Sri Lanka's capital has a dense concentration of cricketing
arenas, whether test match venues or school grounds. Most
the pitches are in the Cinnamon Garden suburb, but also in
Moratuwa (to the south) and Negombo (to the north near the
airport). The city offers the best practice facilities as
well as good hotels and night spots.
Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club Ground, Colombo
 This
charming first class ground is in the heart of Colombo’s
most opulent neighbourhood, Cinnamon Gardens. With its fast
outfield and flat track, runs come quickly on this pitch.
England U19s defeated India here in 2006 and a host of other
closely fought contests have been staged here in Sri Lanka’s
domestic competitions. The venue is convenient for teams staying
in Colombo and close to some of the cities best shops, cafes
and bars.
Burgher Recreation Club Ground, Colombo
 Sri
Lanka has a thriving Burgher community that have descended
from the island’s Portuguese and Dutch invaders and
this ground is home to their leading cricket club. Although
the outfield can be ragged, the quality of the wicket and
pavilion compensate this. The ground is found in the leafy
suburb of Havelock and is close to Galle Road and the centre
of Colombo.
Colombo Cricket Club Ground
 Although
no longer used for test matches, this is a stunning ground
in Cinnamon Gardens next door to Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC)
and Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC). Cinnamon Gardens has
plenty of distractions for the non cricketing tourists and
the ground has a popular bar and restaurant overlooking it.
The last test played here ended in a high-scoring draw with
New Zealand, in which Sir Richard Hadlee had a remarkable
all-round performance of 151* and a 4 wicket haul. So plenty
of runs on offer and a great opportunity to start or end your
tour with a fifty, or more…
Moors Sports Club Ground, Colombo
 Moors
is a quaint ground, a haven of peace amongst some of Sri Lanka's
tallest buildings with is pristine white wall that rings the
outfield. Perfect for club and school tours and close to the
central Colombo hotels. The changing rooms and pavilion are
a little rustic, but this is a feature you will get used to
while touring in Asia.
Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground (NCC), Colombo
 Right
next door to the SSC and CCC grounds, this is where Sri Lankan
legends, Aravinda De Silva and Kumar Sangakara learnt the
game. NCC has a distinctly colonial ambience with its wooden-floored
pavilion, circular ceiling fans and comfortable planter's
chairs. It is a picturesque venue, full of large tropical
trees and ringed by white walls rather than empty terraces.
We believe they are particularly well-suited to amateur tours.
NCC also boasts an excellent flat pitch that offers the batsmen
plenty of runs as well as pace in the first session. This
is also a good venue for a training session, with good outdoor
and indoor nets.
P.Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo
 Otherwise
known as the Sara Oval, this became Sri Lanka's first Test
venue in 1982, when they played England in a match in which
John Emburey took 6 wickets. The ivy clad scoreboard is just
one feature that makes this such a beautiful old stadium.
The ground is full of cricketing heritage, not only is it
the home ground of Tamil Union, Muttiah Muralithadan’s
home club, but it is also where Don Bradman’s Australia
played a warm up match mid-voyage to England in 1948! The
stadium is currently in a state of renewal with a pool and
sports centre having been built.
R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
 Adjancent
to the Khettarama Temple, Premadasa is Sri Lanka's largest
cricket stadium; a vast concrete bowl with a capacity of 35,000.
It's also the home of the national academy. Sri Lanka posted
record total 952 for 6 against India here in 1997, and the
venue has seen some hard fought encounters between the host
nation and touring nations. The venue presents a good opportunity
for a touring team to play in a world-class stadium, and even
experience playing in a day-night match.
Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo
 The
Lords of Colombo, even boasting its own Long Room. The SSC
is fantastic venue, combining Sri Lankan character and style
with world-class facilities. The outfield and square are kept
in fantastic condition and the ground also benefits from good
nets, an atmospheric bar and refreshing swimming pool. This
ground has seen plenty of runs in the past, it was here that
Mohala Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakara recently posted a record
partnership of 624. The ground is in the fashionable Cinnamon
Gardens area, next door to NCC and CCC, and close to the centre
of Colombo and a number of shops and cafes.
Air Force Ground, Colombo
 In
front of the Trans Asia Hotel, this is a very pleasant cricket
venue in the very heart of Colombo. The ground is well maintained
and there is a monstrous, modern pavilion. The venue offers
a very Sri Lankan cricket experience; the whitewashed walls
separate the ground from the Colombo shanty communities. The
railway runs along one boundary and train passengers hanging
from the carriages are always quick to encouragement. Occasionally
games are interrupted to allow helicopters carrying high powered
Sri Lankan politicians and generals, to land.
Negombo Grounds
 Negombo,
a fishing town and beach resort close to the international
airport about 40km north of Colombo, has a small selection
of attractive venues with excellent pitches. The prices of
the venues are also very reasonable compared to Colombo’s
grounds. The journey from Colombo can take quite a long time,
around one hour in the morning, so the venues are best utilised
by teams who prefer to stay outside of Colombo on the north
coast’s tropical beaches. Negombo makes for a perfect
start or finish to the tour.
There are three main grounds: the Air Force ground in Katunayaka,
the BOI Free Trade Zone venue, also in Katunayake, and Kadana
ground a short drive from Negombo itself. All three have turf
pitches in good repair and are regularly used for first-class
or good club-level cricket. The outfields can be bumpy.
Tyronne Fernando Stadium, Moratuwa
 The
Tyronne Fernando Stadium is a short drive south of central
Colombo and is convenient for those staying in the city or
Mount Lavinia. There is an impressive 10, 000 capacity stadium,
and crowds here have been treated to some exciting cricket
over the years. The venue is home to Sebastianites CC and
often hosts international touring teams. Test matches were
last played here in 1993 but the ground remains in good condition.
The West Indies were the first international side to play
at the ground in 1979 and their formidable pace attack must
have taken most of the bounce out of the wicket. The square
is good, but has a tendency to keep low and favour the batsman.
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