da bwin： Sports minister Johnston Fernando forced Sri Lanka’s selectors into a U-turnlate on Thursday night as members of the team seriously contemplatedstanding down from the second Janashakthi National Test in protest of thedecision to rest Marvan
Charlie Austin04-Jan-2002Sports minister Johnston Fernando forced Sri Lanka’s selectors into a U-turnlate on Thursday night as members of the team seriously contemplatedstanding down from the second Janashakthi National Test in protest of thedecision to rest Marvan Atapattu and fast bowler Charitha Fernando.The controversial decision to rest first-choice players in favour ofyoungsters seeking experience was made against the wishes of the teammanagement, who first appealed to the five-man selection panel – all basedin Colombo – to change their minds.While accepting that young players needed to be given experience beforea tough year of competition, the management argued that the timing was wrong, with the series still not won. Captain Sanath Jayasuriya said, “Personally, I want to win. Zimbabwe are still a threat, especially in Kandy.”They also complained that the manner in which the decision was made, inColombo without serious consultation of the captain and the coach, wasentirely inappropriate.But the selectors, headed by chairman Tikiri Banda Khelgamuwa, refused toback down at first, maintaining that their decision was “in the bestinterests of Sri Lankan cricket.”The standoff continued late into the night as the team held two teammeetings rather than the normal one, and at least five players voiced awillingness to stand down rather than accept the decision of the selectors.Finally, just after 11 pm, following a flurry of telephone calls between thevarious sides involved, the sports minister decided that the team management’s request must be accommodated.A media release issued by the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka(BCCSL) before the start of play on Friday, said simply: “On a request madethe team management to the Chairman of the National Selection Committee andthe Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sport, it was decided to retain the sameteam that won the first Test.”But according to board sources the selection committee did not back down butwere overruled by the minister, whose responsibility it is to appoint theselectors.With the credibility of the present selection committee – which wasappointed by the previous government – having been so severely undermined bythe standoff, the minister now has to decide whether the time has come for afresh committee.Indeed, the minister also needs to decide whether to support an amendment tothe Sports Law proposed by the previous government and waiting to be heardin Parliament that recommends that responsibility for team selection istransferred to the cricket board.