COLOMBO, May 20: Reeling from World Cup defeats, Sri Lanka's cricket establishment got a further jolt in an ongoing court battle over a controversial cricket board election, officials said.A Colombo court ruled yesterday the country's Sports Minister could face contempt charges for interfering with the working of the cricket board and World Cup squad, court officials said.The two contestants in the election for board president are fighting a court battle after the losing candidate alleged his supporters were physically prevented from casting their votes. Pending trial, Judge AW Salam had suspended the working of the cricket board. That decision came just three weeks before the team was to leave for the World Cup in England, cutting off financing for its participation in the tournament.Sri Lanka's Sports minister DMSB Dissanayake intervened, offering funding from his ministry while the board was barred from taking financial decisions.Now, the Colombo district court has objected to Dissanayake'sintervention. Judge Salam's ruling came on a petition by Clifford Ratwatte, who lost the board election.
