Charith Senanayake appointed manager

Former Sri Lanka cricketer Charith Senanayake, a teammate of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) interim committee chairman Arjuna Ranatunga at Ananda College and also in the national team was appointed yesterday as the new manager of the Sri Lanka cricket team ending a prolonged controversy over the post just on the eve of the first cricket test starting today against India.

The interim committee members who met at the SLC headquarters in a lengthy meeting agreed unanimously to the appointment of 45-year-old former left handed Sri Lankan opening batsman, in the nick of time before the Indian tour.

Senanayake who played three tests against New Zealand in Sri Lanka's 1991 tour, also played seven One Day Internationals in 1990 and 91 with moderate success.

Senanayake who is now domiciled in Kenya is in Sri Lanka on holiday and has agreed to take up the assignment for the Indian tour on a contract worth Rs. 75,000, a car and a US $ 50 per diem.

Senanayake earlier attended an interview with SLC for the post of Director – Cricket Operations left vacant by the exit of Bandula Warnapura, but declined to accept the job as the offered remuneration was low.

Senanayake's 12-year-old son Sanjay represented Kenya Under 15 in the CLICO International cricket tournament in the West Indies in April this year.

SLC earlier appointed Hashan Tillekratne as the national team manager replacing Air Vice Marshal Shriyan Samararatne, but sports minister Gamini Lokuge refused to ratify the appointment forcing SLC to choose a fresh manager and plunging the affair into a controversy.