Colombo: Sri Lanka Cricket granted annual contracts to 18 first-class umpires, thus marking the first time a contracted panel was appointed to officiate in first-class games in Sri Lanka.
Among the umpires given contracts consists of four umpires of the ICC International Panel of Umpires, six of the Emerging Panel of Umpires of Sri Lanka, and eight Level One Umpires of Sri Lanka.
Also Read: No neutral umpires in first two India-England Tests
Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Raveendra Wimalasiri, Lyndon Hannibal, and Prageeth Rambukwella, members of the ICC International Panel of Umpires, received annual contracts from the SLC.
Keerthi Bandara, Deepal Gunawardena, Asanga Jayasuriya, Hemantha Botheju, Rohitha Kottahachchi, and Raveendra Kottahachchi, represents the Emerging Panel of Umpires of Sri Lanka.
Whilst Ranmore Martinesz, Gamini Dissanayake, Pradeep Udawatta, Nilan De Silva, Kapila Kottahachchi, Susantha Dissanayake, Vidura Prasad, and Sisira Perera are Level 1 Umpires, who were given contracts.
The contracted umpires were given the appointment letters during a ceremony held at the SLC Headquarters with the participation of Deepal Madurapperuma, Chairman, Umpires Committee of the SLC - Kumar Dharmasena, ICC Elite Panel Umpire and Umpire Consultant of the SLC - Wasanthalal Fernando, Secretary of the Umpires Committee of the SLC and Dilran Abeysekera, Member of the Umpires Committee of the SLC.
Also Read: Umpire Bruce Oxenford announces retirement from international cricket
Chinthaka Edirimanne, Head of Domestic Cricket of the SLC, Chanaka Thenuwara, Manager, Umpire Development of the SLC - Tyron Wijewardena, Manager, Umpire Training of the SLC were also present during the occasion.
