Rambukwella at the helm of KDCA again

S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen Kandy sports corr.

Lalith Rambukwella was unanimously elected for a record eleventh consecutive year as President of the Kegalle District Cricket Association at the Annual General Meeting held at Shalika Inn in Kegalle recently.

M. J. S. Nawas was elected unanimously as Secretary for the 13th consecutive year which too is a record.

Rambukwella in his address said that the District Association had conducted its annual tournament regularly. At the Central Region under 19 cricket triangular conducted by the Sri Lanka Cricket, Kegalle District emerged regional champions defeating Nuwara Eliya and the strong Kandy District quite convincingly. At all island level Kegalle district went up to the semi-finals.

He said during the year under review Kegalle district also produced its first home grown national cricketer Tharanga Paranavitharne and more national cricketers should emerge from Kegalle in the future.

At the Central Region inter-district Twenty-20 cricket tournament Kegalle District finished runner-up beating Nuwara Eliya District and losing to Kandy. The Division III cricket tournament for the district has been completed and two teams will be eligible to participate in the final round.

Rambukwella noted that grounds has been a major constraint for playing of cricket matches. There is only ground in Kegalle which is used by schools including girls schools and clubs for their sport activities. The District Association is following vigorously to get another ground for Kegalle with the assistance of Sri Lanka Cricket.

During the year under review cricket materials were distributed to clubs and schools for the promotion and development of cricket with the kind courtesy of National Development Centre of Sri Lanka Cricket.

In conclusion Rambukwella thanked the members for the confidence reposed in him by electing him as President for a record 11th year in succession.

The following were elected office bearers for the year 2009/10:

President: Lalith Rambukwella; Senior Vice President: S. J. H. Jayaratne; Vice Presidents: H. Siyambalapitiya, S. Hittige, Tissa Ranatunga, Indika Dedunupitiya; Secretary: M. J. S. Nawas; Assistant Secretary: Ranjith Fernando; Treasurer: Prasanna Peiris; Asst. Treasurer: Shanaka Gunaratne; Ground Secretary: Palitha Sirinaga; Auditor: Chrysantha Rajapakse.