Navy Ground, Welisara is a cricket venue in Sri Lanka that hosted its first recorded match in 2002.

The ground opened with a fixture between Galle Cricket Club Under-23s and Nugegoda Sports and Welfare Club Under-23s.

Overview

Navy Ground is a cricket venue located in Welisara, Sri Lanka. The ground has served as a host for cricket matches, with its recorded history beginning in the early 2000s. The first recorded match at Navy Ground took place in 2002. This inaugural fixture featured Galle Cricket Club Under-23s against Nugegoda Sports and Welfare Club Under-23s. This match established the venue's initial presence in the domestic cricket calendar, highlighting its role in nurturing younger talent from prominent Sri Lankan clubs. The participation of Under-23 sides from Galle and Nugegoda indicates that the ground was utilized for developmental and league cricket during its early years. As a venue in Welisara, Navy Ground contributes to the broader network of cricket facilities in Sri Lanka, providing a pitch for competitive matches. The 2002 match between Galle Cricket Club Under-23s and Nugegoda Sports and Welfare Club Under-23s remains the earliest documented event at this location. Detailed statistics regarding team totals, individual performances, and subsequent matches are not fully captured in the available data for this specific section. The ground's capacity, dimensions, and specific pitch characteristics are not detailed in the current records. Further analysis of head-to-head matchups and league records at Navy Ground requires additional data points beyond the initial 2002 fixture. The venue continues to be a part of the Sri Lankan cricket infrastructure, hosting matches that contribute to the statistical history of the sport in the region. For now, the primary historical marker for Navy Ground is the 2002 Under-23 clash between Galle and Nugegoda.

First-Class Cricket Records

First-Class Cricket Records

First-class cricket at the Navy Ground in Welisara commenced in the 2006/07 season. The inaugural first-class fixture was contested between the Burgher Recreation Club and the Saracens Sports Club as part of the Premier Trophy competition. This marked the venue's entry into the top tier of Sri Lankan domestic cricket, following its initial usage for lower-order and under-23 matches starting in 2002.

Since its debut in the 2006/07 Premier Trophy, a total of twenty first-class matches have been recorded at the venue. The Sri Lanka Navy Sports Club, for whom the ground is namesake, began utilizing the stadium as a home venue during the 2009/10 season. This adoption solidified the ground's status as a key fixture in the domestic calendar, particularly for the Navy franchise in the Premier Trophy.

Available data does not capture the highest team total, lowest team total, or highest individual score at this venue across first-class competitions. Specific batting and bowling records, including the most wickets taken by a single bowler or the highest partnership, are not yet captured in the available data. Detailed statistics regarding pitch conditions, average first-innings scores, or win-loss ratios for home teams are also not provided in the current source material.

The venue continues to serve as a historic site for Sri Lankan domestic cricket, bridging the gap between early under-23 encounters and established first-class contests. While the ground has hosted mixed league formats including T20 matches since 2002, its first-class legacy is defined by the twenty matches held since 2006. No further tournament-specific events or player milestones are documented in the current grounding for this section.

List A Cricket Records

List A Cricket Records

The Navy Ground in Welisara has hosted a limited number of List A matches since its inception as a cricket venue. The first List A match at this ground took place during the 2006/07 Premier Limited Overs Tournament. This inaugural fixture featured a contest between the Kurunegala Youth Cricket Club and the Sri Lanka Army Sports Club. As of the latest available data, a total of ten List A matches have been played at the Navy Ground.

Specific statistical records for List A cricket at this venue, such as the highest team total, the lowest team total, or the highest individual score, are not explicitly detailed in the current source data. The available information confirms the venue's usage in the domestic Premier Limited Overs Tournament but does not provide granular ball-by-ball statistics or player-specific milestones for these ten matches. Consequently, detailed head-to-head matchups or franchise-specific performance metrics for List A cricket at Welisara remain uncaptured in the provided records. The ground continues to serve as a venue for domestic cricket in Sri Lanka, contributing to the broader statistical landscape of the country's limited-overs competitions.

What is the history of cricket at Navy Ground?

The Navy Ground in Welisara, Sri Lanka, is a cricket venue that has hosted matches across multiple formats, including T20, List A, and First-Class cricket. The ground's recorded history begins in 2002, marking the start of its tenure as a competitive cricketing venue. The inaugural match at the Navy Ground took place in 2002, featuring a contest between the Galle Cricket Club Under-23s and the Nugegoda Sports and Welfare Club Under-23s. This early fixture established the ground as a stage for developmental and club-level cricket in Sri Lanka.

Following its debut in 2002, the Navy Ground continued to host matches, expanding its format diversity over the subsequent years. By 2006, the venue had progressed to host both First-Class and List A matches, indicating an increase in the standard of play and the ground's suitability for longer formats of the game. This expansion from T20 to multi-format hosting highlights the ground's versatility and its growing importance within the Sri Lankan domestic cricket structure.

A significant development in the ground's history occurred during the 2009/10 season, when the Sri Lanka Navy Sports Club began utilizing the venue. The involvement of the Sri Lanka Navy Sports Club from this period onwards has played a key role in shaping the ground's identity and match schedule. The club's presence has contributed to the regularity of fixtures at the Navy Ground, reinforcing its status as a home for naval cricket in Sri Lanka.

As of the available data, specific statistical records such as highest team totals, individual batting or bowling milestones, and detailed head-to-head matchups at the Navy Ground are not explicitly captured in the provided sources. The ground's history is primarily defined by its chronological progression from its 2002 inception through the introduction of higher formats in 2006 and the strategic involvement of the Sri Lanka Navy Sports Club from the 2009/10 season. Further detailed statistical analysis would require access to comprehensive ball-by-ball data or specific match reports from these periods.

Venue Profile

The Navy Ground is a cricket venue located in Welisara, Sri Lanka. It serves as a home ground for the Sri Lanka Navy Sports Club, functioning as a key fixture in the domestic cricket calendar. The stadium has hosted matches across multiple formats, including First-class and List A cricket, reflecting its versatility and long-standing usage by local and national teams.

The venue's recorded history in the shortest format of the game began in 2002. The first match held on the ground was a contest between the Galle Cricket Club Under-23s and the Nugegoda Sports and Welfare Club Under-23s. This inaugural fixture established the ground as a competitive arena for emerging talent within the Sri Lankan domestic structure.

While the Navy Ground has a documented history in First-class and List A competitions, specific statistical records for T20 matches are not fully detailed in the available cited sources. Consequently, definitive data regarding the highest team totals, lowest team totals, or individual batting and bowling milestones specifically for T20 matches at this venue is not currently captured in the provided data. Analysts and fans seeking granular T20 statistics for Welisara should note that the existing records focus primarily on the venue's broader historical usage and its role in nurturing under-23 and club-level cricket since the early 2000s.

The lack of specific T20 record data does not diminish the venue's importance in the Sri Lankan cricket ecosystem. As a home for the Navy Sports Club, it continues to host domestic fixtures that contribute to the depth of the national team's player pool. The ground's capacity, pitch dimensions, and specific end names are not specified in the current source material, leaving those physical characteristics for future documentation. For now, the primary verified facts remain its location in Welisara, its association with the Sri Lanka Navy, and its operational history dating back to at least 2002.

Frequently asked questions

When was the first match played at Navy Ground, Welisara?

The first recorded match at the venue took place in 2002.

Which teams played in the inaugural match at Navy Ground?

Galle Cricket Club Under-23s played against Nugegoda Sports and Welfare Club Under-23s in the first recorded fixture.

Where is Navy Ground located?

The stadium is located in Welisara, Sri Lanka.

What type of cricket is played at Navy Ground?

The venue hosts mixed league cricket, with its first recorded match involving Under-23 teams.

See also