I was shocked and stunned at the viciousness with which national newspapers responded criticising Tamil Union Cricket & Aquatic Club for the lack of facilities during the recent Test match at the country's beloved P. Saravanamuttu Stadium. The amount of service P. Sara Stadium has done to cricket in Sri Lanka is immeasurable and if at all there's a problem, it needs to be amicably sorted out. Asking the venue to be stripped of Test status is being extremist.

By calling for the venue to be stripped of Test status, many writers exhibited their ignorance. Just in order to educate those ignorant masses, I would pen down a few facts on the services the venue has done to Sri Lankan cricket and who's responsible for its current status.

From 1945 to 1982, there was virtually no other ground where an ‘international' match could be played. The Tamil Union maintained the pavilion, ground and other facilities at great expense and loss to itself. This was the contribution that the late P. Sara wished to make to Sri Lanka cricket. It is only because of the Tamil Union, that Sri Lanka had a ground fit for international matches in 1982, when the first Test was played.

Again, the club went to great expense to construct the press box and the L block to house additional spectators. All this was done for cricket in the country. Mind you, those were the days when the board could not provide funds.

Unfortunately, after 1983, the P. Sara Stadium was neglected by the authorities. The cricket board kicked away the ladder from which it got Test status and forgot Tamil Union's contribution. For a variety of reasons, P. Sara was given little or no games except at occasional intervals.

The P. Sara Stadium has always endeavoured to do its best for cricket in Sri Lanka. Although the board ignored the Tamil Union as a ground, when Indira Gandhi was killed and the MCC team was stranded in India, it was to the Tamil Union they turned to play two matches, filling the time.

When Pakistan could not play Australia owing to security reasons, it was again to the Tamil Union that they turned and it became the first neutral Test venue in 2002.

With the P. Sara starting to host international games on a regular basis, the facilities will improve, but it will take time. Another pertinent point that has to be reiterated here is that if the board had spent only a fraction of the money they had spent on other grounds such as SSC, Kettarama, Dambulla and Galle the place would have been a far better venue than what it is today. Or even if the club is given an assurance that it will host more international games in coming years, I am sure the Tamil Union would take steps to collect funds from members to improve facilities.

The reasons for the club not getting international games are many and it's not because it has not moved with the times.

There was also criticism for the venue hosting an international game while construction was in progress. I am sure the authorities at Tamil Union were aware that the Bangladesh games will not attract much crowds and went ahead with construction. Furthermore, P. Sara is not the only venue that was under construction while cricket matches were on. I remember going to the MCG for a Boxing Day game and the match was played while they were putting up the new stand.

The P. Sara Stadium, that has many historical significances for Sri Lanka's cricket needs to be protected and promoted. I was there when Sri Lanka played the first Test match against England in February 1982 and then again when we won the first Test against India. Watching a Test match at the P. Sara is an enriching experience, which I certainly enjoy. I sincerely hope that cricket administrators in the country will support the country's first Test venue.

Camillus Vonhagt
Borella