Xtra Time Web Desk: Sri Lankan cricketers will be touring England without signing any contract with the Cricket Board. Kushal Perera and his boys have agreed to travel to England after the Sri Lankan Cricket Board served an ultimatum to sign a declaration by 3 pm on Tuesday. Coach Mickey Arthur and Director of Cricket Tom Moody were entrusted to talk to the players after meeting between SLC President Shammi Silva & Vice President Jayantha Dharmadasa with ODI captain Kusal Perera & vice captain Kusal Mendis failed to bear any fruit.
According to sources, the player contract dispute sorted out temporarily as players take one step back and agreed to sign England tour declaration. The parties are now waiting for an amendment to it before signing. The annual contract issue to be negotiated once the cricketers return from the tour of England.
The cricketers had been showing resistance towards the contracts, which they felt lack transparency and does not adequately compensate senior players.
“This is the transparency the players had been requesting from the outset,” ESPNcricinfo quoted the players’ lawyer Nishan Premathiratne as saying.
“They will play this tour without signing any contract. They have signed a voluntary declaration, but there’s nothing there about player remuneration. They have always been committed to playing for Sri Lanka,” he added.
According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, performance and fitness are the two key criteria that form 70 per cent of a player’s overall mark as per the new proposed scheme. And 10 per cent each for leadership, professionalism, and future potential/adaptability.
Sri Lanka will leave for England on Tuesday evening and will lock horns in three T20Is and three ODIs, beginning June 23