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A television deal worth US$ 7.75 million (amounting to half a billion Sri Lankan rupees) was signed by the Interim Committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka with Sony Entertainment Television (SET) for the next 18 months.

This sponsorship which is by far the largest for cricket or any sport in this country will commence with the Tri-nation one-day series from August 22 to 31 involving world champions Australia, Sri Lanka and India.

The sponsorship is effective until December 31, 2000 and by this time the Cricket Board is expected to host Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa for a series of 3 Tests and 3 one-day internationals each, hold a triangular one-day series involving Sri Lanka, West Indies and South Africa, host the under-19 Youth World Cup (involving 16 countries) and also Zimbabwe 'A'.

SET chief executive officer Kunal Dasgupta addressing a press conference at Taj Samudra hotel on Tuesday evening said this deal would see Sri Lanka cricket into the next millennium and he hoped the deal would continue in the future.

``We decided to enter into exclusive rights with the Sri Lanka Cricket Board taking into consideration the huge passion cricket lovers in this part of the globe have for the gentleman's game,'' said Dasgupta.

He also said that SET is currently aired in 163 countries across 32 channels the world over and that a star studded commentary team comprising international cricketers like Tony Greig, David Hookes, Jeff Thomson etc along with past players from India and Sri Lanka would cover the one-day tournament.

The production and co-ordination for all the matches will be handled by Promotion, Co-ordination and Management (PCM) appointed by SET.

Interim Committee Chairman Rienzie Wijetilleke, Cricket Board chief executive Dhammika Ranatunga and PCM president and chief executive Theodore Emmanuel also spoke.