THE HEAT IS ON

Suranga Lakmal had at least two years of Test cricket left. But the right-arm medium pacer decided, to hell with Sri Lankan cricket. He quit to join an English county for financial security, less stress and more freedom in his last years of professional playing career.

A wise decision, many would say. Sri Lanka’s best longer format seamer during the last decade endured a hefty pay cut of US$45,000 last year, being demoted to the second category from US$100,000 the previous year. All-rounder Thisara Perera did the same early last year when news of a performance-based fee structure broke out.