Sri Lanka to celebrate 25 years of ICC full membership

Bandula Warnapura and Keith Fletcher go out to toss in Sri Lanka's inaugural Test © Wisden Cricket Monthly Enlarge

Sri Lanka will celebrate 25 years of their admittance as a full member to the International Cricket Council (ICC) by honouring the cricketers who played in the inaugural Test match against England in February 1982.

The felicitation ceremony will take place at the P Saravanamuttu Stadium, venue of the second Test in the on-going series between Sri Lanka and South Africa. Coincidentally it was also the venue where Sri Lanka played their inaugural Test match against England 24 years ago.

The celebrations will take place prior to the commencement of the second Test with the handing of memorabilia to the 12 players and officials who were part of the inaugural Test. The event is sponsored by Hatton National Bank who also sponsored the inaugural Test which England won by seven wickets.

The players and officials who will be honoured at the occasion are: Bandula Warnapura (capt), Duleep Mendis (vice-capt), Sidath Wettimuny, Roy Dias, Ranjan Madugalle, Arjuna Ranatunga, Somachandra de Silva, Ashantha de Mel, Lalith Kaluperuma, Mahesh Goonatillake, Ajith de Silva and the late Anura Ranasinghe, Herbie Felsinger and K.T. Francis (umpire) and M Rajasingham (manager).