On February 21, 2021 the Sunday Observer exclusively highlighted that 12 men of high integrity lodged a Petition in the Appeal Court in a major push to salvage Sri Lanka’s cricket that was sliding towards disaster.
They were branded the 12 Apostles, a Biblical reference, and among them were the world’s greatest bowler Muttiah Muralidaran, retired Supreme Court Judge Saleem Marsoof, a most honoured ex-cricket secretary S Skandakular, another former cricket secretary turned public welfare crusader Kushil Gunasekera, two cricketing gentlemen of the highest order Sidat Wettimuny and Michael Tissera and a former bank chairman with an unblemished standing Rienzie Wijetilleke who once successfully headed an Interim Committee to stamp out corruption in cricket.
In their Petition to the Court of Appeal against power abuse, nepotism, cronyism, dishonesty and corruption, they unanimously stated: “Sri Lanka’s cricket is seriously ill and requires immediate surgery. It (Constitution) is severely conflicted between clubs and country. This system encourages the office bearers to take decisions mostly to satisfy its voter base (clubs) causing the playing standards of Sri Lanka Cricket to deteriorate”.
