Uyanwatta Stadium ( si, උයන්වත්ත ක්‍රීඩාංගණය , ta, உயன்வத்டா அரங்கம்) is a multi-use

stadium A stadium ( : stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand o ...

in Matara,

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

. It is situated on the southern tip of Sri Lanka. The Uyanwatte ground is home to Matara Cricket Club. The ground, which has staged `A' internationals and U19 matches, now looks set for a major period of development.

History

The first cricket in Matara dates back to 28 December 1884 when a Combined Ceylonese Cricket Club played against Matara CC. There was no Matara Cricket Club during this period and the team was made up of a collection of cricketers who played against visiting teams from the other parts of the island. The Matara Cricket Club was actually established in 1904, with the bulk of the side being European tea planters. In the early part of the century the ground did not have a pavilion with the players using a shed, which had been erected for the annual Race Meet. In 1966 the then President of the

Matara Sports Club Matara Sports Club is a Division III cricket team in Matara, Sri Lanka. It played first-class cricket 1998 to 2001, before being demoted to Division II in 2002, and to Division III in 2014. The Uyanwatte ground is home to Matara Cricket Club. ...

, Edmund Samarasekera, who continued for 21 years in the position, played a major role in developing the venue. A new pavilion was constructed and contributions from various cricket enthusiasts assisted in completing the building. The first international side to play in Matara was the Pakistan U23 team in 1973. Former internationals,

Pramodya Wickremasinghe Wickramasinghe Gallage Pramodya (born August 14, 1971), commonly known as Pramodya Wickramasinghe, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm-fast bowler. He was regarded as one of the fastest bowlers in 1990 ...

and

Sanath Jayasuriya Deshabandu Sanath Teran Jayasuriya ( si, සනත් ජයසූරිය, ta, சனத் ஜெயசூர்யா; born 30 June 1969), is a former Sri Lankan cricketer and a captain. He is credited for having revolutionized one-day in ...

both come from Matara. The ground has staged `A' internationals and U19 matches.

History

See also