Kamal Padmasiri, the Sports Minister appointed Competent Authority to run Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC), has stopped all the payments of women’s cricket so called ‘big matches’, Cricket Age reliably learns. He has also ordered women’s team convener Apsari Tillakaratne to stop the big matches, as this has turned out a total money wasting exercise for the SLC.
Since last two years, Apsari has been running these so called big matches. Good for nothing, these big matches never helped SLC to unearth new talent in targeted rural areas. All it helped only to Apsari, to strengthen her political base!
According to sources, Apsari created an environment where these big matches couldn’t produce anything significant for SLC. During last two years, former SLC President Thilanga Sumathipala wasted millions of rupees on women’s cricket promotion for some unknown reasons. At a time, when Under 19 cricket and domestic cricket has been on ventilator, Sumathipala blindly trusted on Apsari and gave her a free hand to strengthen her political aspirations by promoting herself through big matches.
“The Model of big matches is like that it helps only Apsari’s branding. Because once the big matches being played, there is no update after that. The sole focus was always on to withdraw maximum money for these big matches, make it a grand event, gets cheap publicity and then move on to another big match” a top SLC Official told Cricket Age on term of animonity.
According to sources, Apsari used to get one lakh rupee for each big match from the SLC during Sumathipala’s regime. In addition, she used to get vehicle allowance, stay in five star hotels and all kind of other perks as well.
Now, Competent Authority has realized that all this is just a money wasting exercise, so has put breaks on the so called ‘talent scout’ campaign.
According to sources, even as SLC CEO Ashley De Silva unwillingly approved last few payments of Apsari ‘showoff’ drama, Competent Authority refused to sign it. In addition, he ordered to immediately stop these big matches.
It is noteworthy that without any contribution to the women’s cricket in her last tenure, Apsari managed to get one year extension from the Sumathipala led administration, that too one day prior to their departure.
“MC recommended and ExCo ratified the extension of Ms. Apsari Tillakaratne’s appointment as Convener of women’s cricket association in honorary capacity for a period of 1 year from 8th June 2017.
It was also agreed to pay her an honorarium vehicle allowance of Rs. 80,000 and amount equivalent to 150 Ltrs of fuel per month, which sum has been allocated from the domestic cricket budget for 2017. It was recommended that she be based at RPICS” Apsari’s appointment ExCo minute reads.
