A group of 11 English cricket fans has approached Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Shammi Silva seeking his intervention after Galle Cricket Club Delayed in refunding membership tickets money of the canceled two test match series in March due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Cricket Age exclusively learns.
England spent around 10 days in Sri Lanka in March, and even completed one three-day warm-up match, before Covid-19 forced the second practice game to be called off midway through. They were supposed to play two Tests, in Galle and Colombo, as part of the World Test Championship (WTC).
The Test series was scheduled to begin on March 19 in Galle, according to which fans had planned their itineraries in Sri Lanka. However, with the coronavirus sharply gaining intensity over the last week, leading to WHO officially terming it a global pandemic, sporting events the world over have been cancelled or postponed.
Christopher Mycock, one of the member of the touring group of 11 Englishmen, has sent a letter to SLC President Shammi Silva, seeking his intervene in refunding £1,320 from the Galle CC after the cancellation of the series.
In the letter, which is under Cricket Age possession, Christopher has mentioned that they purchased five-day membership for the Galle test match from Galle CC office on the day before the series was abandoned.
“We had purchased a 5 day membership for the test, inclusive of Pavilion access, free WIFI, access to the members bar for £120 GBP pee person. On March 12, one of our group member Ruth Pollock visited the Galle CC and paid £1,320 for 11 tickets. Unfortunately, on the following day, March 13, the tour was cancelled due to the virus outbreak” the letter reads.
Christopher, in the letter, has further added that initially Galle CC agreed to refund the money, but later stopped responding to their repeated attempts through the email.
“First, Galle CC told us that the cash had already been deposited at their local bank. Later, on March 18, after holding an internal meeting Galle CC confirmed the refunding of the money. However, when we asked for the money after returning to UK, Galle CC stopped communicating with us and now we have realized that the refund agreed by them will not be forthcoming” the letter reads further.
After repeated attempts to resolve the matter with Galle CC, now Christopher seeks Shammi Silva’s intervene in refunding the money.
“We appreciate that these are very difficult times globally, but we all feel aggrieved having paid a lot of money for an event that was cancelled for no fault of our own and would like to know what the views of Sri Lanka Cricket are on this matter. Do you, as the head of the Sri Lanka Cricket, feel that refunds should be processed, and if so is there anyone at your end who could ensure that this now happens?” Christopher, on behalf of all his group members, had asked Shammi Silva in the letter.
Furthermore, Christopher has also mentioned that in similar circumstances in the UK, a full refund would be processed, as has been the case with the latest communication from the England Cricket Board (ECB) regarding the summer test series involving the West Indies, that has been postponed due to Covid-19. Christopher has copied the letter to ECB Chairman Colin Graves and CEO Tom Harrision also.
