COLOMBO, Feb 8: Sri Lanka’s legendary former cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga, who recently took over the running of the island’s troubled governing body in the sport, on Friday announced a major revamp of the administration.

The outspoken Ranatunga, who won the World Cup in 1996, had been critical of those who had run the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), previously frequently accusing them of mismanagement.

Ranatunga took over the reins of the SLC after being appointed by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse early last month.

“I do not want to delve too much into what has happened in the past. I am keen to put things right through action,” Ranatunga, 44, told reporters here.

He said former players will have a key role in his administration and he had already secured the services of at least three.

Aravinda de Silva, the former star batsman, along with Sidath Wettimuny and Guy de Alwis sit beside Ranatunga in the newly expanded interim committee of the SLC.

“For the first time at the SLC, we are now talking cricket as former cricketers are now showing an interest,” Ranatunga said. Formerly it was largely businessmen who had control.

He said Somachandra de Silva, a star Test leg spinner in Sri Lanka’s early years, had compiled a report to revive the game at junior levels.

The SLC would look at the report with a view to improving the game at grassroots and to generate more interest among young players in the provinces.

Ranatunga recently said the SLC had no money left and was banking on financial support from India to stay afloat.

And prior to taking over he warned that there was a lack of fresh blood coming into the game in Sri Lanka and the country was in danger of being overtaken even by lowly Bangladesh.

On the pitch on Friday there was little to cheer however, the Sri Lankans thrashed by 128 runs in a tri-series game against Australia in Sydney.—AFP