KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Day was extra special this year for SK La Salle Petaling Jaya when it opened the Senna Sports Indoor Cricket Centre, making it the first school in Malaysia to have an indoor cricket facility.
Selangor Cricket Association deputy president Divian Gangnadharan, who is serving as the association’s acting president following the sudden death of Sehar S. Sinnadurai, said the ability to play cricket all year round would give the school and state a significant boost.
Following Selangor’s two gold medals at the recent Malaysia Games (Sukma), Divian thanked Roshan Senna, founder of Senna Cricket Academy, who coached the Sukma team and is spearheading the project.
“I have asked representatives from the other state associations, and they all said they don’t have an indoor centre in their schools, so La Salle is creating history,” said Divian.
“Roshan has done a marvellous job with our Sukma team, and I believe the new centre will not only benefit the school but the state as well.
“The more time they get to play cricket, the better it is for the players.”
Divian added that the indoor centre would also help support the state’s development programme, which would have access to the indoor venue.
He added that SK La Salle’s central location makes it easier for players to gather for training.
“By having an indoor centre, the players can play even if it rains. It also protects the players from the current hazy conditions,” said Divian.
“As you know, the problem with cricket is that we can’t use the pitch when it rains. Now, no matter the weather, our junior programmes can go on.
“Recently, some of our kids told us that their training sessions for other sports had also been cancelled due to the haze. That is an annual problem we face, too. Hopefully, we can now put an end to that by training indoors, if and when we need to.”
Under the agreement, Senna Sports Indoor Cricket Centre will be made available to the school’s cricket team at any time, ensuring student-athletes have consistent access to the facility.
Roshan said the centre represents a synergy between a private enterprise and a long-standing educational institution – a model of private-sector collaboration that reflects the values and progressive spirit that Christian Brothers schools continue to uphold.
“The project would not have been possible without the support of the Selangor Cricket Association and Sehar, who also served on the Board of Managers of La Salle Petaling Jaya. He was instrumental in bringing this vision to life,” said Roshan.
“This marks an important step forward in expanding access to quality cricket facilities in the state and strengthening the pathway for young cricketers to develop their skills in a dedicated, high-quality training environment.”
The launch brought together prominent figures from Malaysian cricket, including national cricketer Virandeep Singh, cricket legend Ahmad Faiz, members of the Selangor Cricket Association executive committee and representatives from other state cricket associations.
Also in attendance were members of the Board of Managers of La Salle Petaling Jaya.
