da dobrowin： Former Sri Lankan captain and current International Cricket Council (ICC)match referee, Ranjan Madugalle, has been appointed as the ICC as it’s chiefreferee
Sa'adi Thawfeeq13-Nov-2001Former Sri Lankan captain and current International Cricket Council (ICC)match referee, Ranjan Madugalle, has been appointed as the ICC as it’s chiefreferee.On making the appointment ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said: “Madugalleis clearly regarded as the outstanding member of the existing panel. Hisrecord as a former captain of Sri Lanka and the high regard in which he isheld throughout the cricket world makes him an ideal appointment for thisposition.”Madugalle played for Sri Lanka in 21 Tests and 65 one-day internationalsbetween 1979 and 1989 and led his country from 1987-89. He was a nationalselector from 199-92 and again from 1992-97 and is currently a member of theBoard of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka. He first came into the ICC panelof match referees in 1994 and has officiated in matches involving allTest-playing countries.Madugalle has the distinction of serving as match referee in the 1999 WorldCup final at Lord’s and the ICC knockout tournament finals in 1998 and 2000.He was also match referee in the 1996 and 1999 World Cup tournaments.He also served on the ICC panel of illegal deliveries from its inceptiontill 2000 and was also a member of the ICC sub-committee to review umpiringand refereeing standards.The ICC recently took a decision to appoint five international matchreferees on contract, departing from the present practice of appointingmatch referees tour by tour. Madugalle is the first of the five matchreferees to be appointed.His first task would be to identify a panel of potential referees from whomthe remaining four referees will be chosen. The final panel will be pickedby the ICC chief executive and the chairman of the Cricket Committee(Playing), Sunil Gavaskar.”On a personal note, I feel quite honoured the ICC has appointed me to betheir chief referee,” said Madugalle Tuesday.”I also look at it as a honour to Sri Lanka cricket. It is in this spiritthat I look forward to taking on my responsibilities and try to do my verybest towards the continuous improvement of the game,” he said.Madugalle, who is currently in Galle as a television commentator for theon-going Test series between Sri Lanka and West Indies, said that he would