Storm brewing over Uyanwatta cricket ground in Matara

by Priyan de Silva – Matara Sports Correspondent

With the election of office bearers to SLC due to be held on 31st March 2013 in a bid to secure the Matara District Cricket Association’s (MDCA) votes the present regime have offered the MDCA the privilege of hosting a three day warm up encounter for the touring Bangladesh Cricket team at the Uyanwatta stadium. In SLC’s attempt to please the MDCA all first eleven school cricket matches which were scheduled to be played on this ground in the preceding two weeks would have to be cancelled or played at some other venue to make way for the three-day game on March 4, 5 and 6. SLC decided on the itinerary only in early January and had not made a prior reservation of the ground.

The Uyanwatta Cricket Ground owned and maintained by the Matara Municipal Council is the home turf of St Thomas’ College, Rahula College and St Servatius College Matara. These schools reserved the grounds after making full payment last October soon after the women’s T 20 World cup matches were over. There is no other ground in Matara with a turf wicket. The closest being in Galle and Sooriyawewa.

Sri Lanka cricket gave the Uyanwatta cricket ground a facelift for practice sessions of women’s teams that participated in the women’s T 20 world cup. The public of Matara who were aware of SLC’s take over of the Galle Stadium in the past, obtained a court order preventing the closure of the ground to the public prior to the T 20 world cup! The closure of the ground for one month was recommended by ICC’s pitch consultant Andy Atkinson.

Sunil Mohotti Secretary of the MDCA who is to benefit the most from hosting this match has been calling cricket coaches and school authorities requesting that they cancel their reservations made for the Uyanwatta Stadium and play the matches at another venue. As an enticer he has even requested that each school nominate two players for the game! “We have to host international matches to give SLC the opportunity to improve the Uyanwatta ground. This match is more important than the school games. The schools can play there matches at another venue” were his comments.

Pradeep Nishantha coach of St Servatius College Matara who play in division one of the schools tournament said that “the request was unfair. If SLC wanted they could have made a prior reservation and the schools would have scheduled their away games for this period.

The tournament matches have to be played before March 5. The St Servatius team would not want to forego the advantage of playing on a turf wicket they are accustomed to and would accept the request if SLC and the MDCA provide the Sooriyawewa International cricket ground together with transportation and accommodation. It is sad that SLC which should be developing the game at school level don’t care if school matches are played or not.”

Master-in-charge of senior cricket at St Servatius College Nayananda de Silva “ Sri Lanka Cricket had reserved the ground until end October 2012. It is after that that we were able to make our reservations. If they wanted to make a reservation for February /March they should have done it at that time. It is not fair if they ask us to cancel our fixtures to please them.”

“This year’s tournament is crucial for Rahula College. We play in division two of the All island Schools cricket tournament conducted by the SLSCA . We have a strong all round team this year. It is our chance to reach the final and be promoted to division one of the tournament. We have an advantage if we play on a turf wicket. SLC and the MDCA are being unfair by making this sudden request. We have fixed a match with St Mary’s Kegalle for the 26th and 27th of February. We played against them on a matting wicket last year and lost. They have a definite advantage playing on matting. Every game is crucial to us” said coach Rohana Ariyathillaka.

“St Thomas’s College play in division two of the schools under nineteen tournament. Our practices are held at Uyanwatta and this is our home ground. It is unfair of SLC and the MDCA to ask us to go and play our home matches elsewhere. Any person who understands the game knows of the advantage of playing on your home ground. The MDCA should have made a reservation six months ago without disrupting our fixtures.

We don’t have another ground with a turf wicket in Matara. We are looking forward to reaching the division two final this year and the disruption may deprive us of the opportunity” was what Charith Palliyage coach of St Thomas’s College had to say.

Piyasena Gamage master-in-charge of cricket at Rahula College was also not in favour of finding another venue for the match against St Mary’s Kegalle. “It is an effort to reserve the ground and subsequently agree on the dates with other schools. Sri Lanka cricket and the MDCA should understand the difficulty of rescheduling a match.”

Principal of Rahula College, Nimal Dissanayaka said “ No one has made a request from us to cancel our reservations of the Uyanwatta stadium as at date (January 24, 2013).

We have performed well in the under 19 tournament and we would not want to loose the advantage of playing our home matches at the Uyanwatta Stadium as scheduled. I will not agree to the request if it is made”.

SLC’s district coach Prasanna Galappaththi who was aware of the conflict which was brewing did not want to comment on the matter. “As an employee of SLC I will perform my duties and carry out any instructions given to me by SLC or any request made by the MDCA to the best of my ability.”

Matara’s first citizen Mayor Sosindra Handunge said “ Neither SLC or the MDCA have made a request from me in this regard as at date (24th January 2013) neither have they reserved the Uyanwatta Cricket ground. I am aware that St Servatius College, St Thomas’s College and Rahula College have reserved the grounds until the end of March. I can’t cancel these reservations. It is SLC and the MDCA who should come to an agreement with these schools to cancel their reservations to make way for this match. The people obtained a restraining order last year preventing the closure of the Uyanwatta stadium to the public. ”

Sisira Weerasinghe master in charge of cricket at St Thoma’s College Matara “ It has been mentioned that SLC has requested that the ground should be closed from the 28th of January. We are not agreeable to that. If it was for one week we could have considered the request. SLC and MDCA are being unreasonable”.

Nishantha Ranathunga Secretary Sri Lanka Cricket who was not in his office at SLC when I went there had the courtesy to contact me by telephone and said that “It is a privilege for Matara to be offered to host an international team for a three day game at Uyanwatta Stadium.

Those concerned should give it precedence above school games. The Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association was represented on the committee which decided on the Bangladesh tour itinerary and they did not object to the dates. Any person from Matara who opposes this match being played at Uyanwatta should be ashamed of himself”