Sri Lankans get wages promise

Sri Lanka’s players have received promises they’ll be paid before next week’s first Test against South Africa after going nine months without salaries as their national board ran up debts of $69 million.

Captain Tillakaratne Dilshan said that Sri Lanka Cricket told him the problems would be resolved ahead of the series opener starting next Thursday at Centurion. Sri Lanka’s cricketers have not been paid since March because of the national body’s financial difficulties, providing a constant distraction to their on-field performances. The team has lost three straight Test series since the issue of unpaid salaries surfaced – to England, Australia and Pakistan – and are in South Africa to play a three-match series, where they haven’t won a test before.

“We have had discussions – myself and the cricket association – the last few weeks and they promised they will sort it out next week,” Dilshan said in Benoni, where Sri Lanka plays an invitation team in a warm-up match this weekend.

Sri Lankan cricket’s problems stem from its co-hosting of the World Cup this year, when the board had to pay for new stadiums and upgrade existing facilities. Sri Lanka Cricket is now relying on money owed to it by the International Cricket Council for hosting the World Cup so it can pay its players.

The Federation of International Cricketers’ Association said last month that Sri Lanka owes its cricketers $6 million in contract payments and match fees since the World Cup ended.

But despite going nearly a year without their salaries, members of the Sri Lanka team – which reached the World Cup final – have shown remarkable patience with their national board.

“We are professional cricketers. We try to play good cricket. Everyone wants to play cricket,” Dilshan said. “We are not worried about the payments. Yes, we know payment is important but we have come here to play cricket. That’s the main target.”

Sri Lanka’s sports minister said on Tuesday that 65 per cent of the contract payments owed to the players will be made next week when Sri Lanka Cricket receives $1.8 million from the ICC.