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by Richard Dwight

Quick on the heels of the XIV Asian Athletic Championships held here in July, Sri Lanka has progressed to currently host the cricket Mini World Cup for the ICC Champions Trophy and, has gone further to be the neutral venue in October for the five day cricket test match between Australia and Pakistan - which from a Sri Lankan point could be regarded as historic. And the year itself, turning out to be both an eventful and memorable one for sports in the country.

It's heartening to note that despite the ongoing ethnic conflict and the now looming peace, in this our third world developing land - we have undoubtedly done well, to earn the confidence of the powers that be to conduct these aforesaid major undertakings. Our administrative and organising ability has been of a high order.

Often rising to the occasion to enjoy the plaudits of many, with our financial controls as well being sound. True, there could have been a lapse here and there in the recently concluded Asian Athletic Championships.

Omissions could arise in an exercise of this nature. But should however be understood in the speed at which the organisers were working, grappling with the shortest time available, having to do with resources that were limited and, more importantly the prevailing environment that we found ourselves in. What couldn't we have achieved if we had stability and peace in our land, is the lamentable question that many ask.

Sri Lankan sports in all its entirety did receive a much needed shot in the arm, when the game of cricket here was, belated though it be, admitted by the ICC as a Test playing cricket nation in 1981.

The result was that from the subdued, pedestrian like cricket hitherto engaged in, we moved into the sphere of reciprocal cricket tours. Where our team visited other cricket playing nations, with they in turn returning our visits. This certainly meant a world of things to many different people, in a game which was becoming highly professional and commercialised, with the media doing its best to project the image of the team and the country at large.

It was even more salutary when Sri Lanka won the 1996 World Cup. This did propel Sri Lanka beyond measure, giving as well the necessary impetus and drive for other sports to emulate and forge ahead. With our cavalier, enterprising batting, nippy alert fielding and Murali going great guns, Sri Lanka was constantly kept in focus to draw plane loads of visitors to cheer their respective sides when they played here.

They apart from watching cricket took time to shop for garments, jewellery-enjoy the sea and sunny beaches, take in the hills, valleys and waterfalls, view the rocks Bible & Sigiriya and the ruins, or if needs be, see the historic pageants and the Temple of the Tooth. Travel to Ambalangoda to watch the mask and lace makers or see wildlife and the elephants at the orphanage. These and many more await the avid tourist.

Experience has it, that cricket in recent times is fast becoming complementary to the tourist industry, with the assistance of the print as well as the electronic media - they are hand maids going hand in glove, which augurs well for the future.

The converging of ten test cricket playing nations, along with two others in the island, could be most opportune for those of the tourist industry, to further enhance the potential of Sri Lanka as a tourist resort. Hotels, Clubs and even homes must be making arrangements to host patronisers, members, relatives and friends from abroad and it is learnt that the hotels are pressed for accommodation.

The whole exercise serve as a medium for increase in air traffic, the occupancy rate at the hotels, the possibility of package tours within the island, indeed a veritable boost for tourism, which will be of immense benefit all round for the country.

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