This season a new phenomenon has hit Seenigama with unexpected force. Tourist cricket has brought teams from the UK, New Zealand and Australia to experience the village game as it should be played- with the tenacity, skills and passion that drives rural children in Sri Lanka to excel, exceed expectations and reach levels of innovation that continue to amaze those who see them play.
On Thursday 1st April 2010, Harborne Cricket Club, one of the largest clubs in the Midlands, UK, arrived to take on the Seenigama Club Team at the MCC sponsored ground in nearby Sri Sumangala College, Hikkaduwa. This was part of a wider tour of Sri Lanka to take in the Galle Cricket Ground and Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, and the connection to the Foundation of Goodness was made thanks to Naren who now plays for Harborne but knew the Foundation well before moving to the UK.
From early on in the planning, Harborne wanted this to be a different sort of day- a day that would not only be great fun for all involved, but that would leave a lasting legacy for the village children and youth.
In their build up to the visit, the tourists had run an intense fundraising campaign that generated donations from nearly 250 individuals and companies, and raising Rs 1,000,000/- (GB£5,000) towards the refurbishment of the Lahiru Pre School play park, including a sound proof wall to reduce noise and pollution from the train that runs adjacent to children’s area, and a new flooring to protect the children while they play.
With a traditional welcome, the guests were received with huge smiles from the young children who had gathered at the MCC Centre of Excellence, where the Pre School is located. Garlands for the special guests, lighting of the oil lamp and welcome messages from Kushil Gunasekera, Founder/ Trustee of the Foundation of Goodness and Helen, Sector Manager for the Pre School followed a brief tour of the premises including the tsunami watermark that is clearly visible far above even the tallest of the visitors.
Ian Powick spoke on behalf of HCC. He said afterwards “After the fantastic welcome dancing and singing followed by both Kushil and Helens' words, and seeing all the photos and press clippings on your entrance walls, let's just say I wasn't having to don the dark shades just to keep out the glare - I hope my voice didn't give too much away as I struggled to get through my own words!!”
Ian thanked the donors and sponsors who contributed to the effort to raise a million rupees. He thanked members of the touring group for spending so much time and effort to make this project a success. He then concluded his speech by handing over a cheque of LKR 1 Million to Kushil. Followed by handing over a plaque to Helen that is to be embedded into the newly built wall at the pre school.
The children took great delight in performing for the guests a special routine that they had practiced enthusiastically for many weeks. The tourists commented that “It was a touching and rewarding experience for everyone.”
And then it was time for the cricket to begin! The group headed for Sri Sumangala College and the anticipation of a good game, seeing as they left, the huge cheque already fastened to the tsunami gallery wall at the entrance to the Seenigama community development complex.
Under the scorching Sri Lankan sun- a far cry from the gloomy skies of the Midlands in April- the two teams battled through 20 overs each in a tight game that ended in favour of the Seenigama Club Team by just one wicket- a nail biting finish for all concerned!
Exhausted and hungry, the groups staggered back to Seenigama for a village lunch of rice and curry at the Seenigama Sports Academy, including the cricket ground sponsored by Surrey County Cricket Club, where 1400 children and youth every year enjoy cricket, swimming, netball, badminton and volleyball coaching, thanks also to sponsorship from the, Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, the Australian Sports Outreach Programme and Bryan Adams Foundation for the 25m Swimming pool.
While children played their sports, supervised by a local team of coaches, the visitors made presentations of equipment to the cricket team. They presented cricket equipment to ten of the most promising young cricketers in the region. They came from five different schools from around the Seenigama area. The equipments given out were three new woodworm bats, two new woodworm helmets, one pair of new gloves, and four sets of Warwickshire and Gloucester playing shirts, practice shirts and sun hats. In addition the touring team gifted six woodworm kit bags full of cricket equipment and clothing to the Foundation of Goodness, which will be distributed to needy schools in the conflict-affected north.
In addition Chris Fowell from the touring party presented a set of medical equipment to the Foundation of Goodness Medical Center and building blocks and pencils for the Pre School.
To conclude the day’s proceedings HCC chairman Tim Clay thanked Kushil and the team and all the youngsters present for their hospitality and wished the Foundation of Goodness the best of luck for all their future endeavours. He then presented Kushil and Anura with a Harborne tie.
Kushil commented to Ian and the rest of the team that “People of your stature with equal charity in your heart add fuel to our enthusiasm in going forward to enrich humanity with so much focus, dedication, commitment and perseverance. If not for those like yourselves who are generous, considerate and kind we cannot continue to do what we have done to improve the quality of life in villages which is extremely admirable and most helpful.”
In April 2010 the Foundation of Goodness will be hosting 6 touring teams in addition to the Harborne Xi, including a UK school team as part of a tour arranged by Visit Lanka; Brisbane Cricket Club; Leeds Grammer School; Willows Cricket Club from New Zealand; Yara Valley Cricket Association, Australia with long-time supporter Mr. David Cruse; and a Golden Oldies team from the top Colombo schools of Ananda, Nalanda, St Thomas’ and Royal College.
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world”
2010.04.05 |
