Trinity agree to give Asgiriya stadium for Test match (9 June 1999)

9 June 1999

Trinity agree to give Asgiriya stadium for Test match

S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen

Trinity College has agreed to give the Asgiriya Stadium for the staging of the Triangular Test match which is scheduled to be played up here from September 9 to 13.

This follows a discussion between the Cricket Board Officials and the Trinity College authorities in Kandy. The Cricket Board was represented by Director Development BCCSL Malcolm Perera, Shashi Danatunge and Regional Board II (Kandy), Secretary Janaka Pathirana and Trinity College by the Principal Professor R. Breckenridge, Harindra Dunuwille, Huthifa Halimdeen, Roger Abeyratne and 'Ford' Merril Gunatillake.

The stadium officials have been requested to have the grounds ready in time for the test match. Janaka Pathirana of the Regional Cricket Board has been requested to provide the Asgiriya Stadium with a roller, grass cutter and turf cutter to accomplish this task.

But quite a lot of work will have to be done to bring the playing field to the standard of a test venue as at present sports like athletics, rugger, hockey and cricket is being practised making the outfield soggy and muddy, perhaps even uneven. Rugby season is at its peak and a large number of schoolboys could be seen practising in the soft and muddy grounds.

But you cannot help it as this ground is maintained by Trinity and its students have the right to practice and play there under any weather conditions. Trinity's rugby ground is at Pallekelle but it is about ten kilometres away and transport is a problem, hence the boys use Asgiriya Grounds for practices.

The last time a test match was played in Kandy was in January last year when Sri Lanka scored an eight wicket win over Zimbabwe. Since then the South African 'A' team has played an unofficial test and the Kiwis a three day side game has been at the Asgiriya Stadium.

Source :: The Daily News