Kandy all set to conduct the biggest ever... :

Cricketing Event

S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Corr

Kandy is all set to conduct the biggest ever cricketing event if not the biggest sporting event ever staged when three matches of the Cricket World Cup 2011 will be staged at the Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium in early March.

The following matches is scheduled to be played at this venue:

March 8th Pakistan Vs New Zealand

March 10th Sri Lanka Vs New Zealand

March 14th: Pakistan Vs Zimbabwe

You meet anyone in the streets the talk is on the Cricket and the World Cup and the talk invariably leads to the matches played by Sri Lanka and in Kandy. The tickets have been selling out fast and has been snapped up by the frenzied cricket fans and the others hope to buy them at the gates.

Kandy was given to the Sri Lankan squad three great cricketers in skipper Kumar Sangakkara, Muttiah Muralitharan and Chamara Kapugedara.

A World Cup cricket match was once before played at the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy in 1996 at which Sri Lanka became champion. In that match too there was a big rush for tickets and to gain entry the match was between Sri Lanka and Kenya not a big force at cricket at that time but surprised everyone by putting up a fine batting performance in that match with a Steve Tikkolo getting 92. But the man who stole the show in Kandy was the present Chairman of the Selectors Aravinda de Silva who scored a brilliant 138 in a total which was 398 for 6.

But this biggest cricket show to be staged is all possible due to the efforts taken by the present Chairman of the Interim Committee and former Sir Lanka captain and leg spinner D. Somachandra de Silva whose untiring efforts made this stadium a reality within a short period. Many eyebrows were raised whether this could be completed before the deadline. But D. S. De Silva had the vision, foresight and the confidence that things will fall into places well ahead of time.

Chaiman D. Somachandra de Silva said that when he first walked into the Pallekelle Stadium when he was appointed as the head of the SLC. This venue was partly constructed and in an abandoned state and the playing area was full of shrubs and wild plants.

He said that he told to himself that here is one of the finest of the venues of the world with proper direction could be converted to one of the most test venues in the world.

He said that Kandy has produced many fine cricketers over the years and also fed the national cricket team. There are many clubs and schools playing cricket and above all there is a very large following of cricket lovers. They must be given an opportunity to play and watch cricket at the highest level. For this the infrastructure will have to be developed.

Having set this goal, he worked on in tirelessly and paid regular visits to this venue and what a transformation it was within a short period. The structure which looked an abandoned city was transformed into a Centurian park style pavilion. A big media box with all facilities and a state of the art scoreboard was also put into place.

Another notable feature was that the ground was planted with Stantana grass and the same type was planted in the open spaces too.

Chairman De Silva said this is going to be the most beautiful grounds in the world and international matches will be played regularly and the schools and clubs could use these grounds at very nominal rates as promoting and developing cricket was foremost in his mind. Already schools in Kandy have booked this grounds for two of its big matches which was earlier played at the Asgiriya Stadium. The ground fees at this International Stadium is unbelievably low and the schools and clubs will grab the opportunity once the World Cup matches are over.

Therefore when speaking of the Cricket World Cup matches in Kandy one cannot forget the contribution made by D S. de Silva and if not for his efforts, who knows Kandy would have been a forgotten city where the present cricket World Cup is concerned.

Kandy has now a permanent venue and the weather conditions at this venue is different to that of Kandy as it is in the mid country dry zone. Cricket fans in Kandy and the suburbs could be assured of a regular treat of international cricket due to the availability of the Pallekelle Stadium.

When the first ball is bowled at the World Cup match the cricket fans will remember with gratitude the efforts and contributions made by the present Chairman of the SLC, D. S. de Silva which made this a reality.