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Botham a victim of Lankan politricks

"There is no contract with Ian Botham, that news was blown up by the media," says Saliya Ahangama, member in good standing of the Lankan cricket board.

According to Ahangama, while it is true that the Lankan board had discussed with the former English all-rounder the possibility of his taking up a coaching assignment, there was no definite agreement reached at any time.

"We told the media about the discussions, they blew it up out of proportion," Ahangama said.

In London, Botham through his solicitor Nanesh Desai also denied any agreement, and said that he was as bewildered by the news stories of his appointment as anyone else.

Sources within the Lankan board indicate that the entire confusion -- the premature release of a team list that is yet to be okayed, the premature announcement of Botham's appointment et al -- are part of a vicious political powerplay that should reach a denouement today.

It was Thilanga Sumathipala, chairman of the Asian Cricket Council and president of the Lankan cricket board, who is understood to have leaked the team list, and the news of Botham's 'appointment', as part of his campaign for re-election.

Opposing him is, among others, Clifford Ratwatte -- who just happens to be the uncle of Lankan President Chandika Kumaratunga.

Meanwhile, the team list, as released yesterday, appears to be a fait accompli despite Lankan board spokesmen insisting that till the sports ministry cleared the list, nothing was official.

A spokesperson for the ECB confirmed today that they had received the shortlist of 19 from the Lankan board, and further, that the list does include the name of Hashan Tillekeratne.

Tillekeratne's name was not in the list as first released. In fact, that list had only 18 names on it, and Lankan board sources indicated that there was some debate about whether or no the left-handed middle-order batsman, now leading the Lankan Test side in Pakistan, would find a place in the shortlist.

The news, finally, is -- he does.