Rebuilt S Lanka venue hosts game

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The cricket stadium at Galle in Sri Lanka which was destroyed by the tsunami three years ago is hosting its first match after being rebuilt.

England is playing Sri Lanka on the ground, which lies next to an old Dutch fort, with the sea on both sides.

Two years ago it was announced that about £1m ($2m) would be spent to rebuild the stadium.

England need to win the match to draw the series after Sri Lanka won the first Test and drew the second.

England have won the toss and decided to field in the match, which was delayed by two hours because of bad weather in Galle.

The stadium, which has staged 11 Test matches, felt the full impact of the tsunami when it hit the southern coast of Sri Lanka, one of a dozen countries to be affected.

It has been frequently described as one of the most beautiful grounds in the world.

Far from perfect

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa has already officially re-opened the stadium.

The BBC's Roland Buerk in Colombo says Galle is taking a large step on the long road to recovery from the tsunami.

For nearly three years the cricket stadium stood empty and derelict, little changed from the day of the disaster.

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It had been largely destroyed.

When the sea swept in it was deflected by the massive grey ramparts of the nearby fort, surging around both sides to meet in the middle of the cricket ground. An overturned bus was left on the pitch.

For months now work has been going on to rebuild the stadium with new stands. It is far from perfect.

The main gates were still being put up as the England players arrived to practise and the groundsmen have struggled to dry out the boggy outfield.

But the players say the state of the pitch does not matter.

This cricket match is a poignant moment for Sri Lanka - the revival of a stadium that was long a symbol of tragedy.

England cricketer Kevin Pietersen told BBC Sport on Sunday that England had a duty to ensure the match went ahead despite concerns about the state of the ground.

He said: "The wicket was under water three years ago and there's a bigger picture than cricket here."

Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene reflected: "A lot of people who probably saw us play here four years ago are not with us, so it is emotional.

"But, as a country, we moved forward very well after the tsunami, people have made a lot of leaps and bounds in their lives and so it is a celebration moment for a lot of us."