Tilina Tennekoon elected President of KDCA for 15th year

by Jiffrey Abdeen – Kandy Sports Corr.

Former UPFA Kandy District Parliamentarian and Dharmaraja College cricketer Tilina Tennekoon was elected President of the Kandy District Cricket Association (KDCA) for a record 15th time at the Annual General Meeting of the Association held at Senani Hotel, Kandy.

Former St. Sylvester’s College, Moors SC and Kandy Youths cricketer Roland Perera was re-elected unanimously for the fifth successive year as the Honorary Secretary.

President elect Tilina Tennakoon speaking on the occasion, said that they had another successful year, having staged some of the T20 World Cup matches at Pallekele and the Committee members helped in the organising. They will be conducting all the tournaments this year.

Roland Perera on his election as the Secretary said that they could not conduct some of the tournaments due to financial problems but they will be conducted this year. The T20 inter club tournament is in full swing and has reached its final stages. This could have been concluded by now if not for the inclement weather which prevailed in the latter part of last year and also due to unavailability of grounds which also affected schools and clubs.

But the problem of grounds has been overcome to some extent as on a request by the Kandy District CA the Sri Lanka Cricket has drastically reduced the ground hire charges for the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. Earlier it was Rs.44,500/ for two days now it has been reduced to Rs.10,000/ per day for clubs and a further reduction for schools which is Rs.5,500/ per day.

Considering the facilities available at this venue, it is very reasonable. It must be remembered that they will be playing on turf wickets on an International Stadium.

Schools using this venue should not damage the stadium property as it happened last year and the merry makers went beyond their limits and the host school had to pay heavily for this. He thanked both President of the SLC Upali Dharmadasa and Secretary Nishantha Ranatunga and other officials for their kind gesture which will help cricket in Kandy in a big way.

He said that the Kandy District CA on a request made by the SLC extended support for the organising of international matches against New Zealand, India and Pakistan played at the Pallekele Stadium.

The Regional Segment of the Division III inter club cricket matches were conducted by the Association and four teams entered the final rounds and these teams were paid Rs.10,000/ each to help them financially.

With an elected office taking over the administration of the Sri Lanka Cricket, there has been a vast improvement in receiving funds and this will help us to conduct all the tournaments and also conduct coaching programmes in liaison with the Provincial Cricket coach and the District coaches.

We can look forward to a very successful year as the ground problems have been settled to some extent as we can make use of the Pallekele Stadium when there is no foreign commitments and also funds are being provided by the SLC.

In conclusion he said that the Sri Lanka Cricket headed by Upali Dharmadasa and Nishantha Ranatunga in a magnanimous gesture have provided the Kandy District Cricket Association a furnished and spacious office space at the Pallekele Stadium and this will be the office of the Kandy District Cricket Association. It was fine gesture and we are proud that they have an office of their own new and they will conduct their future operations from here.

The following were elected office bearers for the year 2013/14.

Patrons: Minister of Sports Mahindananda Althgamage
President of Sri Lanka Cricket: Upali Dharmadasa.

President: Tilina Tennakoon

Vice Presidents: Janaka Pathirana, Tissa Jayasinghe, Mohammed Sarook and Amith Wanigasekera

Honorary Secretary: Roland Perera
Honorary Assistant Secretary: Lakshan Panditharatne
Honorary Treasurer: Chandra Mahawattege
Honorary Assistant Treasurer: C.N. Dissanayake
Ground Secretary: Pulasthi Amerasinghe

Tournament Committee: Viranjan Sumanasekera (Chairman), Lalith Chandrasena, Jaliya Munasinghe, Chinthaka Girihagama and D.M.M.A.D. Dissanayake.