Thilanga Sumathipala has taken revenge on Malinga! -- Ranjan

Thilanga Sumathipala has taken revenge on Malinga! -- Ranjan

As a result of the incumbent chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket taking revenge on cricketer Lasith Malinga the distinguished player, the country has lost a player of value; state minister Ranjan Ramanayaka said yesterday at a media briefing

held yesterday at Madiwela.

This is what he said: "I am not saying these things with anger or vengeance. I too am a cricket fan. Cricketers, media people and the public are with me. My character is to throw my voice about crooks ... catching the crooks. Whether I fail in that task or not -- history will decide. But there is respect by revealing about crooks and losing face and losing the battle with crooks more than in sleeping with crooks and engaging in fraudulent activities.

In this battle too I may lose. I have not been involved in any fraud. Therefore I am taking this battle rightalong. According to cricketing laws Mr. Thilanga Sumathipala has no right to occupy the main chair of Sri Lanka Cricket. Mr. Sumathipala is the owner of a media institution. Apart from that he even imports sports goods. Those involved in betting are against the law of sports. I don't know what profits minister Dayasiri draws ... by placing him in that main chair.

We were in number three in cricket. Now we are in number eight or nine. That happened at the time minister Dayasiri and Mr. Thilanga Sumathipala was there. If there is any shame ... would not contest again. If possessing a spinal column, a backbone and modesty ... won't contest this time. Investigations were conducted on Sri Lanka about corruption allegations, by the ICC. Even I was questioned. I also told what I knew. Revenge was taken on Lasith Malinga. We all know it ... why we tasted defeat during the past. If the media do not speak about this ... then there is something.

I will tell names of 11 media correspondents. How foreign trips were made. How 7500 each was taken for an article. There are four whose names were taken and they are with us. What they said was 'we'll beg, don't mention our names!' There are two categories called minor frauds and big frauds. I am not going behind small frauds.

Today I sit alone. In future I hope to sit together with prominent players. What I ask this gentleman is to give up. That is to save cricket. It is enough causing this much of ruin. Bid goodbye and give it to a proper person".