As an outstation cricketer, I was happy to note that Chilaw Marians SC had reached the final of the Premier Division I tournament. I hope they beat their opponents comprehensively and win the title.

Still, I do have a problem with this so called ‘outstation club’. The name suggests that it is an outstation club. However, we cricketers from the outstations do not get priority over the cricketers from Colombo at Chilaw Marians. Most of the cricketers at Chilaw Marians are from Colombo schools. There are four cricketers from Ananda College Colombo, namely, Mahela Udawatte, Dinuk Hettiaratchy, Damith Gunatilaka and Amal Athulathmudali playing for Chilaw. Then there are a few cricketers from Lumbini Maha Vidyalaya. In fact, a large majority are from Colombo schools or urban areas.

As an outstation cricketer, we expect to practice at home, at Chilaw. This is not the case with the team. Chilaw Marians SC practice at Thurstan grounds and we, who are from the outstations, have to travel to Colombo for practices. We cannot afford to do it everyday. Yet, all the papers refer to this team as an outstation team. We feel sorry for the reading public, who do not know the realities of domestic cricket.

Chilaw Marians is the name of the club, but everything else about the club is Colombo. Only Galle CC could be called a proper outstation club.

Amila K. Perera,
Kandy.