Armed forces take over Cricket test venues
Following a request from the Sri Lanka’s cash-strapped cricket board to take over and maintain the country’s multi-million dollar test venues, the security forces will manage three stadiums from this month onwards as the governing body of the sport can no longer afford their upkeep, an official said yesterday.
“We are doing this because we are not in a position to afford the maintenance costs. “Themilitarywillberesponsible for the grounds from this month on,” Sri Lanka Cricket’s media manager Brian Thomas said. The R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo is being taken by the air force, the Pallekele Stadium by the navy and the Mahinda Rajapakse International Test Ground in the island’s south bythearmy,thomassaid.
Sri Lanka Cricket has sought government grants and a soft loan to meet part of the $69 million it spent on co-hosting the 2011 Worldcup.
Sri Lanka, which lost the final to India by six wickets, hosted 12 matches with the other games being held in India and Bangladesh.
The island built new grounds in the southern town of Hambantota and the central town of Pallekele while nearly $8 million was spent to renovate the R. Premadasastadiumincolombo.
Ithadcostsrilankaanestimated $46 million to prepare the three venues for the World Cup, according to the sports ministry.
Daily Mirror
