"Start winning games rather than complaining" - Aravinda de Silva to Sri Lankan cricketers over pay dispute
Former Sri Lanka captain and Cricket Committee Chairman Aravinda de Silva has urged the protesting Sri Lankan players to perform instead of complaining over the new contracts.
Sri Lankan cricketers have refused to sign the contracts, alleging Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) hasn’t given them any clarity over how they were assessed and graded. The new contracts have reduced base salaries and introduced performance-based incentives.
On the field, Sri Lanka went down to Bangladesh in the three-match ODI series after losing the first two games in Dhaka. In an apparent reference to the loss, Aravinda de Silva was quoted as saying by dailynews.lk:
“The most important fact is that they should get into the middle and play positive cricket and start winning games for the country rather than complaining. This positive approach will encourage us to consider offering them more benefits, like some of the other countries in our region.”
Aravinda de Silva asserted that there was no reason for the players to complain as the new pay structure is an absolutely fair one. He added:
“The Committee has been very fair to them by infusing additional benefits than before, which is on a performance-based scheme. We discussed this matter in depth before we presented it to the players. Unlike in the past, we have increased the benefits three-fold (300%) than what it was but purely on the team’s performance.”
Collective effort will be rewarded: Aravinda de Silva
Aravinda de Silva, who was the Man of the Match in the 1996 World Cup final for his magnificent 107 not out against Australia, pointed out that the team will be rewarded handsomely if they do well. He elaborated:
“It has to be a collective effort by the whole team. If they win a Test series, we pay them US $ 150,000 which was earlier limited to US $ 50,000. Winning a limited overs series we have offered them US $75,000, which was earlier limited to US $25,000.”
“We also introduced a slab for the T20 format, which also runs up to a maximum of US $ 50,000, which earlier didn't have any rewards at all. Therefore, it is very unfair that our players say that they are not agreeable to this scheme,” Aravinda de Silva concluded.
After 24 revolting players released a statement through Nishan Sydney Premathiratne, Attorney-at-Law, refusing to sign the new contracts, reports have emerged that SLC has set a June 3 deadline for the players to sign on the dotted line.
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