SL: BCCSL Chief - Sri Lanka Must Also Reach Test Summit (29 June 1996)
Sri Lanka Cricket chief Upali Dharmadasa said that it was left to Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga and his officials to ensure that Sri Lanka attain the status of world champions in Test cricket as well
29-Jun-1996
29 June 1996
Lanka must reach Test summit as well: cricket chief
By Sa`adi Thawfeeq
Sri Lanka Cricket chief Upali Dharmadasa said that it was left to
Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga and his officials to ensure
that Sri Lanka attain the status of world champions in Test
cricket as well.
"We are the world champions in limited overs cricket today. With
the proper facilities and by laying the correct infrastructure we
should improve step by step towards achieving the goal of world
champions in Test cricket,`` said Dharmadasa at the Coca Cola
Premier Division Cricket `95/96 awards presentation held at Hotel
Taj Samudra on Thursday evening.
The Cricket Board president while thanking Pure Beverages Company
for sponsoring the premier division I cricket tournament said
that he hoped the company would continue its sponsorship when its
three-year contract expires at the end of the year.
"I hope Pure Beverages will continue to sponsor with a greatly
enhanced sum so that the cricketers will benefit in the future``.
"Pure Beverages have pumped in a lot of money to improve the infrastructural facilities in the outstations by constructing concrete wickets. I hope they will continue the good work. Cricket
needs sponsors like Pure Beverages to help Sri Lanka achieve its
goals in the next few years,`` he said.
Sponsorship for the Coca Cola Premier Division Cricket tournament
for `95-96 exceeded rupees three million.
"Every winner has set himself a goal at the beginning of the season and achieved it. The Sri Lanka team did it in the World Cup,
CCC in winning the division I Segment `A` and BRC in their Centenary Year in winning the division I Segment `B`,`` said Pure
Beverages managing director Ana Punchihewa, who was the chief
guest at the awards presentation.
"What many people tend to forget in the euphoria of success is
that there is a team working back stage which has contributed towards the ultimate result. All of them in a way have played
their part,`` said Punchihewa.
He also thanked the officials forming the tournament and umpires
committees for helping to conclude the tournament successfully
and added: "We are the World Cup champions and people will be
wanting to know how we are producing such good cricketers. Therefore, we should help preserve the high standards of the premier
cricket tournament``.
A brief video on Sri Lanka`s successful cricket tour of New Zealand in February 1995 titled `where it all began` was shown to a
large and distinguished gathering. It was following this tour,
the Sri Lanka cricketers went from strength to strength to finally clinch the Wills World Cup, a year later.
Members of Sri Lanka`s World Cup winning team made a fine gesture
by being present for the occasion with skipper Arjuna Ranatunga,
his deputy Aravinda de Silva and Asanka Gurusinha participating
in the distribution of awards along with Dharmadasa and Punchihewa.
Source :: Daily News (http.//www.lanka.net)