Sri Lanka: Bloomfield Club Insure Cricketers (28 Dec 1996)

28 December 1996

Bloomfield insure cricketers

by SA`ADI THAWFEEQ

Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club will insure its cricketers to the tune of Rs. one million.

Bloomfield president Shelley Wickramasinghe said that 60 of his cricketers playing in the Sri Lanka Cricket Board`s division I, II and III tournaments will be insured by Janasakthi Insurance from January 1, 1997.

Wickramasinghe said the club was toying with the idea of insuring its cricketers in the near future, but were forced into taking an immediate decision after the injury suffered by one of its cricketers, Pulasthi Gunaratne.

The Bloomfield fast bowler suffered a hairline fracture in his shin while fielding during the division I and II limited overs final against Tamil Union at the Sara Stadium on Tuesday and is likely to be out of action for nearly three weeks.

As a result, the club will have to bear the expenses of his hospital bills.

"Every boy of Bloomfield deserves to be insured. I have no weak links in all three teams,`` said Wickramasinghe, who was confident his club would win all three titles in the various divisions.

Bloomfield regained the division I and II inter-club limited-over title when they beat Tamil Union in the final on Tuesday.

Bloomfield are well served in the coaching department by two former Sri Lanka cricketers D.S. de Silva and Lalith Kaluperuma who are handling the division I side, and former Sri Lanka umpire and cricketer, Dooland Buultjens, who handles the division II and III teams.

Wickramasinghe said that he was also grateful to Hatton National Bank, who have been sponsoring the club for the past three years and Maharaja Pepsi Cola, and also an understanding executive committee, who have never questioned his integrity.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)