Greig stirs up Lankan pot

Controversial: The main target is Greig who said on the show that his choice of people to head the administration would be Thilanga Sumathipala whose election to the cricket Board this year was controversial and is now the subject of a court battle or Upali Dharmadasa, the Board president from 1996 to 1998.

He had no good words for the interim committee that now runs Sri Lankan cricket, and which 8212; in popular perception 8212; has done a tremendous job to give the game ashot in the arm after the side8217;s World Cup debacle earlier this year.

Instead, Greig ran down the very idea of interim committees which he said were ineffective, as had been proved in Pakistan.

Greig, more forthcoming than Thomson or Hookes during the programme, also criticised the Sri Lankan selectors for dropping senior players Arjuna Ranatunga and Aravinda de Silva from the one-day team in the recent triangular against India and Australia.

Vested interests8217;: Before the programme, Greig was 8220;our man8221; to Sri Lankans because he often openly supported their side. But the programme has set off insinuations about his 8220;vested interests8221;.

One letter-writer warned Greig from 8220;trifling with the eligibility8221; of the interim committee 8220;represented by men of the highest integrity and ability8221;, to administer the game.

8220;In a relatively short term since they assumed office, Sri Lanka cricket has taken a positive turn, and this has been lauded by those genuinely interested in the welfare ofthe game,8221; he wrote.

Stick to commentary8217;: The letter writer said Greig would be well advised to 8220;confine yourself to commenting on the game, which you do more than competently, and leave the internal affairs of Sri Lanka cricket to those legitimately appointed to administer it. If not, it may not be long before the ICC is compelled to draft a code of conduct for commentators as well.8221;

Another blasted Greig for his 8220;sponsorship of causes8217; backed by Sumathipala and Ranatunga8221;.

Well-known cricket writer Mahinda Wijesinghe asked if 8220;from now on8221; Greig8217;s credibility would hold when he took over the commentary box at matches.

Some of the ire was also directed at those behind the programme. One letter questioned if Sri Lankan commentators could 8220;manoeuvre8221; invitations for themselves to appear on Australian TV to advise the Australian Cricket Board how to manage its affairs.

It concluded that would not happen because 8220;Australians are not stupid, they do not have a stooge to askforeigners loaded questions calculated to embarrass their own officials8221;.

Members of the interim committee have not reacted officially to Greig8217;s comments, but one said on condition of anonymity that they were 8220;in bad taste8221; and should have been avoided.