``Apart from representing my country, one of my life's ambitions was to see Galle host a Test match. That dream is almost a reality today,'' said the 37-year-old former Sri Lanka Test cricketer, who represented his country in 10 Tests taking 32 wickets at a cost of 31.90.
Warnaweera was given a big responsibility by the newly-elected Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka president Thilanga Sumapathila for whom he worked so arduously during the elections early this year, of converting the Galle esplanade into a stadium of international status.
It was a challenge Warnaweera accepted and has been successful with. Three years ago he made a similar attempt and failed.
That New Zealand should be the country to baptise Test cricket's newest ground is a strange coincidence, for it was with the Kiwis that Warnaweera has had a long love-hate relationship.
When they played in Galle in 1987, he picked up four wickets for 51 runs representing the Galle District Cricket Association Invitation XI. Then on the 1990-91 tour to New Zealand, he had several verbal confrontations with the New Zealand players and, two years later, when the Kiwis toured here, captain Martin Crowe went public to denounce his bowling action.
Warnaweera was accused of chucking by Crowe, and although countries like England had reservations about his bowling action, he was never called for throwing in a Test. Warnaweera did not let Crowe's accusations deter him because he went on to take a career best 4 for 25 off 14 overs in the second Test at the SSC to condemn the Kiwis to a nine-wicket defeat.
New Zealand Cricket's chief executive Christopher Doig paid Warnaweera a fine tribute when he said: ``This man Warnaweera has done a remarkable job. It is a beautiful Test ground. It may not have the same completeness of the R. Premadasa Stadium, but with the passage of time it will turn out to be good Test venue''.
The only area where Doig had some reservations was the outfield. ``It is not quite as good as one would have liked for a Test match. It looks very rough,'' he said.
Amongst the new innovations that have come up at the venue is that the players' dressing rooms and the press box will be fully air-conditioned.