Political cricket or cricket politics: Whatever it is, it stinks like the Sooriyawewa toilet
View(s):
Tubelight on the verge of falling down
love pigeons. Their cooing even has a romantic connotation.
In reality, pigeons have many connections with humankind, and of the bird kingdom, they are one of our closest allies. In days gone by, they even were vital cogs in the war machine. Then, in the same breath, a stool pigeon is a criminal who tells on other criminals to the police. Hence, it seems, the pigeons and we have a lot in common.
You may wonder why my sudden love for this bird species. So let’s take it from the beginning.
Prior to the 2011 Cricket World Cup which we co-hosted, the Lanka Cricket hierarchy commissioned the Sooriyawewa Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium and played some of the matches there amidst pomp and pageant. Whether it was a hassle to those who were partaking in the event was not the question at hand. The facility was there and we were obliged to use it. The first game was an ICC World Cup match between Sri Lanka and Canada. The locals won the match by a huge margin of 210 runs, while the last game was played a little over a year ago — July 26, 2015, between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The home team once again won it by a big margin of 165 runs. The win-loss margin of the ground reads as that of the 17 games played, Sri Lanka has won seven (including the 2011 World Cup matches), Pakistan twice, while Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa and England won one each, with three games yielding no results. So, this means the Lankans too have a good winning margin.
Bird’s nest in urinal
The Sooriyawewa Ground was used as a T-20 venue on seven occasions between 2012 and 2013, and Sri Lanka have won only on two occasions, while South Africa have tasted success on three occasions, with Pakistan winning once.
Then, suddenly, the decline set in. With the advent of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) administration led by Thilanga Sumathipala, the Rs. 4.5 billion investment went into ruination. But the present Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake recently put the cost to build the stadium at ONLY Rs. 825 million. Even if it was so, the money spent was a huge sum and therefore the facility must be utilised more prudently.
Now what you see at this venue is not a grand stadium, but a facility gone to rack and ruin.
Once it was a facility that could accommodate 35,000 spectators for a day-night match. Today, the only spectators are the roaming pigeons who have billeted facilities, with an unceasing echo of their haunting coo.
That is in the upper echelons. The Sooriyawewa Stadium floor is strewn with pigeon carcasses and pigeon droppings. The set of pictures sent by our hometown boy Nuwan Jayasekera is heart rendering. The degradation of the facility is more than evident and no one seems to care.
The Media Box
Jayasekera says there is wanton damage, while the people of the area say they do not deserve this treatment to their Cricket pride in the area. Ironically, the most overgrown area is the VVIP’s entrance, and some feel it won’t be long before the elephants and the leopards take back that plot of land.
When inquired about the plight of the Sooriyawewa International Stadium from the National Project Development Manager Sujeewa Godaliyedda, he was quite sure the facility was still in good hands. He said, “There is nothing wrong with the ground and the adjacent area. We have kept all the wickets and the surrounding areas in good condition.
“However, we do have a problem with the rest of the facility. It is simply too big for us to maintain and to keep it at that level we need at least Rs 5 million a month. I don’t think we are in a position to put that kind of money down at this juncture.”
Godaliyedda explained that SLC has not abandoned the Sooriyawewa International Cricket Stadium. He said, “If there is a necessity, we could bring the facility to its pristine state within three weeks but, right now, we are finding it difficult to maintain it.” He added, “We are hoping to play some Under-19 matches at this venue very soon”.
Nevertheless, we see this as another chess move in the Cricket hierarchy’s power struggle. Once it was the Dambulla International 
Cricket Stadium that faced a similar fate. Someone in the pecking order did not like Thilanga Sumathipala, who had to answer for that folly – the Dambulla Stadium. At one point, they even removed some of the fixed chairs from the venue.
May be, someone wants to show allegiance to another political agenda, which has nothing even remotely to do with the game of Cricket. But, the execution is being executed.
I wonder what ‘Palanaya’ you categorise this under but, it is being done.
Just imagine the plight of Bloomfield Cricket Club. Now the SLC hierarchy has pronounced that Bloomfield C & AC is under suspension, though the club could participate in the Premier League Cricket tournament. But, at the same time, they cannot find sufficient talent to man a playing XI. Why? None other than the Chief Selector Sanath Jayasuriya has pronounced that, if any cricketer dons Bloomfield’s green cap, he would not be considered for national honours, according to their club’s President Jayantha Seneviratne.
Then, Badureliya CC won the T-20 title last season. They are also in the same suspension basket as Bloomfield. See a bit beyond the line, to SLC’s last AGM. Both these clubs voted against the present Cricket power and the suspension means, the clubs get no monetary assistance from the SLC for their upkeep.
They have been put in Cricket’s pigeon holes for hibernation. The result is, like Sumathipala waited for the Dambulla injustice, the above mentioned will stay till the worm turns.
Then, there is the lucky quarter in Cricket too. For instance, CCC had a huge windfall for a game that was never played. But, no one suspended them for that folly.
This is politicians’ Cricket or someone is playing Cricket politics — I don’t understand. But, I see cricket getting dirtier than the Sooriyawewa toilets.
Pigeons nesting
Pigeon carcass
This entrance is supposed to be for the VVIPs
The inaugural match at Sooriyawewa was played between Sri Lanka and Canada was also the opening match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. After the grand opening the situation detiorated, especially during the past one year. The pictures below depict the untold story