Galle doubtful as venue for West Indies Tests

Sri Lanka Cricket's interim committee is considering beginning the upcoming Test series against West Indies in Colombo instead of Galle, which has been the customary venue for a tour opener, because of the cost factor. West Indies, who last played a series in Sri Lanka in 2011, are set to tour again around mid-October.

With the West Indies tour not generating big revenue for the SLC, chances are the interim committee would prefer playing the two Tests at the P Sara Oval and the SSC or R Premadasa Stadium to cut costs.

"In terms of TV broadcasting rights, we will receive [Sri Lankan] Rs 45 million for the West Indies tour, whereas for the tour by Pakistan we received Rs 55 million and the tour by India Rs 300 million," vice-president of the SLC interim committee, Kushil Gunasekera, said.

Gunasekera said that although SLC owns the ground at Galle, it still has to pay the Galle Municipality taxes when a Test match is staged there. "We have to pay the municipality Rs 125,000 per day in addition to other overhead costs. We'll need to seriously consider the cost factor especially for this tour," he said.

Gunasekera said a final decision on Galle as a Test venue for the West Indies series will be taken at the interim committee meeting on August 31, after consultation with team members and officials.