by Ravi Nagahawatte

Officials of the Interim Committee for the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka are reported to have met the Mahanayakes of the Asgiriya and Malwatte Chapters, to get their consent, for play on the second day of the third test between Sri Lanka and West Indies, which coincides with a poya holiday.

Board officials, including the chairman of the interim committee, Vijaya Malalasekera, are said to have met the two priests in the aftermath of a government communiquŽ, which recently banned sports activities on full moon days.

"The two priests were satisfied with the explanations given, which was that the dates could not in any way be changed. The whole calendar for the West Indies tour was rescheduled following advice given by the police, who requested the BCCSL to avoid playing matches close to the forthcoming elections. The initial dates for the third test were scheduled so that it concluded on December 4, one day before the elections. But after announcements for the elections were made, dates of all tests were changed" the media manager of the BCCSL told ‘The Island’.

The official further said that the BCCSL was making all attempts to reschedule dates for the country’s forthcoming test series with Zimbabwe, if the playing dates clashed with a poya holiday.

‘The BCCSL hasn’t been instructed on the poya day ruling by the government. We certainly want to accommodate the views of the government, so we will follow the ruling in future," the media manager said.

It is however known that a Premier League match scheduled to commence this Friday (poya day), has been rescheduled to start on Saturday, December 1.

This match, between Chillaw Marians and Antonians will be played from December 1-3 at the Free Trade Zone Ground in Katunayake.

According to Group Captain Srian Samararatne, tournament committee chairman for BCCSL domestic matches, he had the co-operation of both parties to reschedule the match.