Sri Lanka sports minister tells team to sort out problems

Colombo: Sri Lanka`s Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has urged cricket team skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan to maintain sound communications with the selection committee and coach to help end their losing streak.

Close on the heels of Sri Lanka`s loss to Pakistan, their third successive in recent times, Aluthgamage met the players, selectors and administrators yesterday to find a solution ahead of next month`s tour of South Africa. "It was revealed that the main reason why the national cricket team had failed to perform was due to miscommunication between the team, the selectors and the coaches," the ministry said in a statement. "It was discussed in detail the importance and the necessity for captain Tillakaratne Dilshan to maintain sound communications with the selection committee and coach (Geoff Marsh)." The players were allowed to "openly and freely" discuss matters with the minister, the statement added. Sri Lanka have failed to win Test and one-day series in their last three encounters in England, at home against Australia and in the United Arab Emirates against Pakistan. Their worst performance came against Pakistan earlier this month when they lost the Test series 1-0 and the one-dayers 4-1, before being thrashed by five wickets in the lone Twenty20 international. PTI