Few hours later, when SLC Media unit realized this big blunder that Nisala Tharaka is playing in Bangladesh after Sports Journalists around the world inquired about this, Labrooy brought another squad. At 4.25 PM, SLC Media Unit released corrected squad, and this time they put Vikum Sanjaya and Wanindu Hasaranga as reserves, and opted out Sehan Jayasuriya and Malinda Pushpkumara. However, this time around also Labrooy Committed a big blunder, as he picked only 10 players into the squad.
It created a havoc at SLC, as media unit recalled the sent Mail at 4.34 PM. Finally, in the 4th attempt, Labrooy picked a right squad and at 4.40 PM SLC Media unit finally released the ‘Playing’ Squad.
This Incompetent act of Labrooy not only brought universal shame for Sri Lanka as South Africa is in Island and they also came to know about this mash-up, it once again raised serious questions against Work Style of the Chief Selector.
This is, however, not the first time that Labrooy incompetence exposed in this manner. From the beginning, when he first took over as Chief selector in August 2017 by replacing legendary Sanath Jayasuriya, Labrooy has always been inconsistent. His biggest problem is that as he always prefers his ICC Match Referee Job and is committed to half a dozen another Jobs, he has no time to think about Sri Lanka Cricket. He doesn’t know anything about domestic, U19 players and Nisala Tharaka inclusion proves Now that he does not know anything about national players as well.
“This is shameful for SLC, especially when South Africa is in our country. It’s mysterious when SLC can hire Chandika Hathurusingha for a salary package of five million per month, why can’t they afford a full time Chief Selector. Labrooy has proven again and again that his first priority is ICC Match Referee job, so why SLC is tolerating him” A former Selector Told Cricket Age.
SLC Top brass was also very upset with Labrooy incompetence yet again.
“Usually SLC Media Unit don’t commit this kind of blunders, but Labrooy made them laughable, as they had to sent Squad mail four times” a top SLC Official told Cricket Age.
Laboory is already worldwide famous for being the first ever ‘Skype Selector’ in the history of the game. General perception in Sri Lanka cricket circuit is that he picks squads on Skype, while roaming around the world for his ICC Match referee duty. Few days ago, Labrooy made country’s Sports Minister a laughing stock in front of the World, by giving him the suggestion to invite Sri Lanka all time Legends Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Roshan Mahanama and Aravinda De Silva as Consultant Selectors, while he is getting a lump sum salary from the SLC!
