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Cricket in Sri Lanka
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| History In Sri
Lanka cricket |
The
British left the country 50 years ago. But their summer game cricket
is still here, played more enthusiastically by the Lankans than the
British.So much so that Sri Lanka became the World Champions in
1996.It was also said that wherever the conquerors planted their
Union Jack, the cricket stumps followed suit not long after. Great
Britain, as England was more popularly known then, mainly in order
to signify her position as a world power (though, officially it
comprises England, Scotland and Wales) planted their national flag
in 1815, and the Colombo Journal, of 3 November 1832, reports a
cricket match where the newly formed Colombo Cricket Club,
comprising entirely of expatriate members (a condition for
membership that persisted until 1961) were subjected to a trouncing
by 10-wickets at the hands of a team drawn from the 97th Regiment of
the British Garrison in a match played at the now defunct Sports
Club grounds at Galle Face.
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Today, Sri Lanka cricket
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Today, Sri Lanka as a cricket-playing nation, is a country to be
reckoned with. 50 years ago, in 1948, when the Lion flag was hoisted
over the island nation and the great Don Bradman's Australian team
played a match against Ceylon, the pitch was found to be embarrassingly
some two yards short! It was a big laugh for the Australians. Fittingly,
it was the Australians that Sri Lanka trounced by 7 wickets in the final
of the World Cup on that memorable night of 17 March 1996 at Lahore.
Sweet revenge.
Today, the tag of World Champions has given a new identity to Sri Lanka.
It is not only due to a bloody senseless conflict nor for the famed
Ceylon tea that Sri Lanka is now known.From this country hails a set of
cricketers who play the game in a manner to thrill the cognoscenti and
the commoner, and who has brought honour and glory to their native land.
A tribute both the cricketers and the people of Sri Lanka will always
cherish and will be a landmark in the annals of our history
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