Lankan cricketers will receive a heroes welcome

Chris Dhambarage

CRICKET: The Sri Lanka cricket team will receive a heroes welcome weather they emerge as runners up or even lose in the semi-finals of the ninth edition of the International Cricket Council World Cup now in progress in the West Indies.

Sri Lanka Cricket sources revealed that they have planned a grand ceremony to welcome the team after they arrive from the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake.

The main part of the ceremony will be held at the Independence Square in Colombo where cricket fans will be able to get a closer look at their heroes who will travel in a open float bus from the airport.

In addition the teams arrival will be telecast live on five television stations from the airport through to the Independence Square in Torrington Avenue. The Sri Lanka Police and the Sri Lanka Army Bands will be in attendance at the main ceremony.

The entertainment will be provided by the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation with the proceedings also displayed on giant screens located around the area. Cricket enthusiasts will be presented with the Sri Lanka team poster which will be distributed free through the courtesy of SLC.

Sri Lanka Cricket will earn a handsome amount of US dollars 450,000 even if they fail to reach the final of the World Cup. However the Sri Lanka Cricket Board have already offered attractive extra incentives if they could win the ninth edition of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup.

The Cricket Committee of the SLC will shower twenty eight percent of the match revenue that are to earn from the ICC to Mahela Jayawardena’s team if they could produce the 1996 team performance.

A total of US dollars five million will be on up for grabs with the 2007 champions claiming almost half of that, with a winners cheque of US dollars 2.24 million to be awarded to the side which prevails in the final at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on April 28.