Sri Lanka cricket institute award for best curator
In an effort to improve the standard of pitches prepared for domestic cricket matches especially the Premier trophy, Sri Lanka Cricket has introduced a Curator of the Year award from the 2006-07 season
Sa'adi Thawfeeq
08-Oct-2006
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The best groundsman or curator of the year award will be based on match reports of match referees, umpires, captains and curators of Sri Lanka Cricket headed by director of pitches Anuruddha Polonowita. Polonowita, who will be assisted by three other curators, has been given the task of visiting venues where pitches are being prepared and assess their condition.
The curator or the best groundsman of the year will receive Rs. 100,000 and a set of clothing. The first and second runners-up will get Rs. 75,000 and Rs. 50,000 respectively. These awards will be decided by a three-member panel comprising Kumar Boralessa, Ranil Abeynaike and Ranjit Fernando.
"Curators are also part of the development we intend carrying out to raise the standard of domestic cricket," said K Mathivanan, the SLC secretary. "We have come up with awards for curators to encourage them to prepare good pitches and ensure that there is good cricket played throughout the season. Last season several three-day matches ended inside two days which is not good for the game."
Mathivanan also stated that SLC had delayed commencing the Premier limited-overs and league tournaments to give enough time for the curators of the 14 Premier clubs to prepare the pitches. He said that one-and-a-half months has been given since the completion of the under-23 tournament for the curators to prepare the pitches before the commencement of the Premier tournaments. "The other reason why we delayed is to avoid the monsoonal period, "he said. "A lot of matches were affected by rain last season."
Meanwhile, SLC has taken over the payments of coaches after receiving several complaints from club coaches in the past season.
"We spoke to all the 14 Premier clubs and they were unanimous that SLC pay the coaches," said Mathivanan. "I don't want to mention names but certain clubs failed to make the full payment given by SLC to the coaches. The clubs have the right to pick a full-time coach of their choice, but he must be registered with SLC."
SLC has raised the salary paid to a Premier division I coach from Rs. 25,000 per month last season to Rs. 40,000 per month. He will be paid for a period of nine months.