Dayasiri to act on Malinga’s charges

Minister of Sports Dayasiri Jayasekera has appointed a special committee to probe certain charges brought to his notice by Sri Lankan pace bowler Lasith Malinga. Malinga made these comments against certain officials of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), during the brainstorming session held recently by the Ministry of Sports. Sources said the Minister has appointed an Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Sports and the SLC officer attached to the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit to this committee.

Malinga who attended the said sessions had told the Minister that certain pitches sought by the national team during their recently concluded series against India, had not been provided to them by the officials concerned.
Malinga had charged that when the team had demanded a pitch with grass they had been supplied a pitch without grass and various excuses had been given for taking such measures.

The Sri Lanka fast bowler had told Minister Jayasekera that when things such as those are not provided to the players, they tend to lose confidence. He charged that no action had been taken against SLC officials over such shortcomings.
Malinga also criticized the work rendered by SLC High
Performance Manager Simon Willis. He had wanted the Minister to look into the shortcomings of SLC officials as well, instead of taking players to task regularly over their dismal performances.

Meanwhile, it is also learnt that certain Sri Lanka players who had attended the session had left before its conclusion and the Minister has ordered the SLC to submit a list of all players who had shunned the session held recently to revive the flagging fortunes of the national team.