Pontypridd cricketer John Smart has launched an appeal to supply cricket equipment and clothing for cricketers in Sri Lanka. A Rhondda-based accountant, John Smart captains the third team at his club and also runs the youth section. He and his wife Edwina are regular visitors to Sri Lanka and have visited the country three times in the last 18 months. Since Sri Lanka won the Cricket World Cup, the whole of the country is cricket crazy and John Smart is particularly keen to provide cricket clothing and equipment for the youngsters who play cricket on the beach, the street or any spare piece of land. The organised cricket in the country generally caters for the middle class and at school level it is played largely by the public schools, but thousands of other cricketers play on an informal basis in impromptu games Explaining the reasons for the appeal, John Smart said: "In the light of the Tsunami disaster and the relationships we have built up with the wonderful Sri Lankan people, we feel we need to do something to help. Obviously the current need is to clear the debris and ensure the containment of diseases. Direct aid will provide this and the needed food, water and shelter in the short term and the long term. "The normal wage for many people is about £1 per day. Therefore, they have little surplus cash to spend on cricket gear. "We have decided to collect new and old cricket gear in good condition, with the emphasis on clothing, such as shirts and hats or caps, as they are relatively light in weight. We will either post or take whatever is collected in say six or 12 months time, once some normality is restored to their fabulous island. "We know that they appreciate any cricket gear that we can provide, as on previous visits we have taken cricket balls and shirts which have been snapped up by the locals. "We have many friends and contacts on the island and we know that we will be able to bring cheer to cricketers, particularly to young cricketers in Sri Lanka. "If we could get just one youth size shirt for example from every club in Wales this would be a fabulous way of showing youngsters in Sri Lanka that they have friends in the UK." John Smart would be happy to receive cricket gear from anywhere in Wales or the UK as a whole and would welcome any additional ideas. He can be contacted at Delfan, New Park Terrace, Pontypridd, tel. (01443) 402804 (home) or (01443) 480640 (office) or 07970 253159 (mobile) or by email on [email protected]">[email protected]