Ashantha de Mel resigns

By Shehan Daniel

The Chairman of the national cricket Selection Committee Ashantha de Mel has resigned from the post, for "personal reasons". 

De Mel, who last week stepped down as Team Manager citing the same reason, confirmed his resignation to the Daily Mirror on Wednesday.

"I have informed the SLC CEO (Ashley de Silva), that I am stepping down," de Mel said. 

However, de Silva told the Daily Mirror that he was not informed of such a decision by de Mel, or the Sports Ministry.  

“We have not been told so far,” de Silva said. “He needs to inform the Sports Minister.”  

The Sports Minister appoints the selection committee on the nominations made by SLC.

Daily Mirror sought the clarification from de Mel moments after the SLC CEO claimed to be unaware of the decision – and a considerable time after the news broke – and de Mel said that he had not informed the Ministry. 

“If SLC wants me to write to the Minister, then I will do that, but as of now I have informed SLC,” he said.

De Mel only last month had his tenure as Chairman of Selectors extended by Sports Minister Namal Minister Namal Rajapaksa, as part of an extended seven-member panel that would overlook selections of junior and women’s cricket as well, but came under-fire for his selections following the Test series defeats to South Africa and England.

He was first appointed to the post in 2012 and was reappointed by former Sports Minister Faiszer Musthapha in 2018 after dismissing the Graeme Labrooy-led panel.