By Srian Obeyesekere
Shammi Silva’s reelection uncontested for a record fourth term to head the country’s citadel of cricket took on a solemn and sober air before the cricket family drawn from the clubs as the sharp shooting and genial cricketing colossus sauntered to the podium for this traditionally historic occasion of reelecting members from the clubs for a new term to administer Sri Lanka Cricket to the throb of typical stop play beat music.rhythm to go with the center peice occasion yesterday at Colombo’s Cinnamon Grand auditorium.
Indeed, this grand man of cricket, who has, best put in cricketing terminology, batted a long trail to ensuring that the game is firmly rooted from the grassroots level the length snd breath of the four corners pf Sri Lanka, was yesterday the big draw so roundly accepted by all members in an unanimity their very body language displayed as the cricketing guru ambled to taking his seat with the officially appointed officiating committee head table figure losing no time in announcing that Shammi Silva had been reelected for a record fourth term uncontested as President of Sri Lanka Cricket from 2025 to 2027.
The announcement was greeted with loud applause as Shammi’s immediate team rushed to greet and wish him on in his new term as the names of the rest of the SLC office bearers were also announced with Ravin Wickramaratne and Jaysnantha Dharmadasa as vice presidents, Bandula Dissanayake secretary, Chrysantha Kapuwatte assistant secretary, Sujeeva Godaliyadda Treasurer snd Lasantha Wickremesinghe assistant treasurer, all electedg uncontested in a one horse race.
The unanimous verdict delivered by the cricketing fold of the clubs that matter to administering the sport was indeed a vindication of the unprecedented and overwhelming backing behind Shammi Silva and his team in a further endorsement of a great job done. It by and large told the story that Shammi was their man to carry the country’s cricket further to putting the right muscle on the performing players that matter in the international big arena.