Sri Lanka train at picturesque Radella Cricket Ground in latest facility
Prior to the New Zealand tour, the high altitude and cold weather, as well as the pace, bounce and movement provided conditions they are likely to encounter there
Madushka Balasuriya
Sri Lanka’s cricketers and coaching staff praised the country’s newest training facility in Radella, Nuwara Eliya after a week-long training camp at the newly renovated site.
Located approximately 4000 feet above sea level, the Radella Cricket Ground is among the most scenic in the world. This is where the Dimbula Athletic & Cricket Club is located. The immediate area encompasses the distinctive greenery and mountainous landscapes of Sri Lanka’s hills, with waterfalls and tea plantations galore, ready to greet those who venture further afield.
But more than the setting, it was the on-site conditions that those in attendance liked best. Ahead of the team’s departure for New Zealand – where they will compete in two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is – the combination of high altitude and cold weather, along with the pace, bounce and movement present at Radella, offered the players a very close connection facsimile to the conditions they are expected to face in the coming month.
“The wickets we played were excellent,” said Sri Lankan head coach Chris Silverwood on the sidelines of the training camp. “Decent pace, good bounce, little movement and obviously the climate has done us good as well as training at high altitude; very similar to what we might encounter in New Zealand.”
The refurbishment work was overseen by Godrey Dabrera, Head of Sri Lanka Cricket International Venues and Facilities. After starting work late last year, Dabrera led a 20-strong team that installed four center-turf wickets and five practice wickets, all completed in eight weeks.
“The work that Godfrey and the team have done here has been absolutely fantastic in making this place work and giving us the conditions and facilities that we have here,” said Silverwood. “They did a great job in such a short amount of time too.”
Test captain Dimuth Karunaratne echoed his coach’s thoughts and was particularly pleased that his bowlers were being given extra time to acclimate to colder climes.
“I think the bowlers have benefited quite a bit. For the fast bowlers, it’s not like bowling in warm conditions; Bowling in colder conditions is a bit more difficult,” said Karunaratne. “Even for the spinners, it can be difficult to grab the ball in a colder climate. So things like that were very useful. We also have a lot of young players in the squad who haven’t played in New Zealand before, so it was a very useful experience.”
Sri Lanka completed their training camp on Thursday and will now return to Colombo to continue their preparations. The tour of New Zealand begins with the first test on March 9th in Christchurch.