Srilanka cricket

SLC, top SL players at loggerheads over
central contract
Sri Lankan cricket was embroiled in more
turmoil as the board Sri Lanka Cricket
(SLC) sent out a message to the selectors
advising them not to include any player
who is yet to sign a central contract for
the home series against Bangladesh.
As
many as 23 top players, including the likes
of former skipper, Kumar Sangakkara, Test
skipper Angelo Mathews and T20I captain
Dinesh Chandimal, may miss out on being
selected for the series which starts on
Friday.
The SLC is said to have held a number of
meetings with the players but none of
them helped resolve the matter.
Nishantha Ranatunga, secretary of the SLC,
confirmed that only players who have
signed the contracts will be eligible to play
for the National team.
"We can only select players who have
contracts with SLC," Ranatunga was
quoted as saying by Daily Mirror.
"If the players who had been offered
contracts refuse to sign it on time, then we
will have to take a serious decision.
We
might be forced to select some other
players for the Bangladesh tour."
"SLC Ex-Co has taken an official decision
not to recognise the Cricketers'
Association. We have no business with the
officials of a purported Association
because we deal directly with players,"
Ranatunga said.
The players are said to have raised
objection over the adding of new clauses
to their contract. The main problem with
the players is said to be the inclusion of a
clause which has a no-pay agreement with
players who have a contract with Indian
Premier League(IPL) franchisees. The
BCCI had earlier refused permission for its
players to play in the Sri Lanka Premier
League(SLPL) and the players feel that it
could be a way of trying to get back at the
Indian Board. The SLC has not included
any other domestic competition, save for
the IPL, in their clause.
The is not the first time the Board and the
players have been at loggerheads over the
issue. The issue had first popped up in
July 2012, with then skipper, Mahela
Jayawardene threatening that his players
will not take part in the SLPL of the issue
was not settled.