Misery for Sri Lanka Under-19 cricket team touring England

It is learnt that the Sri Lanka Under-19 cricket team touring England is being shabbily treated and undergoing misery.

During the 2nd youth test at Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, the team was housed in this hotel in Tewkesbury in the Cotswolds far away from any major town. The boys are often left without a proper meal.

The Sri Lanka Cricket Board has not arranged any regular cook or to bring in meals. At the hotel, meals were expensive, and the vouchers given were inadequate to buy regular meals in-house. Some await well-wishers to bring in some food, though it’s not arranged officially. The team hasn’t brought a chef as the Indian teams do.

There were nights when they go to bed without a proper meal, just on biscuits and tea or some bites, having played the full day.

Insiders said there is no proper planning or any responsible person coordinating on any of these important matters such as regular three meals a day for the players while they are touring.

One wonders what the Sri Lanka Cricket do with their grant funds from ICC (an estimated $ 27 million last year) without providing these players basic facilities.

On Friday England completed a comprehensive innings and 53 runs win on the fourth and final day of the second 4-day youth test over Sri Lanka to take the two-match series 1-0 at Cheltenham.