The growing vulnerability of the third season of the Indian Premier League tournament has put Colombo’s cricket hierarchy in a tentative mood.
Reports reaching from India state that even the head of security for the Indian Premier League has conceded that safety cannot be guaranteed following the threat by Al-Qaeda.
The Australian daily the Age stated Bob Nicholls, boss of Nicholls Steyn and Associates which is running the security operation for the tournament, said organizers would have to reconsider hosting the IPL should the threat supersede safety strategies.
Bad memories…….Sri Lanka batsman Thilan Samaraweera who scored twin double hundreds in Pakistan arrives in Sri Lanka with gun shot injuries in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the Lankan team bus at Lahore. |
Here in Sri Lanka SLC has handed over the dossier to their security chief Major General Lawrence Fernando to study the situation and report back.
SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga speaking to the Sunday Times said “We are concerned about the situation and are watching all developments and also have had a chat with the National cricket captain Kumar Sangakkara on the issue. Besides that whoever the Lankan cricketers who are still remaining with the IPL when Sri Lanka leaves the island to take part in the T20 World Cup in the West Indies will have to travel directly from India and this is another concern of ours”.
Sri Lankan cricketers were at the receiving end in Pakistan in early 2009 when they faced a terrorist attack on the team bus they were traveling in Lahore.
Back home finally the ACC has firmly said that the 2010 version of the Asia Cup Cricket tournament will happen in Sri Lanka from the 15 to 28th of June with only the big four – India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh taking part.
The tournament will comprise of seven matches and is scheduled to be held at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium.
Then speaking about Sanath Jayasuriya opting to contest the forthcoming general elections Ranatunga said that the present constitution does not prevent any cricketer from doing so and they have given him the green light to go ahead.
Finally SLC Interim Committee also has decided to appoint former National cricket captain Anura Tennekoon as the National Cricket Manager till the next World Cup.
Tennekoon who is at present a national cricket selector will in all probabilities swap the positions with Brendon Kuruppu, the present manager. |
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