Sport | Cricket
Contract row mars Sri Lanka's return
Sri Lankan cricketers, who registered their first Asia Cup win overseas after beating India in the final in Lahore on Sunday, returned home yesterday morning, amid reports of a row between the players and the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) over the players' contract.
- IANS
- Published: 00:04 July 10, 2008
Colombo: Sri Lankan cricketers, who registered their first Asia Cup win overseas after beating India in the final in Lahore on Sunday, returned home yesterday morning, amid reports of a row between the players and the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) over the players' contract.
The Sri Lankan team, led by skipper Mahela Jayawardena, were offered a red carpet welcome on arrival. Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge, SLC secretary Kagatharan Mathivanan and other cricket board officials received them at the airport.
However, the SLC interim committee chief and former captain, Arjuna Ranatunga who was present at the presentation ceremony in Lahore, was conspicuous by his absence at the airport.
Briefly speaking to the reporters at the airport, Jayawardena said that the Asia Cup win in Lahore was the result of "a fantastic team work".
Meanwhile, a media report revealed yesterday that the Sri Lankan cricketers had taken part in the Asia Cup tournament in the absence of a player contract. It said that the players put the money matters aside holding back the row with administrators to win the first Asia Cup overseas.
According to the report, none of the present Sri Lanka team members are under obligation to the Sri Lankan cricket board and are not duty bound to play for the team as they have signed no contracts to keep up with administrative requirements.
"We could have boycotted the Asia Cup but we wanted to prove a point. Now everyone knows who the wrong-doers are", the Daily Mirror newspaper quoted a player on condition of anonymity.
Some pundits fear that the issue might trigger a crisis before the Test series against Indian starts in mid-July if the players and administrators do not find a meeting point on their respective positions.
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