More brickbats and bouncers are finding space on the bandwagon in the anti-corruption drive against Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) as controversial Sports Minister Harin Fernando found himself blown offside on a court order and the final call for a clean-up gathering steam.
While former captain of the 1996 World Cup winning team and firebrand critic Arjuna Ranatunga re-launched his onslaught on SLC this week at a public meeting, the retired Tillekaratne Dilshan, a T20 World Cup hero, became the latest political crusader against corruption.
More ex- World Cup champions are expected to get on board for the final fling after Chaminda Vaas and Hashan Tillekaratne made their intensions clear last week.
“Taking the Auditor General’s Report into account, all Parliamentarians agreed SLC is corrupt and I have a duty to join the call for change.
“We as cricketers fighting to clean up corruption have to make sure we are on the right platform and more of us are expected to join in”, Ranatunga said at a public meeting in Kalutara this week.
He made no secret that the clean-up campaign meant purging SLC of corrupt elements lock, stock and barrel and his re-entry this week into active politics in the run-up to next month’s Presidential election was not co-incidental.
“I left the political stage ten years ago, but now I am back as someone who had been battling corruption and roguish behaviour for many years. Already we have three (former) captains on board and there will be more”, said Ranatunga who claimed that more people have stopped watching cricket than could be counted at venues.
Ranatunga, after a previous unsuccessful attempt at playing his part to rid SLC of corruption that has been documented in more than one Investigative Report compiled by retired Judges, kept a low profile for many months after his buddy and former Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe was sacked paying the price for his battle against abuse and corruption.
Ranasinghe perhaps had his prayers answered last week when his unpopular successor Harin Fernando was given marching orders on a court order for crossing sides.
