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The true story behind SL cricket manager mafia..!

-by LeN special reporter

(Lanka-e-News - 09.July.2017, 12.20PM) The pressures brought to bear by the managers of Sri Lankan (SL) cricketers when players for the SL cricket team are  being selected has become a hot theme of discussion these days in the social media, Gossip websites , the face book pages and other media .Though some of these revelations are true , others  are aimed at slinging mud by one faction  at another , as well as  targeting players , and are untrue. It is most unfortunate many are  giving  credence to the exaggerated reports created out of the news tit bits by the bloggers  and on face book pages  .

In the circumstances it is the aim and objective of Lanka e news by this report to bring home to the people the true picture  pertaining to Sri Lankan  cricket management.

Charlie Austin and his arrival 

During the eighties when SL cricket secured test status and until the middle of  the nineties after  SL team won the world cup , no cricketer had his own private manager.  Based on the advice and instructions of the senior players , the junior players managed their affairs. 

The first appointment of a manager to manage the financial and other affairs of players officially began with Charlie Austin a British national.  Before him there were many who performed those tasks unofficially , but those   were not carried out in a professional manner. It is Austin who was  the first to pave the way for agreements between the player and the manager subject to a limited period.  Austin came to SL during the first half of the year 2000.
  
This Austin a youth then who joined the media profession in England  as an assistant to David Hops , a journalist at Guardian newspaper , England first arrived in SL  not as a journalist , but in search of a job. At that time , a senior cricket umpire taking pity on him gave him a room as a lodger  in his house. Austin who found a small job to manage his livelihood , after a while with the support of David Hops  became a Lankan reporter for  Cricinfo  a most popular Sri Lankan website , and thereby he found his way into the media circles  which  led to his close association with many cricketers . 

Austin launched the Austin management Co. thereafter. Austin was able to lure popular and senior cricketers like Mahela and  Sangakkara into the management of his Co.  Mahela’s wife Christina joined to serve in the Co. “ Red Dot Tours’ which was a sister Co. of Austin Management.  Austin who undertook to manage all the affairs of Sangakkara and Mahela is still their manager. Through the management of the finances of these two cricketers , Charlie Austin has earned many millions of rupees..

A great mastermind…

Charlie earned  most of the  money through the IPL tournaments. Based on the 10 % commission he receives by including the SL cricketers and via  the agreements signed , he earns a further many millions of rupees. By now the management of 70 % of SL cricketers is under  Charlie Austin. As of late , the latter is the mastermind and  manager for all our cricket captains  except Dilshan . Angelo Mathews , Rangana Herath and even Lasith Malinga have chosen Charlie as their manager .

Since Charlie collects a commission of 10 % on  the contracts signed by the cricketers through him , he has powers ,if necessary to influence the cricket administration board and  , the selection committee through the cricket captains and senior players who are under his management. Austin who is by now a multi millionaire   owning  a number of properties , companies  and hotels is permanently resident in SL . After having married a young Muslim lady , he has no necessity to return to England. 

Based on these factors Charlie is able to successfully  operate the cricket management mafia in SL . Arjuna Ranatunge who opposed this mafia during his tenure of office as the president of the cricket association got the SL cricketers to sign their agreements in respect of the IPL tournament that year via the cricket association after withdrawing  those   from  the managers .

Since that time until today the SL cricket IPL agreements are controlled by the association. Consequently , the 10 % commission is now channeled to the cricket association. Yet Charlie by claiming , the cricketers under his management are propelled by him collects a separate ‘santhosam’ ( kickback) from them .

Roshan Abeysinghe’s frauds

The cricket manager mafia initiated by Charlie has now ramified . It was commentator Roshan Abeysinghe who came next to Charlie as manager for most number of players . He was a challenge to Charlie . Roshan was able to lure  popular  cricketers like Thilkaratne Dilshan , Ajantha Mendis, Malinga Bandara,Lahiru Nirmanna, as well as many up and coming cricketers under his wings. Roshan was able to successfully get around the under 19 players of potential and promise.  

Roshan Abeysinghe in fear some time ago announced he is resigning  from the post of sports manager  because he was unable to continue as international cricket commentator any longer owing to the disputes  that erupted when commentating in between on his players . He also said  cited other reasons: He was  serving in the cricket association for a short time , and as   a member  of Ragama  sports club, as well as  the pressures exerted  on members of the selection committee.

Abeysinghe who is  purchasing properties across the country along with the players under his management, though he had withdrawn his name  , is still continuing  with those activities under the name of Rob Ashwell residing in England  who is Abeysinghe’s sidekick. It is his own secretary who has been appointed  as the middle party in SL pertaining to these activities.

Accordingly, Roshan Abeysinghe is the unofficial manager for all the players who are under  the name of Ashwell.  Based on this fraudulent manipulation  , he is continuing with his cricket commentaries without interruption in relation to international tournaments for which he has an affinity and  is earning him a huge revenue. Thilakaratne Dilshan is building barriers against  Austin  Charlie because of latter’s  ties with Roshan Abeysinghe. All the affairs of Dilshan are attended to by Roshan    even today .

Ravi De Silva offers baits ..

When Roshan is building barriers against  Charlie , another individual has emerged challenging Roshan. He  is Ravi De Silva  a relative of Ashley De Silva , the CEO of the Association. Ravi is the manager for several  young cricketers including  Kusal Janith Perera  and  Chamara Kapugedera .  For a long time he  had a talent to lure the under 19 players representing SL cricket . He has signed a five year contract with these players through intimidation , and has included a clause in the contract that they should pay a commission of 10 % to him on all their earnings. 

The cricket association spent Rs. 15 million to secure legal advice to get Kusal Perera released from the cricket ban imposed on him and for the examination of his urine sample. It was the Cricket  Association that challenged the urine examination report of Kusal Perera and rescued him. That credit goes to Thilanga Sumathipala. 

Kusal received a sum of Rs. 30 million from the ICC on account of its wrong verdict . Though the cricket association requested to refund the legal fees spent by it ,  Kusal along with his manager declined the request . But the manager collected his 10 % commission from that amount. 

An officer of the highest echelons of the Association associated with the financial affairs having realized the wonderfully splendid taste of the ‘management pie’ into which everybody is poking their fingers , began to exert pressure on the selection committee to push his club players into the SL team . He is now the unofficial manager of  several such players.

Nasoom Azar- Asanka Wijewardena’s  mafia offshoot 

A Muslim  by the name of Nasoom Azar who manages a hotel in England , appointed as a manager for several players including Lakshan Sandaken is a bosom pal of the CEO . Whenever the CEO travels  to England , it is in the hotel of this  Muslim he stays. Azar is the manager for Sadeera Samarawickrema and Dananjaya De Silva.

Meanwhile Asanka Wijewardena living in England and a close friend of Angelo Mathews has also become a manager. Asanka who does not have a permanent job in England , spends all his time with the SL team when it visits England. Sometimes he travels in the official bus of the cricket team. He watches matches seated together with selection committee chairman Sanath Jayasuriya. He also joins in with the players at dinners and parties in the nights. This bloke is also trying to become a sports manager joining with Angelo Mathews and his cousin brother . Among those who have signed agreements with Asanka are , Kusal Mendis and Danushka Gunatileke . The new players are being pressurized  by Angelo Mathews to sign agreements with Asanka. 

The manager for Malinda Siriwardena and Kaushal Silva is Luke Keitch  an  Australian.

When scrutinizing  all these  goings on (murky) , it is evident the cricket management mafia has already swallowed  SL cricket in full,  and according to the players,  Sanath Jayasuriya the chairman of the selection committee has fallen prey to these mafia operators .

Tipp ex

A powerful unofficial manager of SL Cricket Association recently released a name list revealing  Charlie Austin’s name through the Association’s media manager to a number of journalists . He has not however forgotten to  use Tipp ex and delete  the name of Lakshan Sandaken ‘s  manager .  That was because the true manager came to light ( vide image below) .

It is imperative  that a commission is appointed in a day or two to probe into the transactions , and the mafia plaguing the cricket association. Yet because cronies and lackeys of his are making merry and money , Dayasiri Jayasekera is  only providing  ladders to these gaily swinging monkeys to have more fun and frolic at the expense of  the players.  

Though misleading news reports are published that are  extending support to various groups  through blogs and websites to deceive the public  ,  Lanka e news on the contrary , which publishes  the unalloyed truth ,and  reveals the true picture  and situation come what may , vows to continue to bring forth the true scenario and details pertaining to SL cricket .

By a Lanka e news special reporter

(Translaed by Jeff)  

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by     (2017-07-09 07:02:34)

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  1 discussion on this news

The Nasoom Azar mentioned in the article, his real name is Nazoomi Azhar. He is the GM of Grange St Pauls Hotel in London. Everyone knows about his dodgy dealings in hotel. he claims to be a best friends with Kumar Sangakkara as well. He also works with Spartan sports. You can find so much about him. he was also involved in fixing.
-- by Ramzan on 2017-07-12

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