Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Stadium

Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Stadium

P. Sara, Colombo Oval
Ground information
Location	Borella, Colombo
Coordinates	6°55′08″N 79°53′02″E
Establishment	1945
Capacity	15,000
Owner	Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club
Operator	Sri Lanka Cricket
Tenants	Sri Lanka Cricket
End names
Air Force Flats End Press Box End
International information
First Test	February 17 1982: Sri Lanka v England
Last Test	November 25 2012: Sri Lanka v New Zealand
First ODI	April 13 1983: Sri Lanka v Australia
Last ODI	July 20 2007: Sri Lanka v Bangladesh
First T20I	1 February 2010: Afghanistan v Ireland
Team information
Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club (? – present)
As of 10 September 2010 Source: Cricinfo

Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Stadium (Sinhala: පාකියසොති සර්වනමූත්තු ක්‍රීඩාංගනය, Tamil: பாக்கியசோதி சரவணமுத்து மைதானம்; aka Colombo Oval) is a multi-purpose stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is currently used mostly for cricket matches. The stadium holds 15,000 and hosted its first Test match in 1982. It is named after Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, a former civil servant and first President of the Board of Control for Cricket. The venue is the home ground of the Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club. The P.Sara Oval hosts one test match per year in Sri Lanka's summer test calendar, but lost out to Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in 2011 to host Sri Lanka v Australia Tests. The stadium is equipped with a swimming complex and badminton arena for multiple sports activities.

History

The P. Saravanamuttu Stadium hosted Sri Lanka's first Test, against England in 1982. Aravinda de Silva, on 3 November 1984, against New Zealand scored 50* runs, took 2 catches and with this effort he made this ground important to Sri Lanka. In 1985, Sri Lanka won their first Test match at this ground, against India. It is a relatively small ground, half surrounded by lower-level stands and half by grass banks. The most famous feature is the ivy-covered scoreboard and in 1948 Don Bradman brought his Australian side to the ground en route to England. The ground had regularly hosted international matches until 1994, but that was followed by an eight-year lull. In 2002, the ground was used as neutral soil for a Australia vs Pakistan Test Series. The stadium has hosted 15 Test matches, 12 ODIs and one T20.

Records

• Stephen Fleming holds the record for highest Test score at this ground.He scored 274*
• Best Bowling figures by Shane Warne,7/94 Australia vs Pakistan in 2002.

See also

• List of Test cricket grounds
• List of international cricket grounds in Sri Lanka

External links

• Cricinfo profile on P. Sara