The South African women’s team arrived yesterday to the island for a 4 ODI and two T20 game tour. A media conference was held today at the Jaic Hilton Colombo ahead of the tour to brief the media regarding the upcoming tour.
Mr. Carlton Bernardus the head of cricket operations of Sri Lanka Cricket was first to address the audience and welcomed the South African team to the island. “Both boards have had many tours during the past few years and we have been having a good relationship with them” said Mr. Bernardus commenting on the relationship of the two nation’s cricket boards. Adding to it Mr Bernardus said “they have always stood by us whenever we needed tours and the tours have come to being because of the understanding of the two cricket boards”. He finally wished both teams the best of luck and wished the South African team has “fond memories they can take back home”.
Trisha Chetty the vice-captain and the acting captain in the absence of Bernadine Bezuidenhout who was unable to fly-in with the team due to personal matters thanked the Sri Lankan cricket board for inviting them here and said “we are getting used to the conditions and the heat but I doubt we’ll ever get used to the heat but we are really looking forward to playing good cricket and an exciting tour” Chetty didn’t forget to mention about the usual hospitality of the Sri Lankan culture, “the people here are amazing” she said.
The newly appointed Sri Lankan women’s skipper Chamari Attapattu was very brief in her address, welcoming the South African team and simply adding that this tour will be very important to her as the captain and as the team as this will be crucial confidence gainers ahead of the champions trophy to be held.
The tour seems to be one to look forward to with women’s cricket growing in popularity and developing rapidly with much enthusiasm and the public is invited to cheer the Lankan Lionesses in the upcoming tour.
