I Corea: Sri Lanka to play 3-Test series against England in 2001 (19 Aug 1998)
Seven hundred and fifty guests cheered loudly as if they were watching a spectacular four to the boundary when Timb Lamb, Chief Executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board told all those present at the dinner at the Park Lane Hilton that Sri
19-Aug-1998
19 August 1998
Lanka to play three Test series against England in 2001
Ivan Corea
Seven hundred and fifty guests cheered loudly as if they were
watching a spectacular four to the boundary when Timb Lamb, Chief
Executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board told all those
present at the dinner at the Park Lane Hilton that Sri Lanka will
play a three Test series the very next time they meet - that is in
2001.
At last it was the news everyone was waiting for. In the words of
Arjuna Ranatunga a few years ago, a 'one test match series made no
sense.' Now the ECB seemed to agree, Timb Lamb went further, the very
next series in the UK will no longer be a one test match series. Sri
Lanka will be given more tests.
It made all the campaigning worthwhile hundreds had written to the
cricketing authorities at Lord'a asking the powers at be to grant Sri
Lanka Three tests. And now the news was broken in front of an
audience which included The Chief Executive of the ICC, the Chairman
of the MCC, the Secretary of the MCC.
Among the glittering guest list were top media writers - Simon Wilde
of The Sunday Times,, Ivo Tennant of the Times, Rob Steen of the
Telegraph and The Financial Times, Salim Salah of BBC Television.
They were delighted to hear the news having back the 3 test campaign.
Ranjit Fernando, tour manager of the Sri Lankan cricket team gave an
outstanding speech, urging everyone to back the cause of Sri Lankan
cricket as one. Now was the hour. Thilanga Sumathipala, President of
the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka also gave a rallying
speech, adding that all profits from this dinner at the Hilton will
go to a BCCSL project.
Dr. Daya Panditha Gunewardena hoped that Sri Lanka will beat England
in the finals on Thursday. 'We must all back the efforts of Arjuna
Ranatunga and the team', said Asitha Jayaweera, Chairman of the UK
Representative Committee of the BCCSL who was also in the audience.
Tim Lamb is regarded as a friend of Sri Lanka. Whereas others in the
TCCB refused to even consider more than one test for Sri Lanka, Lamb
thought otherwise. Another backer is Roger Knight, Secretary of the
MCC who has a great deal of time for Sri Lankan cricket. This was
certainly something to cheer about.
At last we have three tests against England.
Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)