Sri Lanka national cricket team will play in Kenya, Team Manager's comments published out of context

The BCCSL's Chief Executive, Mr. Anura Tennekoon has sent a letter to the Kenya Cricket Association committee chairman, Mr. Sharad Ghai assuring him that the Sri Lanka cricket team will play the World Cup match scheduled in Kenya on 24th February 2003.

The letter also clarifies the position of the BCCSL on the recent news reports by certain news agencies on `comments' made by the Sri Lanka cricket team Manger Air Comm. Ajith Jayasekara with regard to the security aspects in Kenya for the World Cup match in 2003.

The text of the BCCSL's letter sent to the Kenya Cricket Association is as follows:-

"We refer to the recent newspaper articles by certain News Agencies in which the Manager Sri Lankan Team, Air Comm. Ajith Jayasekera has been quoted in expressing concern on the security aspect with regard to our national cricket team playing in Kenya for the World Cup matches.

The Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka wishes to inform that the comments made by Air Comm. Jayasekara were in response to a specific question asked from him at a press conference in Australia and he claims that his reply has been published out of context.

We wish to assure you that our team will keep to its commitment of visiting your country for the World Cup match scheduled to be played in Kenya on 24th February 2003. We further add that at no time did we contemplate on not playing in your country.

Had there been any concerns that the BCCSL wished to make on the games to be played in Kenya, we would have done so in writing to the Kenya Cricket Association and not spoken to the media.

We are indeed indebted to the Kenyan cricket team for having visited Sri Lanka during the 1996 World Cup match when our country's security situation was being questioned. We are at the same time greatly heartened by your statement to the media of the elaborate security measures taken for the two games that are being played in your country.

While looking forward to visiting your country for the World Cup fixture we assure you that we will continue to work cordially with the Kenya Cricket Association in the future.

© BCCSL