Work goes on at Pallekelle Cricket Stadium for World Cup games

by S. M. Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy Sports Cor.

D. Somachandra de Silva - the Chairman of the Interim Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket.

CRICKET: Pallekelle Cricket Stadium will be ready during the course of the year 2010 to stage the three World Cup matches scheduled to be played there, said the Chairman of the Interim Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket and former national cricket captain D. Somachandra de Silva in an exclusive interview with this writer in Kandy this week.

He said that speculation is rife whether this stadium will be ready to stage the World Cup matches and the answer is 'yes.' The work on the grounds have been completed and matches are being played at present. There will be a total of 10 turf strips and four of them will be reserved for international matches and the balance six for the use of the provincial clubs and schools. "We will not keep the grounds closed only for international matches. Any club or school could make use of the grounds by prior booking with the Kandurata Cricket Centre which manages the grounds," said coach Somachandra de Silva.A sum of Rs. 800 million has been allocated for the construction of the infrastructure which is partly built at present. The work on this will commence soon and all construction work will be completed in 2010 for the World Cup officials to approve this venue. Three World Cup matches will be played and the tentative dates are as follows: March 8th Pakistan vs New Zealand, March 10th Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, March 14th Pakistan vs Zimbabwe.

This ground which is fully owned by Sri Lanka Cricket is a very beautiful sight and could easily accommodate 30,000 spectators at any given time. There will be 30 practice wickets located behind the main pavilion and fifteen of them will be reserved for international matches. Commenting on the status of the Asgiriya Stadium, he said we will help to maintain that stadium too, as it had been a Test venue and we cannot neglect it. We will use it for representative matches.

The Principal of Trinity College Brigadier Udaya Ariyaratne said that they require annually a sum of Rs. 14 lakhs to maintain the playing field alone and therefore SLC should help the school.

Getting ready to stage World Cup Cricket - Pallekele Stadium is a busy place these days as work is going at a fast pace to have the ground to state some of the World Cup cricket matches in March next year. At left is the main ground being prepared. On right The main pavilion and the terraces being attended to by workmen. Pictures by S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Corr.