Centurion of the east
The stadium in Pallekele is designed to look and feel like the SuperSport Park in South Africa
02-Nov-2010
Pallekele Stadium: new kid in an old cricket neighbourhood • Getty Images
Kandy has long been one of the major centres of cricket in Sri Lanka, where the sport has been nurtured by the rivalry between the city's many prestigious schools, such as St Anthony's, Trinity and Dharamaraja. Much of the high-level cricket in the city used to be played in the grounds of these schools. Trinity's Asgiriya was developed into a major international venue around the time Sri Lanka gained Test status in 1981. The new stadium, built for the 2011 World Cup in Pallekele, about 30 minutes away from the heart of Kandy, has since displaced Asgiriya as the international venue of choice in the region.
The venue
One of the two new stadiums built in Sri Lanka for the 2011 World Cup, the Pallekele stadium hsa been designed along the lines of Centurion's SuperSport Park, and replicates the South African venue's famed grass banks. After the World Cup, the venue was handed to the navy indefinitely because the cost of constructing it and the stadium in Hambantota, and redeveloping the R Premadasa in Colombo, left Sri Lanka Cricket financially crippled.
One of the two new stadiums built in Sri Lanka for the 2011 World Cup, the Pallekele stadium hsa been designed along the lines of Centurion's SuperSport Park, and replicates the South African venue's famed grass banks. After the World Cup, the venue was handed to the navy indefinitely because the cost of constructing it and the stadium in Hambantota, and redeveloping the R Premadasa in Colombo, left Sri Lanka Cricket financially crippled.
Great players
Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakkara, Ruwan Kalpage, Ranjan Madugalle, Chamara Kapugedera andTB Kehelgamuwa.
Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakkara, Ruwan Kalpage, Ranjan Madugalle, Chamara Kapugedera andTB Kehelgamuwa.
Home team
The Pallekele Stadium is the base of Kandurata, the team which represents Central Province in Sri Lanka's domestic tournaments. Almost everyone in the current first XI has international experience, which helped them win the one-day tournament in 2009-10.
The Pallekele Stadium is the base of Kandurata, the team which represents Central Province in Sri Lanka's domestic tournaments. Almost everyone in the current first XI has international experience, which helped them win the one-day tournament in 2009-10.