Cricketers in line for camp in Sri Lanka

After losing batting coach Steve Tikolo to his mother country Kenya, news of Sri Lanka aid will lighten the dampened mood.

LUGAZI

Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) might turn out to be the biggest beneficiaries from the Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s four-day visit to Uganda to participate in the Commonwealth Local Government conference.

The senior men’s national cricket team in the company of their women counterparts met the Sri Lankan leader in Lugazi on Monday. In a ceremony full of glitter and cricket exhibitions at the Mehta Stadium, UCA CEO Justine Ligyalingi, in his brief speech, requested for help ‘by sending coaches to Uganda’ and ‘a boot camp’ in Sri Lanka where there are modern facilities.

“We were in your beautiful country in 2006 when ICC U-19 World Cup took place,” said Ligyalingi. “We saw the good facilities and some of the great players. We seek assistance as we prepare for our upcoming events. “We request you to help send us coaches to polish our skills and our second request is to facilitate us a camp in your country.”

President Rajapaksa didn’t have time for a speech but twice interrupted Ligyalingi’s with two similar words – Granted.

Ligyalingi yesterday revealed that UCA will follow up the matter through the right protocol. “This is now a matter between two governments. All we can do as UCA is follow up through the right channels. And we are hopeful it (promise) will come through,” he said.

Mehta Group, sponsors of the national cricket teams, set up the meeting, which was also attended by several Sri Lankan dignitaries including their new ambassador Velupillai Kananathan, Uganda’s Minister for Trade and Industries and Cooperatives Amelia Kyambadde and Uganda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Okello Oryem. It was also attended by Mahendra Mehta and his nephew Hemnabh Khatau.

UPCOMING ICC EVENTS

November 2013: ICC Global World T20 Qualifier in United Arab Emirates
January 2014: ICC Global World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand.

indawula@ug.nationmedia.com