SLC inaugurates practice nets in north and east with donor help

Wednesday, 6 November 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka Cricket said yesterday that the cricket practice nets jointly undertaken by Sri Lanka Cricket and the Foundation of Goodness is an initiative to promote cricket development in rural schools spread widely in the north and east.

The post-conflict era has seen enormous talent which needs to be harnessed for the greater advancement of cricket in the country. Sri Lanka Cricket through its National Development Committee headed by President Jayantha Dharmadasa has started a Infrastructure Development Plan for its stakeholders, such as districts, clubs, associations, provinces and schools. The development program for schools was supported by the legendary cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan subsequent to the inaugural Murali Cup held in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mankulam, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya. Sri Lanka Cricket believes that it needs to provide cricket practice and match facilities for youngsters to be given an opportunity for the development of their talent and skills. This concept is supported by the Foundation of Goodness and Muttiah Muralitharan. SLC believes that the project can make fast progress in human lives in the north and east. SLC is also working on to having greater facilities that will take some time to materialise. Sri Lanka Cricket would like to thank Muttaih Muralidaran for endorsing Tokyo Cement and for coming forward to be their Brand Ambassador without any remuneration and helping SLC to be provided with the cement free of charge for this project. The first cement practice net built at a approximate cost of Rs. 300,000 was declared open yesterday (5 November) in the presence of the board President and other senior officials of Sri Lanka Cricket, Muttiah Muralitharan and other officials of the Foundation of Goodness at the Kilinochchi Central College grounds which coincides with the Murali Harmony cup finals in progress. Sri Lanka Cricket believes such an undertaking to identify cricketers with great potential specially from the north where they could not access such facilities for nearly 30 years have been an absolute priority which Sri Lanka Cricket and the Foundation of Goodness has been able to execute for the greater good of the game. Sri Lanka Cricket has also decided to gift each school a fully equipped cricket material bag donated by Shyam Bhathiya of Allam Steel of UAE and also provide coaching assistance through the network of district coaches to manage this program professionally. Sri Lanka Cricket and Foundation of Goodness are thankful to the following donors for their contribution for this project, which has now resulted in 30 rural schools benefiting from this magnanimous gesture thanks to the generosity of many donors who supported this venture as shown below.

Tokyo Cement Group, Singapore Cricket Ball 2012, SLC Foundation Victoria (Melbourne), SLC South Australia (Adelaide), SLC UK Cricket Committee, Sri Lanka America Golf Association Los Angeles, The Sri Lanka Sports Association of Queensland and Alam Steel Group, the SLC Cricket equipment provider. The list of 30 schools in the north and east that benefited from this facility are: Batticaloa: 4 wickets Oddamavadi Central College Alighar National School Sivananda National School Periyakallar Central College Trincomalee: 4 wickets Kantale Central College Mahaweligama Navodya School Sinhala Maha Vidyalaya Kinniya Central College Mulaitivu: 4 wickets Vidyananda College Mulaitivu Maha Vidyalaya Mankulam Maha Vidyalaya Pudukuduirippu central college Vavuniya: 3 wickets Nelukkulam Madya Maha Vidyalaya Madukanda Maha Vidyalaya Vavuniya Hindu College Kilinochchi: 5 wickets Kilinochchi Central College Kilinochchi MV Tharmapuram MV Mulankavil MV Kilinochchi Hindu College Jaffna: 6 wickets Jaffna College Vaddukkoddai Jaffna Hindu College Kokuvil Hindu College Mahajana College Nelliady MMV Victoria College Mannar: 4 wickets St. Xavier’s College Siththy Vinayakar Hindu College Fathima Maha Vidyalaya Pesalai Al Azhar Maha Vidyalaya