National Contracted Players for the year 2014/15

The National Selection Committee at a meeting held yesterday selected 17 national contracted players for the year 2014/15. The contracted players will belong to four categories. The selectors, in addition have recommended a Special Category to be created which will consist of three players.

Sri Lanka Cricket – National Team Contract Players

Category 1

• Kumar Sangakkara
• Mahela Jayawardene
• Nuwan Kulasekara
• Angelo Mathews
• Rangana Herath
• Dinesh Chandimal – From Category  2 to Category 1

Category 2

• Lahiru Thirimane – From Category  3 to Category 2
• Ajantha Mendis

Category 3

• Kusal Janith Perera – From Category  4 to Category 3
• Thisara Perera

Category 4

• Shaminda Eranga
• Sachithra Senenayake
• Kaushal Silva – From Provincial Category  1 to National Category 4
• Suranga Lakmal

Special Category

• Prasanna Jayawardene
• T.M.Dilshan – Retired from Test Cricket
• Lasith Malinga – Retired from Test Cricket

The above category selections were done based on the performance of the players in the International arena in the year ending 31st December 2013.

As per the 2013 contracts signed by the national players, they are entitled for an increase based on the ICC Team rankings. Since Sri Lanka has been Ranked in the 5th position in ODI’s the players are entitled for a 2% increase and being Ranked as the # 1 Team in the T20 format , the players are entitled to a increase of 5%. The players will not be entitled for an increment for the Test category as Sri Lanka is Ranked below the fifth position.  Therefore each category will get a 7% increase for the last years contracted fee.

Few changes were recommended by the Selectors to the Players and their respective categories. Namely, Dinesh Chandimal has been promoted from Category 2 to Category 1, Lahiru Thirimanne from Category 3 to Category 2, Kusal Janith Perera from Category 4 to Category 3, Kaushal Silva from Provincial Category 1 to National Category 4.

Further there will be an entitlement for Individual Performances which will be presented as a one off Bonus payment to the top performers. The following Players will be entitled for the said Bonus Payment since they are in the first 10 of the ICC Player Rankings.

Test Cricket – Batting – Kumar Sangakkara -

Test Cricket – Bowling – Rangana Herath

ODI Cricket – Batting – Kumar Sangakkara & TM Dilshan

ODI Cricket – Bowling – Rangana Herath

T20 Cricket – Bowling – Ajantha Mendis & Nuwan Kulasekara

The Bonus is will be payed on a the below formula:

Player’s ICC Ranking       TEST             ODI                    T20

within the 1st 10                  3%                3%                      2%

within the 1st  05                 5%                5%                      3%

No 1 in the Ranking             8%                8%                     4%