Several leading cricket clubs in Sri Lanka are facing serious difficulties due to delays in the payment of tournament expenses and player allowances by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Lankasara learns.
Only a small portion of the payments due to clubs for the recently concluded Under-23 tournament has been released. As a result, many clubs have been unable to pay their players’ match allowances, even weeks after the tournament ended.
Adding to their woes, the top-tier tournament is scheduled to begin at the end of this month, but even the premier clubs are struggling to secure funds for training pitches and stadium reservations. Traditionally, the Cricket Board provides advance payments to clubs before the start of the top-tier tournament; however, this year, that has not occurred.
Several club officials told Lankasara that the Cricket Board claims it currently has no funds available.
It has raised concern among the cricket community that the same Cricket Board, planning to construct several new stadiums, including the proposed Jaffna International Stadium, appears unable to settle basic financial obligations to the country’s top cricket clubs.
All tournaments organized by the Cricket Board are managed by its Tournament Committee, chaired by Nalin Aponsu.
