This means the Interim Committee, its members selected by the government, will continue to be in charge of the administration of cricket in Sri Lanka.

Sports minister Jeewan Kumaratunga told the Daily News: "This is not the time to have elections.

"We have the South African team coming here for a Test series next week and we have to work with a vision with next year's World Cup in mind."

The Interim Committee is currently headed by Jayantha Dharmadasa, and he was expected to contest the elections against Mohan de Silva, former SLC president.

De Silva said: "Had the elections been held our team would have won comfortably."

The news does at least end the confusion over the scheduling of the first four matches of the August triangular tournament involving India and South Africa.