Iconic Welagedara Stadium ready to rock again after revamp
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has granted 13 million rupees to revamp the picturesque Welagedara Stadium in Kurunegala expecting to host more first class matches in the future. The construction of widening the cricket square with a 10-pitch square started at an auspicious time recently.
There are six centre wickets in the existing cricket square and at the request of Kurunegala District Cricket Association (KDCA), SLC has allocated funds for KDCA to revamp the ground within two months.
SLC had earlier scheduled to host some matches of the Afghanistan ‘A’ tour of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh Emerging team’s tour this year, but due to the coronavirus outbreak, the tours were curtailed indefinitely.
Apart from widening the cricket square, there will be ten new side wickets with nets at a corner of the grounds and renovation of the scoreboard as well under the next phase of the two-phase project.
According to the curator, Welagedara Stadium is expected to produce top class wickets suitable for much pace and bounce to give the necessary conditions to groom fast bowlers from the cricket hub of the North Western Province.
“Ten cricket nets is a huge project. It’s a high quality standard when compared with the other international cricket grounds in the country,” said Mohammed Siddeek, the Chairman of KDCA.
Prior to the construction of the centre wickets, a Rs 1.7 million worth lighting system had been installed in the existing indoor nets to train under lights.
KDCA will also start a cricket academy attached to the stadium after completion of the ongoing construction projects this year.
“From the proposed academy we hope to offer scholarships for Under-13 school cricketers, who need financial assistance for their practice sessions in the province,” the KDCA chairman said.
SLC expect to harness potential cricketers to the national circuit as this is the venue which produced the great Rangana Herath when he started his career at school level.
This is the home ground of Kurunegala Youth Cricket Club (KYCC) and this construction will mark the first major revamp for the past four decades since this ground was inaugurated back in 1979.
Since then, the venue has hosted many world class cricketers during the 1980s and 1990s. When Pakistan toured Sri Lanka in 1987, then Pakistan skipper Imran Khan praised the stadium for its beautiful surroundings and the iconic landmark of Athugala Rock.