Ranatunga effort to take over SLC fails

Colombo: World Cup-winning skipper Arjuna Ranatunga suffered a comprehensive defeat in his bid to take control of Sri Lanka’s crisis-ridden national cricket board (SLC), Thursday.

Ranatunga, 55, contested one of two vice-president posts but only finished third. His brother, Nishantha, who was nominated as secretary, was also defeated.

Ranatunga ally Jayantha Dharmadasa also failed in his bid to become SLC president, losing out to Shammi Silva – a loyalist of former SLC chief Thilanga Sumathipala, an arch rival of the former Sri Lankan captain.

Ranatunga had vowed to clean up the board, which the ICC recently described as the sport’s most corrupt national body.

The former skipper, who is also a minister in the Sri Lankan government, had hoped to wrest control of the SLC ahead of the World Cup that begins May 30 in England.

The national team have lost a host of recent series at home and abroad and has been beset by corruption allegations and in-fighting.

Ranatunga had promised to ‘kick out’ players he accused of being corrupt and squabbling with teammates.

AFP