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The Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club has been granted the honour of hosting the First Test between World Champions Australia and Pakistan beginning on Thursday October 3.

This is the first Test in the Pepsi Cup Pakistan - Australia Test Series 2002 and the Tamil Union Stadium will thus chalk up another first by staging Sri Lanka's first 'neutral' Test match.

The opportunity came Tamil Union's way by courtesy of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka after both teams agreed to stage the three - Test Series in Colombo and Sharjah because of security fears expressed by Australia on touring Pakistan. The Tamil Union recently carried out major improvements to its facilities for staging international games. It has a brand new Press Box perched on the 3rd floor of its Sports Complex and plenty of additional dressing room space above its old team dressing rooms.

In their role as hosts of the Test match, Tamil Union will be responsible for all arrangements including hotel accommodation for both teams, transport and practice facilities concerning the match. The club has appointed an organising committee which is hard at work to make this event a success.

The Tamil Union has been closely woven into the history of Sri Lanka cricket and is one of the few clubs which counts a history of over 100 years. Its grounds at Wanathamulla was an automatic choice as a venue for international matches in the pre-Test era. Following the country being accorded Test status in 1981 it was the automatic venue of Sri Lanka's inaugural Test match against England in February 1982. Then in 1986 Sri Lanka recorded its first Test victory at P. Saravanamuttu Stadium defeating India. 

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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