Kumar Sangakkara

Sangakkara received a standing ovation after delivering the annual Spirit of Cricket Colin Cowdrey Lecture on the history of cricket in Sri Lanka,

History of cricket

He marked the history from the time when Sri Lanka emerged as a test-match playing nation, their 1996 World Cup triumph and the triumphs and tribulations of the young cricketing nation.

In his hour long speech, former captain Sangakkara, attacked the way the cricket is run in Sri Lanka, a move that brought immediate response back in Sri Lanka.

"He is a contract player. He has signed an agreement with Sri Lanka Cricket and he can't make a statement like that," Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage had told Reuters news agency.

Minister's statement

Former captain did not obtain permission to give a speech about the cricket, said the minister.

	Kumar Sangakkara

The Ministry of Sports issued a statement on Tuesday saying, that the Minister of Sports, Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage has instructed Mr. Upali Dharmadasa, the new Chairman of the Sri Lanka Cricket Interim Committee to submit his observations on the speech delivered by Kumar Sangakkara.

"Players from within the team itself became involved in power games within the board," Sangakkara said. "Officials elected to power in this way in turn manipulated player loyalty to achieve their own ends. At times board politics would spill over into the team causing rift, ill feeling and distrust”.

Cricket administration

Sri Lanka is among three countries that have been given up to two years to reorganise their boards after the International Cricket Council ordered its members to free themselves from government interference or face sanctions.

Players from within the team itself became involved in power games within the board Sangakkara

Sangakkara, who resigned as Sri Lanka captain after their World Cup final defeat to India in April, said cricket in his country had "no consistent and clear administration".

Cronies

"After 1996, the cricket board has been controlled and administered by a handful of well-meaning individuals either personally or by proxy rotated in and out depending on appointment or election," Sangakkara said.

	kumar Sangakkara

"Unfortunately to consolidate and perpetuate their power, they opened the door of the administration to partisan cronies that would lead to corruption and wonton waste of cricket board finances and resources.

"We have to aspire for better administration. The administration needs to adopt the same values enshrined by the team over the years; integrity, transparency, commitment, and discipline." Kumar Sangakkara said in his address at Lords.