Sidath Wettimuny opens up on trying term as SLC Head

As he reaches the end of his tenure as Chairman of the Interim Committee to Sri Lanka Cricket, Sidath Wettimuny sat down with the Daily FT and discussed the committee’s achievements over the past six months as well as his hopes for Sri Lanka Cricket going forward following the SLC elections.

In a candid interview Wettimuny spoke of the need for a change to the SLC constitution, the need to stem the cycle of politicisation with regards to administration, and his desire to see Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara play a leading role in the future of the sport. Following are excerpts:

By Madushka Balasuriya

Q: You have been heading this interim committee for most of the year, how would you rate the last six months?

A: If you ask me am I happy, I would say I am very happy because as we started we sorted out a lot of areas. As we started we separated the different areas, we knew finance was a problem and we said we had to be really careful with finances, we have to cut back. First we needed to resolve the debt and the financial crisis we were in, and then also we needed to think of next year because next year is not great for income. So what we felt is, when we leave we must leave behind a decent cash flow situation knowing that next year there is only one inbound tour. That and the World T20 and the Asia Cup.

So the finances aren’t great, whereas if you look at 2017 there is a lot of money due. So we have thought about that. And we also made sure to significantly cut down the debt; we had a debt of $ 7.8 million to the ICC and the Bank of Ceylon, today I’m told we have Rs. 53 million to pay back. We had an overdraft of Rs. 207 million, now we have money in the bank. And we have $ 4.6 million with the ICC which is ours, which comes in slowly but I am hoping that I can leave nearly that whole thing for the next committee to run things. We have cut down lots of areas of cost because that’s something we really had to control. So if you look at our accounts you will really appreciate better what we have done.

Q: So the financial revival is something you’re quite proud of, what about on the sporting side?

A: I’m very happy with how our first team is playing. You know as we took over we had a lot of issues, I was hearing about so many problem areas but I always said come the West Indian tour we will resolve most of our issues and have everything under control; we have a very good management team now, we have a trainer who is doing a super job, we have a coach who is an employee of the board but still doing very well, we have a cricket team which is very happy – if you talk to them you can find out for yourself – and I think they will continue to make progress.

I think within a year or so we will have a really good team. We would have replaced some of our star players and within a year we will, if we go sensibly, end up having a really good unit. Meanwhile in Ladies cricket, as you know, we had loads of problems. We have cleared up all that, we have a very happy bunch there as well, progressing well, working hard – again if you speak to them, you can find out first-hand what they think.

"We would have replaced some of our star players and within a year we will, if we go sensibly, end up having a really good unit.

There needs to be a culture change about food and we’re going in to that whole area of nutrition, new food habits… training regimes have changed, and we have a young, happy bunch.

In a system like this I would need to be mad to contest (in the SLC elections).

The problem is when you have such a politicised system, as you come in you have to make sure you look after the people you brought in and then three months before you go you have to make sure you look after the guys who are going to vote you in next. It’s crazy.

If we allow Mahela and Sanga to run our cricket committee and run our cricket, we’re in good hands."

Q: Team satisfaction is an interesting point that you mention. Angelo Mathews has gone on the record backing Jerome Jayaratne for a permanent coaching role, what can you reveal on that front?

A: You see Jerome has agreed to go on until the end of the T20 World Cup, and what he says is and what I also thought is, let the new committee decide which way they want to go from there. He needs to be comfortable, the new board will need to be comfortable and they can take a decision based on what they feel is the best decision going forward.

Q: Can you give us an update on some of the infrastructure development that has taken place in the last six months?

A: In 2002 when I was in the second interim committee we decided to go ahead and do the 18 practice wickets at Kettarama. Since then, only in 2015 we have now decided to build an indoor facility and a pool for rehabilitation, which is only 13 years later! And one would have thought that that was a basic necessity, a no-brainer. But alas we have gone ahead and now started that. We have started the same facilities in Pallekele and Dambulla, because we can’t run meaningful training or any programs if you don’t have the facilities.

Now on a rainy day you just need an indoor facility. To me those are fundamentals, and all we have done is looked into those fundamentals and set them in place. We have also ordered gyms for the five main venues in the country, they will be in place by December/January; and these are cricket related gyms, not fancy gyms with numerous pieces of equipment but specific equipment aimed at cricketers planned by Michael Main. This is so that at any given time we can run any training program, and play at any venue with the full confidence that our players will be provided all the facilities they need.

Q: Speaking of fitness, is there now a culture of fitness being created for our players?

A: I’ll tell you we had a problem in that area but since Michael Main has taken over we are doing superbly. He is a fantastic trainer and he is doing a superb job; it’s an ongoing thing, as he himself has said, there needs to be a culture change about food and we’re going in to that whole area of nutrition, new food habits… training regimes have changed, and we have a young, happy bunch. They don’t have any complaints at the moment, and that’s one thing I’ve always done: kept a very close rapport with the players and the management.

Because I know how it was when I was when I was a player. The key thing is, at the end of the day, this is all about cricket. So I regularly talk to the coach, the captain, the manager and keep a very close watch on how the cricket is going.

Q: You’ve previously spoken about the importance of soft skills; how is that going?

A: Excellent. Now that is one of those programs which I feel whoever comes will continue. It would be a sheer crime if they don’t. Because, you see, the background of a lot of our players is very straight and narrow, you know they play cricket but they don’t do too much more. But you can’t blame them for that either; today to become a top player you have to spend most of your time playing cricket. But it is incumbent on the board, on us, to make sure we give them the rest of what is needed to give them the confidence to go out there and play.

In view of that we got this soft skills program where we cover 11 subjects. This is ongoing, every week we have something happening, from etiquette to grooming to yoga to sports psychology to, you name it, banking and finance – different, different areas. That is something we must promote and I hope (the newly elected board), even if there’s nothing else, they do this. Because nobody can deny that this is essential. We teach them cricket history, how to speak with a mic, how to face an interview; all these things we need to do because what you do out in the middle is a reflection of the confidence you have, your belief etc.

And that soft skills program is really very good. We have had a sports psychologist with us for the last three months; he goes on until the end of November. He’s done a wonderful job working with the employees of this organisation, working with our ladies cricketers, our under 19 cricketers, a lot of the A-team guys, a few of the first team guys, as well as a few of the coaches. You know teaching them to be positive and how to be a happy human being. That’s going on and that will go on until the end of this month.

Those are programs that we need to periodically do; I think periodically we need to bring in fresh thinking, fresh knowledge. We brought in Jonty Rhodes to teach our coaches on certain coaching skills, I’m sure they’re benefitting and that knowledge will then enhance their own knowledge. Likewise – even though now it’s too late for us to do anything – we were actually looking at trying to bring Wasim Akram here. If you’re thinking cricket, those are the things you should do.

I’m trying hard to get Shane Warne to maybe look at (Jeffrey) Vandersay; he’s a very good leg-spinner. So those are the cricket related things we need to do, and I’m hoping that can be done even during this period. The focus has been cricket.

Q: It’s interesting that so much depends on these upcoming elections. The lack of continuity has long been an issue for Sri Lanka Cricket, can you give any reassuring words that this time things maybe different?

A: Unfortunately I can’t give you any such guarantee (laughs) if I do I would be lying. I can only hope.

Q: Is there going to be any sort of vetting process for candidates applying to contest in the upcoming SLC elections?

A: We have nothing to do with that. That is entirely in the hands of the Sports Ministry. We are just temporary custodians of cricket, they will handle it.

Q: What impression do you get so far from the new Sports Minister, as far as doing right by Sri Lanka Cricket?

A: I can only hope so; he is very passionate about the game. But as far as who is going to contest and who is going to win, I don’t know and I don’t think even he knows.

Q: Can you elaborate on what the system in place is for the voting process?

A: I was told that the one thing they’ve done is they’re going to have a show of hands rather than a secret ballot. There will be 147 votes, which I think is absurd. We have the biggest voting system in this world and I think it’s a joke. There are also 22 people who sit around a board table, which is crazy. These are the problems, and unless we address them we will periodically have these issues.

Q: What do you think needs to be done to effect these changes?

A: You see my thinking is we must change our constitution. Without changing the constitution we are tinkering with the fringes; we need a change in our constitution which will bring in the right people in and the right number in. We have a highly politicised system it’s sad to say, which doesn’t do our cricket any good. The problem is when you have such a politicised system, as you come in you have to make sure you look after the people you brought in and then three months before you go you have to make sure you look after the guys who are going to vote you in next. It’s crazy.

And I always say the clear sign that our constitution is not right is the fact that we have had so many interim committees; this is my seventh interim committee believe it or not! I’m an interim specialist [laughs] it is crazy. And even the ICC guys have asked us to change our constitution. They’ve actually given us the South African and the Irish constitution which they say is very good. We’re looking at it and we will make a proposal. I want to give it anytime now to the Minister of Sport and the Prime Minister of the country so that if they’re keen to look at something that is really meaningful they should look at this.

Q: Would you say the streamlined way SLC has been run in the past six months was a better way of running things?

A: Absolutely. You know we go through a cricket committee; it’s their proposal that comes to the interim committee. And then at the interim committee we have Kapila Wijegunawardene who is also the chairman of selectors, we explain to the interim committee and then they buy in to it. They would voice their opinion if they had any concerns but it was the cricket committee who had thought through the whole process. There’s a cricket committee to think of cricket affairs and you need people with the right background to discuss cricket. And I must say we’ve had a very harmonious committee.

Q: Are you not thinking of contesting in the upcoming elections?

A: Never. I’ve never wanted to.

Q: But it’s the same job you’re doing now, why wouldn’t you contest?

A: Because I have always believed that I would serve when invited and not by trying to beat somebody at a ballot.

Q: What if someone were to invite you to contest?

A: I won’t. In a system like this I would need to be mad to contest.

Q: Alright, so are you saying we should just cross our fingers and hope for continuity?

A: That’s up to you’ll (the media) to make sure there is continuity. I really hope, and I’ve said this to the honourable minister as well, don’t change this format. If you change it, what we’re starting with this Elite Championship and the branding, I really think it should continue for a few years. And the other real wish I have – I’ve had Mahela (Jayawardene) working very closely, while Kumar (Sangakkara) has also been supportive – is that we must use these two guys going forward.

You see if we don’t, the sad thing is some other cricket board will grab. They’re already trying! And it would be a shame. It is guys like Mahela and Kumar that we must use; they are two top products which other countries will grab. Whoever comes in must be big enough to say, ‘I do invite them to come and run our cricket’. If we allow Mahela and Sanga to run our cricket committee and run our cricket, we’re in good hands. That’s what I would say; the rest they can muck around but get Mahela and Sanga to do the cricket.

But that’s the sad thing in our country, sometimes even when the obvious move is staring us in the face we don’t do it. Let’s see whether that happens.

Pix by Upul Abayasekara