Participating at the inauguration of these wickets were the President of the BCCSL Thilanga Sumathipala, Vice President Anuruddha Polonowita, Treasurer Nuski Mohammed, Director Development Malcolm Perera, Regional Chairman and Chief PA Organiser for Senkadagala electorate Thilina Tennakoon, Secretary Janaka Pathirana, SSP Kandy Nimal Mediwaka, HQI Saliya Silva, test cricketers Aravinda de Silva and Chandika Hathurusinghe.
Thilanga Sumathipala opened the pitches which were complete with metal frame and nets while test cricketers Aravinda de Silva and Chandika Hathurusinghe demonstrated their batting and bowling skills to the large crowd present. Thilanga Sumathipala too played a few strokes.
At the meeting which followed Thilanga Sumathipala said during the last two years only 14 concrete pitches had been constructed in the island but the present Cricket Board administration has so far completed 89 concrete pitches in various parts of the island and a further 120 will be added on to this later.
The Cricket Board has no funds of its own to undertake expenditure of this nature but this has been possible as a result of Sri Lanka cricket team's superlative performances and the sponsorship which followed. Therefore we should be grateful to cricketers like Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva and others for making various sponsors come to us by their excellent performances.
Thilanga Sumathipala said that he is moved by the enthusiasm shown by the crowd present and it is upto the cricketers up here to make the best use of it and preserve same for the future cricketers. In order to help the outstation cricket, a Regional Board Office has been set up in Kandy where the cricketers could get their problems attended without having to come to Colombo. In Thilina Tennakoon and Janaka Pathirana there are two efficient officials at that office who will be able to solve your problems.
Make the best use of the facilities provided to you and there is also a Regional Coach to guide and also conducts coaching camps regularly for the benefit of the young cricketers. It is also my sincere wish that Kandy will continue to produce more cricketers to the national team.
Test cricket star Aravinda De Silva said that the construction of concrete pitches were a step in the right direction for the enhancement of one's individual skills. His services are always available for the uplift of cricket in the country and that he was delighted to be present on this momentous occasion. With the Cricket Board going all out to develop cricket in every nook and corner of the country, Sri Lanka's cricket could always remain on top.
Chief Organiser for PA for the Senkadagala electorate And Chairman Kandy Regional Board Mr. Tillina Tennakoon said that the present Cricket Board Administration has been making giant strides to take the game of cricket from Colombo to outstation areas like Kandy, Matale, Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa to name a just a few. By this the talents in the outstations will be tapped and future Sri Lanka players will emerge from these areas.
SSP Kandy Nimal Mediwake said this is a great day for Police grounds in Kandy and one of the major problems of having net practices has been solved by the construction of the concrete pitches which could be used by the clubs and schools to improve their skills. He thanked the Cricket Board for their fine gesture.
HQI Kandy Chief Inspector Saliya Silva said that the concrete pitches will add to the facilities already available at this venue and will go a long way to help the young cricketers of the area who are hard pressed to look for places to practise batting and bowling as the ground facilities available in Kandy is limited.
The Cricket Board officials also presented cricket materials to the Kandy Police and matting strips to Kandy Municipal Council, Kingswood College and St. Anthony's College to develop cricket.