Officials abducted, released ahead of murky cricket election

“Hooligans had attacked the officials and disrupted the meeting of the Badulla District Cricket Board and… It was reported that they (members) had been abducted,” said Dhammika Ranatunga, chief executive of BCCSL. Ranatunga added he knew only what the police told him.

No arrests have been made. No eyewitness could give a detailed description of the abductors.

Ranatunga said he ordered cancellation of the meeting, which was to elect district officials for the March 28 election in Colombo. Badulla, in Central Sri Lanka, is about 230 kilometres east of Colombo.

Ranatunga, who is the elder brother of captain Arjuna Ranatunga, is supporting Sumathipala in the elections. Last week, Clifferd Ratwatte, Kumaratunga’s uncle, said he would be a candidate for the president’s post. Ratwatte has denied official backing, but many Sri Lankan cricket officials say the government wants him to be elected to the post.

The majority of the present office bearers in district boards are said to be supporters of Sumathipala and Ratwatte is canvassing to get his people elected to the regional bodies before the crucial vote in Colombo.

District board officials have voting rights in the selection of the National board, and the eighteen districts will each send several voters.

Sunday’s election of office bearers to the Board is viewed as the most crucial and hottest since the country gained Test status in 1981. With Sri Lanka winning the World Cup in March 1996, the administration of the game became highly politicised with the top post now considered to be one of the most influential positions in the country.