The increase in the number of international cricket stadiums in a country is often a significant factor in the development of cricket in that country. The main requirement for hosting a World Cup is the development of such stadiums. One such stadium, named the Nature Club Cricket Ground, will join Sri Lanka’s cricketing sphere on 15 June. 

This stadium is located in Poruwadanda, Horana in the Kalutara District. It is the brainchild of Roshan Dehiwala, a lawyer by profession. 

“Even though this ground is now beautiful, it wasn’t like this when we started. There was so much jungle and there were bushes everywhere. To top it off, there were even snakes. When we came, we couldn’t see anything and there was no easy way to get here. I was hoping to clear the land and plant coconut trees, which is why I bought this land. This idea actually came to me during the Covid-19 period.

“When the land was gradually being cleared, I started to see that there was a big space here. Even though we wanted to play cricket when we were in school, our schools didn’t have the resources for us to fulfil our dreams. I wanted the kids in this area to have what I didn’t have, so we built this cricket field in three years,” Dehiwala said, sharing his story. 

“The children of rural schools like Horana have been suffering for a long time without such facilities. I considered the value of building a cricket stadium on this land to benefit the poor children instead of growing coconuts.” 

Accordingly, Dehiwala and his wife had commenced the project. More than 35,000 cubes of soil had been used and the stadium is now in excellent condition, ready for tournaments.

“The Nature Club Cricket Ground is a gift for school children. I don’t want our children to miss out on things like this in the future,” Dehiwala said.

Dehiwala had previously been thrust into the limelight as the counsel who had appeared for a major court case in the country. “I appeared in the case of former Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara in connection with the Easter attacks. There were 855 charges against him and I got him acquitted,” he recalled.

He shared that he had received many compliments and criticisms while building the stadium.

“Many people talked about this, but almost everyone discouraged me. Some even asked me if I was crazy. They asked who would come to play cricket in this forest without a way to get there. But my wife and my children stood with me and we continued with our plan.

“Now there is not only a ground, but also a road to the village so that the people of the village can travel via vehicles. I spent about Rs. 7 million just to develop the roads in the village of Poruwadanda.”

The development of the surrounding environment during the making of the stadium is also a notable factor. Developing a sports economy centred around the stadium and adjoining areas where sports are not popular is a massive risk to undertake. Regardless, there is no doubt that this is crucial for a country such as Sri Lanka, where cricket is almost considered as a religion.

The temperature in the Poruwadanda area is between 24-30 degrees Celsius, with dry weather for most of the year. According to experts, it is an ideal playground for training and adapting to the changes in the environment due to the mild weather in the area. As such, potential is rife for commencing the process of producing national-level cricket players from Horana via the Nature Club Ground.  

Dehiwala, speaking of Sri Lanka’s first Test Captain, the late Bandula Warnapura, stated: “When Warnapura first came here, work on this stadium was not even half finished, but the encouragement he gave me when he visited was a source of great strength to build this stadium so quickly and beautifully.”

For the convenience of players, a bungalow and residential facilities have also been constructed, where foreign teams can stay. The work on the dormitory is also in the final stages.

From the centre of the ground, where five pitches are constructed, the ground spreads across a 120-yard radius. Anusha Samaranayake, one of the greatest fast bowling coaches in the history of Sri Lankan cricket, praised the construction of the stadium.  

“Dehiwala is a man with a great love for cricket, which is why he made this sacrifice. This stadium, which will be built because of him, will be a place for producing cricket talents in Horana.”

The emergence of such stadiums is an essential factor in taking national-level premier tournaments to all parts of the country. From 15 June, cricketers around the area will have the necessary facilities to fulfil their dream of playing national-level cricket.