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 Copied from CRICKET_ECHO by Mark Butterworth (2:250/183.22)
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Hi All,
     From "Test Match Grounds Of The World".
Kandy - Sri Lanka.
      The redeveloped and relandscaped playing fields of Trinity
College, Kandy, became the 54th Test ground in April 1983 when it hosted
the inaugral Test between Australia and Sri Lanka. The original playing
fields were the inspiration of the principal of the school, Reverend
A.G. Fraser, and were created by practically "disembowelling" a hill.
The first match took place on 15 January 1915, and over the years the
ground and modest pavilion were to be graced by such legendary figures
as Jack Hobbs, Learie Constantine, Vijay Merchant and Lindsay Hassett.
       That this compact, historic school ground should be turned into a
Test venue is in no small part due to Hon. Gamini Dissayanake, president
during much of the 1980s of the Board of Control and, importantly, an
old boy of Trinity College. Over the years a dream began to materialize
and neither men, money nor materials were spared in the hectic effort to
transform the ground. Heavy machinery and experts toiled for some 30
days bringing down the level of the ground by 10 feet to accommodate 7«
acres of playing field; the square was relaid with loving care: and the
massive  cantilevered pavilion, new scoreboard and sightscreens were
constructed in only a few months.
      The ground, though relandscaped and redesigned, does not have
comfortable  spectator facilities for more than 10,000. But this
compact, historic school playground, now converted to a Test arena has
had its moments. In the second of its four Tests, the First against New
Zealand in 1983-84, Arjuna Ranatunga scored 51 out of 97, the lowest
completed innings total of a Test where an individual fifty was
registered. In the first innings, not only did Sri Lanka register their
record last-wicket partnership (60), but Jayantha Amerasinghe, batting
at number 11 on his Test debut, top-scored in the innings.
      These may be small mercies. But the proud Kandyan always has the
Asgiriya grounds next to his heart and it is a tribute to the
tradition-bound Trinitian that the original pavilion built in 1915, with
the first donation by English army captain Ashley Arbuthnot, of œ100,
and named in his honour, was not demolished during the modernization
programme. Sad to think that Arbuthnot died of wounds received in France
on 15 May 1915 - exactly four months after the ground was ceremonially
opened.
Regards,                                    O  o//,.  /
Mark,                                         >;;;;;;<
Internet tallis@theclan.demon.co.uk  .....     '\\\'  \ 
... From the Long Room in the cricket pavilion  .....
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