The Minister said that cricket has infused so much of enthusiasm among the public who are looking forward to two more exciting matches in the Singer World series tournament.
He was speaking at a felicitation ceremony held for teams of the Singer World Series tournament at the Visumpaya on Wednesday, organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and Rural Development.
The minister welcomed the teams on behalf of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and said that the presence of Australia, India and Zimbabwe is appreciable and hoped they would take away good memories of our country.
Earlier Dr. R. M. K. Ratnayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and Rural Development, made the welcome address and hoped that the next Singer World series tournament too would be held in Sri Lanka.
The chairman of the Australian Cricket Board Dennis Rogers presented 350 cricket bats worth Rs.1.5 million to the Minister of Sports S. B. Dissanayake and said that Australia was proud of the progress Sri Lanka had made in cricket during the past few years.
Foreign Minister Kadirgamar;s full speech:
''I bid you all on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka and specially on behalf of Her Excellency the President of the Republic, a very warm welcome indeed. I hope it has already become evident to all of you that your presence in Sri Lanka has done a power of good. They were waiting expectantly for all of you to come. I am sure you have been left in no doubt about the enthusiasm of our cricketing crowd. Cricket has been a very special game in many many decades in Sri Lanka. This occasion of welcoming you to Sri Lanka is a very special occasion.
''As you know cricketers and politicians have much in common. They both play to the gallery. Politicians are elected for a term of office and quite often at the end of that term the batting team is bowled out neck and crop. Sometimes the people, give the batting team a second innings.
''We had an occasion about 17 years ago where the batting team gave themselves a second innings and changed the rules and disqualified the captain of the opposing team. But that is rare. Politicians often get caught out by the public when they promise one thing and do something else or when they promise and do nothing at all.
''When you are in government and you are batting the opposition is trying its hardest to get you out. They do every thing they can, everything in the book and somethings outside the book as well. They bowl bumpers at you, they bowl yorkers and scooters, then they put on wily spin bowlers, they bowl googlies, all sorts of things. And sometimes you find that the umpires are not as neutral as they ought to be. That creates a problem to the game.
But by and large politicians are not as loved by the crowd as you cricketers. You have the occasional brickbat thrown at you. Don't worry about that. You have lots of bouquets as well. Politicians and cricketers both have to develop rather thick skins.
''So ladies and gentlemen, and once again the cricketers of four countries, I wish you a warm welcome to Sri Lanka. Your presence here is much appreciated by all our people. I hope you will carry away with you good memories of our country. The hospitality of Sri Lanka is legendary and I hope very much that you are getting an adequate taste of that.
''Good luck to all of you. You've done a marvellous job already for the game. We have had some excellent matches and we look forward to two more first class matches in the days to come. Thank you one and all''.