A statement on the journey of the Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee so far
ThePapareNews article
A statement on the progress made so far by the Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee was issued to the media yesterday (21).
The Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee (CTC), appointed by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, considers it a responsibility to inform the people of Sri Lanka of the progress it has achieved so far in fulfilling the mandate entrusted to it to transform Sri Lanka Cricket.
The mandate entrusted to the committee centres on three main areas: establishing good governance, raising standards of excellence on the field of play, and running the day-to-day operations of Sri Lanka Cricket more efficiently until a re-elected administration is in place.
Accordingly, the Transformation Committee wishes to inform the public of the work carried out and the progress achieved so far in relation to these responsibilities.
Good governance
With the aim of establishing good governance, within about two months of its appointment the Transformation Committee drafted a new Sri Lanka Cricket constitution and handed it over to the government. The government is currently taking the steps required to present that constitution to Parliament.
The committee believes that this proposed constitution, prepared to suit the legal requirements of the game of cricket and present-day needs, will provide a stable and strong foundation for the future development of cricket in Sri Lanka.
It is our belief that this proposed constitution will be acceptable to all key stakeholders of Sri Lanka Cricket, including the International Cricket Council, the people of Sri Lanka and cricket lovers.
Domestic clubs
The Cricket Transformation Committee has decided to reduce the present 14 clubs in the top inter-club Tier ‘A’ category to 10 over the next two years, while retaining the 12 clubs in the Tier ‘B’ category as they are.
The main aim of reducing the number of clubs in the Tier ‘A’ category is to bring the country's most talented players into the highest level of domestic competition and thereby create a more competitive cricket environment.
The committee believes that a more competitive cricket structure will raise the overall standards of domestic cricket and further strengthen the pathways that supply talented players to the national teams.
Tournament calendars
The Cricket Transformation Committee has also decided that the Tier ‘A’ league tournament will be played over four days instead of the three-day format currently in operation.
The committee believes that a four-day domestic tournament will be an important step in better preparing players for Test cricket, regarded as the pinnacle format of the game.
Steps have also been taken to prepare a clear and structured domestic cricket calendar that gives players adequate rest periods.
This will help minimise the risk to players from possible injuries and excessive workloads, while clubs, coaches and other parties will have sufficient time to plan their activities in advance.
Work is also under way to reorganise Sri Lanka's schools cricket tournaments, an important component of Sri Lanka Cricket's national feeder pathway for identifying and developing talent for future national team representation.
Raising pitch standards
As part of the programme to raise the standards of cricket pitches across the country, the Transformation Committee has recruited an experienced chief national curator following an independent interview process led by former International Cricket Council chief pitch consultant Mr Andy Atkinson.
In addition, all curators serving at Sri Lanka Cricket's international venues have now been recruited into the direct employment of Sri Lanka Cricket.
This will give Sri Lanka Cricket more direct management authority over pitch preparation units, and will also allow pitches to be prepared in line with the broader vision of developing Sri Lankan cricket towards international standards.
Raising coaching standards
The Cricket Transformation Committee is currently implementing a number of programmes to raise standards within the district and provincial coaching structures.
A new group of district and provincial coaches has been appointed following a formal interview process. These interviews were conducted with the participation of Mr Ashley Ross, a globally recognised coach development specialist.
Mr Ross is assisting Sri Lanka Cricket in reviewing the structure of Sri Lanka Cricket's High Performance Centre as well as the entire coaching system, including the coaching expertise available within it. The aim is to make the necessary changes where required.
The Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee has also taken steps to bring district and provincial coaches into the direct employment of Sri Lanka Cricket. This will enable Sri Lanka Cricket to exercise more direct oversight and accountability in relation to coaching processes and their outcomes.
Raising umpiring and match-officiating standards
New measures have also been introduced to raise the standards of umpires and match referees at all levels, from school cricket up to the national level.
This programme is also aligned with the committee's broader aim of raising the standards of cricket at every level.
As part of this process, former ICC umpire Mr Lyndon Hannibal has been recruited as Umpire Development Manager and former ICC umpire Mr Ruchira Palliyaguruge as Umpire Coach.
They will work to develop and raise the standards of match officials, including umpires and match referees, right from the start of the cricket pathway — schools cricket, club cricket and international cricket.
Raising sports medicine and player welfare standards
The main aim of this programme is to develop player care and sports medicine services in line with international standards, and as a result Sri Lanka Cricket's sports medicine unit is currently being reorganised with the support of Mr Alex Kountouris, who served as physiotherapist of Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup-winning team and later as head physiotherapist of Cricket Australia.
In addition, a sports psychiatrist has been added to the programme to strengthen the mental skills and psychological preparation of the national men's team.
Raising the profile of women's cricket
The Cricket Transformation Committee has also taken steps to further develop women's cricket and raise its profile.
As part of a broader programme to support the professional development of women cricketers and strengthen the overall women's cricket programme, training programmes including media and communication skills development have been launched.
Streamlining operations and financial management
A number of steps have been taken to make Sri Lanka Cricket's operations more efficient and to manage financial resources properly and systematically. Several measures have been introduced to achieve that objective.
Those measures include withdrawing from non-essential legal proceedings, terminating the services of non-essential consultants, streamlining the staff structure by removing positions maintained without clearly defined responsibilities, and restructuring the coaching structure that had become excessively large.
The committee believes that these steps will streamline the use of funds and allow greater financial provision to be directed towards player development and sustainable cricket facilities.
Providing relief
The committee has also taken steps to provide relief to Sri Lanka Cricket employees and clubs that were unfairly penalised or disadvantaged during previous administrations.
The aim of this programme is to strengthen mutual understanding and build trust between Sri Lanka Cricket, its employees, member clubs and other relevant stakeholders.
Closing note
The Cricket Transformation Committee believes that the steps implemented so far are important steps in transforming Sri Lankan cricket as well as in building the structures needed to develop the game at every level.
The committee's aim is to make Sri Lanka Cricket a world-class brand and to lay the strong foundation needed to secure its standing.
As the transformation process moves forward, further measures will be introduced to progress towards its intended goal.
Meanwhile, it remains committed to maintaining transparency at Sri Lanka Cricket and to continuously keeping the public informed of the developments taking place.
ThePapare is ready to bring you all the hottest news from the local and international cricket arena — stay with ThePapare, Sri Lanka's number one sports channel.
Based on ThePapare reporting