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Message: <blockquote data-quote="kmc madushan" data-source="post: 14973001" data-attributes="member: 341750">Talking Cricket with Roshan Abeysinghe SLPL goes to Galle, HambantotaWhat is the status of the SLPL? When will it happen or willit actually happen? These may be the questions on many alip of Sri Lankan cricket fans. The reason for such interestcould be the impact the whole tournament created in itsfirst year though I am sure there were areas theorganisers were surely going to look at come the nextyear. Also another possible reason for the interest in theSLPL could be particularly in view of the Big Bash inAustralia and the current goings on the IPL. Televisionscreens in most cricket loving nations are filled with theaction of the great stars of the modern day battling out fortheir respective Indian franchises creating immensepleasure and excitement for all. In the wake of such greataction and excitement it won’t be a surprise for the SriLankan cricket lovers to expect something similar fromtheir own Premier League which is now known as the SLPL!To begin with the organizers – Somerset EntertainmentVentures and Sri Lanka Cricket – have made the correctmove in the second edition by deciding to spread the gamesaround the country. It was extremely obvious that from thefirst occurrence the R Premadasa Stadium is not the bestvenue to play so many games and also have the big crowdsthe format needs. Colombo is a city where hundreds ofthousands of people come in for their employment andreally have very little time to spend on leisure on a regularbasis and hence scheduling so many games in front ofempty seats didn’t do the event any justice. I am sure itwas most demoralising to everybody involved to stage agame of absolute action before a virtual empty house. Itmade the organisers and the franchise owners take theunusual step of filling in the ground with artificial supportwhich is not the way to go in leagues such the SLPL. Thecountries where such leagues have been staged havealways attracted big crowds with the exception of Sri Lankaand hence looking to tackle that issue is without doubt astep in the right direction. As a result of the firstexperience the second edition of the SLPL will be staged inalmost every major cricket location which ranges fromColombo and spreads across the country covering citiessuch as Kurunegala, Kandy, Dambulla, Galle, Hambantotaand Moratuwa. This will also mean that teams will justifytheir identity. For example Wayamba where its provincialcapital is Kurunegala will actually play a game there andalso play a few games in Dambulla ensuring that theycapture the imagination, support and the participation ofthe people of the area. The same applies to Ruhuna toowith games in Galle and Hambantota.To succeed as an event the SLPL needs not just qualityplayers and good cricket but the support of the respectivepeople. Otherwise as it happened the first time the gamewill be watched for its entertainment and quality and notfor the belongingness of the respective segment in thecountry. True the rivalry amongst regions in Sri Lanka isnowhere close to an Indian situation. Hence the reason forthe vast following the IPL has at the moment. It’s also truethat the SLPL can never be an IPL. In fact I wonder whetherthere will ever be another event to match the IPL. Butdespite such a situation it’s also important that the SLPLidentifies and works on the finer points of making the eventa success and one of the standout situations is the crowdsupport! The decision to play games especially inKurunegala, Galle, Moratuwa and Dambulla should belauded whilst it’s a shame that Matara hasn’t got a game.Besides it’s a pity that Sri Lanka still doesn’t have anymajor cricket venue in either the North or the East. Hadthat been the case the whole meaning of the League couldhave easily been fulfilled. However when one looks at thedevelopment plans in the said provinces it won’t be too longbefore games are staged in those parts of the country too.Politically this will be the tonic Sri Lanka needed as acountry as these were the regions that once fought athirty-year war to detach themselves from the country SriLanka. In a scenario such as that to have all races playingtogether and cheering together can be the perfect answerto the world full of ills, where tolerance, love andconsideration for each other will stand out. I am sure intime to come the SLPL if staged in such areas could be aperfect solution to such a problem if it still exists.Also the latest news on the league has it that the event isready to take off on the 10th of August and will concludeon the 7thSeptember with just one game at a venue on aday. Unlike the last year the SLPL will have two TV crewstoo and according to the CEO of the event Ajith Jayasekerathe highly respected officer and the gentleman of the SriLanka Air Force there will be much better players too in thedraft come the second edition of the SLPL.So with seven franchises at the starting line backed by realquality on the playing field the next edition of the SLPLhopefully is going to be an event of great excitement© Ceylon Today</blockquote>

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