Members of the two teams and the media observed a minute’s silence in respect for former Sri Lankan (then Ceylon) captain C.I. Gunasekera. The legend, 90, passed away at his residence situated near the SSC.
Fondly referred as the mercurial monarch for his all-round abilities, Gunasekera played 20 first class matches scoring 1,131 runs and picking 53 wickets including a hundred fopr a Commonwealth XI alongside the legendary Keith Miller.
Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni did his bit for the groundsmen before play commenced on Day Four. A good number of the workers at the SSC are football enthusiasts. As they were intent in watching the visitors warm-up with a game of football they wanted to join, Dhoni allowed them to take a spot kick each with him guarding the goal. True to form Dhoni did not allow a single kick to go past him!
A day before Muttiah Muralitharan went on record stating that the Galle International Stadium was his favourite venue, the South Province Association had decided to name the area near the pavilion after the legendary spinner. “It’s only apt for a special area to be named after him after all the records he had set here. Work on the plaque will start soon,” confirmed chief curator and ground in-charge Jayananda Warnaweera.
Chief curator of the SSC, Colombo A. Polonowitani squarely passed the blame on the bowlers when quizzed on the nature of the pitch he had prepared for the second Test. “Both sides are batting-heavy and it only shows the quality of bowling,” Polonowitani said.
Spare a thought, curator, for even the best of bowlers would have dreaded bowling on this shirtfront.