Lanka to play three Test series against England in 2001

Ivan Corea

19 August 1998


Seven hundred and fifty guests cheered loudly as if they were watching a spectacular four to the boundary when Timb Lamb, Chief Executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board told all those present at the dinner at the Park Lane Hilton that Sri Lanka will play a three Test series the very next time they meet - that is in 2001.

At last it was the news everyone was waiting for. In the words of Arjuna Ranatunga a few years ago, a 'one test match series made no sense.' Now the ECB seemed to agree, Timb Lamb went further, the very next series in the UK will no longer be a one test match series. Sri Lanka will be given more tests.

It made all the campaigning worthwhile hundreds had written to the cricketing authorities at Lord'a asking the powers at be to grant Sri Lanka Three tests. And now the news was broken in front of an audience which included The Chief Executive of the ICC, the Chairman of the MCC, the Secretary of the MCC.

Among the glittering guest list were top media writers - Simon Wilde of The Sunday Times,, Ivo Tennant of the Times, Rob Steen of the Telegraph and The Financial Times, Salim Salah of BBC Television. They were delighted to hear the news having back the 3 test campaign.

Ranjit Fernando, tour manager of the Sri Lankan cricket team gave an outstanding speech, urging everyone to back the cause of Sri Lankan cricket as one. Now was the hour. Thilanga Sumathipala, President of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka also gave a rallying speech, adding that all profits from this dinner at the Hilton will go to a BCCSL project.

Dr. Daya Panditha Gunewardena hoped that Sri Lanka will beat England in the finals on Thursday. 'We must all back the efforts of Arjuna Ranatunga and the team', said Asitha Jayaweera, Chairman of the UK Representative Committee of the BCCSL who was also in the audience. Tim Lamb is regarded as a friend of Sri Lanka. Whereas others in the TCCB refused to even consider more than one test for Sri Lanka, Lamb thought otherwise. Another backer is Roger Knight, Secretary of the MCC who has a great deal of time for Sri Lankan cricket. This was certainly something to cheer about.

At last we have three tests against England.


Source: The Daily News

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Date-stamped : 07 Oct1998 - 04:24