8 May 2017 08:46 am
Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera lays the foundation stone for the indoor nets and gymnasium at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in 2015.
The first phase of the Kandy High Performance Centre will be declared open tomorrow ahead of national team’s six day high intensity training ahead of the Champions Trophy 2017.
The facility includes six strips state-of-the-art indoor bowling facility and two side wickets with floodlights which will be utilized by the national players during the six-day training session in Pallekele.
The project was initiated by Sidath Wettimuny led interim committee in 2015 but was suspended in January last year by the current administration led by Thilanga Sumathipala citing the previous board's failure to obtain government approval for the projects. This claim was however disputed by Wettimuny.
However the project was revived in August last year.
“The newly installed floodlights of the side-wickets too will be inaugurated on the 9th of May and the completion of the Indoor nets together with the Floodlighting of the side-wickets marks the completion of the first phase of SLC’s ambitious plans to establish 4 Provincial Centres of Excellence across the Nation to cater to Cricket from the grass root levels onward,” a board statement said.
The four centres have been identified as Colombo (R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium), Galle (Galle International Cricket Stadium), Dambulla (Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium) and Kandy (Pallakelle International Cricket Stadium) which will function as the catalyst for all training and development activities across the districts that will be administered under each of the said Provinces. “Plans are underway to develop each of the stadiums to meet stringent high performance needs with state-of-the-art facilities such as floodlit side-wickets, top-range indoor nets with IT connectivity, swimming pools, recovery and rehabilitation centres, residential facilities and more,” the statement added.