Modern International Stadium in Galle - a boost for cricket in Sri Lanka

CRICKET: The Galle International Cricket Stadium at the famous Galle Esplanade when completed will be one of the most picturesque sites in the whole world of cricket.

Overlooking the old Dutch Fort, the clock tower and the ramparts and surrounded by the sea and the butterfly bridge and the park on either side, this is going to be undoubtedly the most demanding venue for International Cricket teams visiting Sri Lanka.

It is unique and so natural and a joy to all of us who have spent our childhood in Galle, frequented the Esplanade of all sporting events whether cricket, football or athletics and brings back fond memories.

It was tragic that the redeveloped Galle International Stadium built in 1998 was damaged beyond imagination during the Tsunami that struck Sri Lanka and at the time doubts were entertained whether the stadium should be rebuilt at the same venue much to the consternation of all avid cricket fans in the south.

Thankfully, these thoughts have now been cast a side and Sri Lanka Cricket has taken the right decision to build a modern stadium at a cost of Rs. 400 million to cater to current international cricket criteria with the blessings of the President of the country. It has taken almost three years post Tsunami, but it was worth the wait and the right choice.

Galle boasts of a rich cricket heritage with the first school match being played at this same venue (then known as the famous Galle Esplanade) in May 1888 between Richmond College, Galle and All Saints College, Galle. The first International Cricket Match was played in the Galle Esplanade in 1952 against MCC and the Galle CC celebrated 100 years of cricket in 1975.

The first Cricket Test in Galle was played in 1998 between New Zealand and Sri Lanka which Sri Lanka won with the current Sri Lanka Captain scoring a brilliant 167 runs. Sri Lanka has to date played 11 Test matches at this venue having won 6, lost 2 and drawn 3. Sri Lanka has also played 4 ODI's at this venue.

The venue has recorded some notable achievements amongst which stands out the Australian leg Spinner Shane Warne taking his 500th Test Wicket in 2004, wicket keeper WB Bennet of Galle CC having dismissed all ten batsmen in 1950 in an inter club game and Pakistan's Abdul Razzaq's feat of performing a hat trick in 2000 against Sri Lanka in the Test Match.

The completed Galle International Cricket Stadium will fill a void in terms of Test and ODI venues of this magnitude, specially in the outstations along side Dambulla.

However, unlike Dambulla which was built with a different criteria in mind and which venue has served a more than useful purpose in the recent past, it should be noted that Galle is the hub for cricket in the South. With two other top class venues in Colombo, viz the SSC and the R. Premadasa Stadium, the SLC should embark on a permanent venue for the hill capital Kandy, possibly Pallekelle on which funds have already been invested and hopefully have the same completed within the next few years, subject to availability of resources.

Asgiriya is a beautiful Stadium, but I believe suffers from the drawback of being a school ground on which rugby and other sports are being played and is difficult to be considered as a permanent set up to fulfil the round the year aspirations of SLC.

Another Colombo venue of historical significance the P. Sara Stadium where the Inaugural Test in 1982 was played should be added to this list, yet I believe needs further modernisation. I am confident this would be achieved in time.

Let us hope that Sri Lanka within the next few years will have sufficient modern International Cricket venues to host both Test and ODI cricket matches around the country which has hitherto been centred more towards Colombo.

Nuski Mohamed - Former Secretary/Treasurer of Sri Lanka Cricket & Asian Cricket Council