Ashley de Silva appointed acting CEO of SLC

ESPNCricinfo: Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has appointed Ashley de Silva to the position of acting CEO, with a view to giving him the official position in six months, SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga has confirmed. De Silva has been SLC’s director of cricket operations since 2008, and replaces Ajit Jayasekara, who retires at the end of the month.

“Like in any organisation we will give him a probation period, which will be around six months, and at the end of that we hope he will be CEO permanently,” Ranatunga said.

Sri Lanka’s first Test captain Bandula Warnapura, had emerged as the early frontrunner for the position, but was later disqualified due to his age. Warnapura turned 60 in March, falling foul of an SLC rule that has enforced employees’ retirement at 60 since 2009.

He will continue in his present job as development manager for the Asian Cricket Council.

In addition to de Silva’s experience as director of cricket operations, he also managed Sri Lanka’s Under-19 side on an assignment basis before 2008, and was the general manager of private communication company Suntel for five years.

He played as a wicketkeeper batsman for Colombo Cricket Club from 1984 to 1996, and appeared in three Tests and four ODIs for Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s youth cricket coach, Carlton Bernadaus, has been appointed to the director of cricket operations role that de Silva vacated.