Three International Cricket Stadiums spot on thanks to .....:

Irrepressible President Mahinda Rajapaksa

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE

Lets be clear 'and very clear' that when the umpires call 'play' in the 2011 World Cup match between Sri Lanka and Canada at the President Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in Sooriyawewa, Hambantota today, it is a direct result of the vision, foresight and leadership of the President.

Memories are short and we often take things for granted. There was a time as the civil war raged when it was hard to imagine that Sri Lanka could host the World Cup and assure the security of our guests, leave alone our own team, The ICC would have had a hard time to sustain support for our bid to the end. Sri Lanka's place as a domain for international cricket was on edge. It takes a sportsman to have guts, to have resolve, to muster stamina, to face the odds and overcome the odds. When President Rajapaksa caused, through his fearless leadership, the end of the 30-year war, cricket at the international level was a direct beneficiary. And so as we celebrate the inauguration of this historic World Cup event, it's fitting to doff our caps and acknowledge the gutsy leader and farsighted visionary who cleared the path to make World Cup cricket happen here.

In our own world, it takes sports genes of a special kind to accomplish such path breaking feats and resilience.

Let us therefore pause a moment and recall the sporting genes of our Leader and President the irrepressible Mahinda Rajapaksa. Having been a top notch athlete during his day at Thurstan College, he understood the value of sport and what it does to inculcate the virtues of persistence and achievement.

Rugby player

President Rajapaksa was a more than ordinary rugby player at college and it is said he gave up running around with the oval ball and settled to taking to athletics and breasting the tape first, like he did twice in cantering home in the two Presidential Elections.

Settling to running the relays - 4x400 and sprint events he was a member of the award winning relay team. He ran at the 'pubs' and his relay quartet comprised of Panduka Jayasinghe (captain), Srinath Gunesekera and N Jayasiri. Gunesekera later went on to captain the College rugby team and the University. Although the President gave up rugby for athletics he would have been a proud father to watch his three sons excelling in the oval ball game. Sons Namal, Yoshitha and Rohitha all captained the school by the sea S.Thomas College, Mount Lavinia.

Silver medal

The President continued his interest in athletics and the sport benefited greatly when he was appointed President of the Amateur Athletic Association of Sri Lanka. He did a lot for athletics and it was during his reign that Susanthika Jayasinghe won for the country a silver medal in the World Athletic Champions in Athens in 1997.

Daily life and sport in the country at one time looked doomed with international sports teams. Especially cricket teams refusing to play here because of the uncertain security situation due to the war. But President Mahinda Rajapaksa with clever leadership gave direction and ended the senseless war and today the country is heaving a sigh of relief and life has returned to normal.

Happy man

President will also be a happy man because a stadium to international standard has been built and named the President Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium

 and will be gift to the cricketers of the Southern Province and the country. When the ICC allowed the sub continent countries - Sri Lanka,India and Bangladesh to co-host the 2011 World Cup, the President, whilst thanking the ICC took up the challenge of seeing to completion of three venues for the playing of matches.

As an initial and wise step he put in charge a former Sri Lanka cricketing all rounder in Somachandra de Silva as Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket. He directed de Silva to ensure the completion of three brand new stadiums for the World Cup. He chose the best man for the job.

De Silva in charge

The President did not stop there. He gave de Silva the resources, the machinery and above all the necessary guidance and direction and frequently visited the three sites personally inspecting the work going on. And De Silva used his tremendous cricketing experience and showed his capabilities and delivered on the trust placed in him. De Silva worked like a beaver along with his team of efficient workers. That he delivered, speaks volumes.

Again we should not take things for granted. It was a huge achievement especially given the destructive forces that were at play - forces who would have taken delight to see failure! But good and strong sportsmen rise above the fray and focus on the work. This they have done. There will of course be shortcomings as is natural, but it's time for the cricketing public to also rise above the fray and doff their caps to the hard working organizers.