Cricket ground for every District - Minister

CRICKET: Minister of Sports & Youth Affairs, Jeewan Kumaratunga said the Government's aim is to build a complete cricket ground in each district. The Minister disclosed this when he laid the foundation stone for the re-development project of the Galle International Cricket Stadium, which was badly destroyed by the 2004 tsunami devastation.

Our aim is to keep talented cricketers in their own districts and play for the clubs there. In order to do that, we must develop infrastructure facilities. Hence, we have embarked on a project to construct a cricket ground with all necessary facilities in each district. We have already commenced that program in a few districts, he said.

Minister Kumaratunga said there are many talented cricketers in rural areas but they lack necessary facilities to sharpen their skills while residing in their own districts. Those who could afford would come to Colombo and play for a club here. But that system has to be changed. We must provide them necessary facilities and encourage them to play for the clubs in their own districts, he observed.

This, the Minister said, is the only way to uplift the standard of the game here. If we could retain them in their own districts, then we could also make our inter-district competition more competitive, he added.

The Galle International Cricket Stadium, the happy hunting home venue for Sri Lanka team in Test cricket, was badly affected by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami devastation. It will be re-developed to same international standard at a cost of over Rs. 300 million. Former Sri Lanka Test spinner and caretaker of the Galle International Cricket Stadium, Jayananda Warnaweera was a happy man to see the new project which would bring his dream ground to the same condition to host a Test match in near future.

Warnaweera, who is also the Secretary of the Galle District Cricket Association, expressed confidence in putting the venue back in the world cricketing map soon.

(DW)