Winning the World Cup was Sri Lanka's greatest day

Former World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga is to seek the presidency of Sri Lanka's cricket board.

He will stand for election on 6 June against former president Thilanga Sumathipala.

Ranatunga retired three years ago after an 18-year international career.

The 39-year-old subsequently entered politics and was elected to parliament for the People's Alliance party in 2001.

Ranatunga's candidacy follows his successful challenge against a government proposal to prohibit members of parliament from holding office sports bodies.

He argued that such a rule was a "violation" of his rights.

The office of president will be voted for by the Board's 147 member clubs and associations.

It will be the first time Sri Lankan cricket has been run by an elected body since the previous Board, led by Sumathipala, was dissolved by the government in March 2001 amid alleghations of financial irregularities.

RANATUNGA FACTFILE Born: Colombo 1.12.1963 Made Test debut as a schoolboy against England in 1982, scoring 54 in his first innings Scored 5,105 Test runs and 7,456 in one-day internationals Won 12 out of 56 Tests as captain and 89 out of 193 ODIs, including the 1996 World Cup final v Australia

A series of interim committees have administered the game on the island since then.

Ranatunga's election is far from a formality, however, with Sumathipala seen by many as a man of vision, capable of increasing the county's influence in world cricket.

The build of the Rangiri Stadium at Dambulla was his pet project during his previous period in office, an inland ground which is not subject to the same seasonal climate changes which affect traditional venues in Colombo, Kandy and Galle.

But the stadium has been embroiled in financial and land leasing disputes and last weekend staged a one-day international for the first time since its inaugural match two years ago.

Ranatunga's former team-mate Aravinda de Silva has, meanwhile, been elected unopposed as vice-president.

De Silva is the greatest batsman in Sri Lankan cricket history and recently became a national selector after retiring following the World Cup in South Africa.

"Cricket has given me so much, I feel now is the time to give some of it back to the game," he said.