A strong SL team leave for Under 19 Asia Cup
St. Benedict’s face Ananda in U19 Division I Tier ‘B’ quarter-final
Firaz, Thathsara secure semi-final berth for St. Thomas’
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Kerry Packer was a godsend to Australian cricket. So was Killi Rajamahendran. At a time when cricket in Sri Lanka had no money, he financed the sport, single-handedly. He passed away yesterday at the age of 78.
Killi, as he was fondly known, employed many cricketers; Duleep Mendis, Roy Dias, Arjuna Ranatunga, Ashantha de Mel, Sidath Wettimuny…. the list goes on.
Players need not turn up for work at Maharaja’s, but if they did not attend training, Killi had a bone to pick. Ask Ashantha de Mel. Killi made the sport semi-professional.
Duleep Mendis was identified by Killi when he was at school. He joined Maharaja’s at 20 and remained there for 30 years. He was heart broken by learning Killi’s death. So were the other cricketers.
Sidath Wettimuny’s older brothers had given up cricket in a bid to pursue their professional careers. Sidath wanted to go in the same path. But before doing so, he consulted Killi. And he received sound advice.
“You see Sidath,” Killi had said, “Professionals, I can hire anytime. But a good cricketer like you, that would be hard to find.”
Sidath listened. Then, Lord’s 1984 happened.
The Sri Lankan team had gone to England well in advance to acclimatise to conditions. Generously, Killi gave his London apartment for Sri Lankan players to stay as the board did not have any money to look after their accommodation before the tour got underway.
As the Test match approached, in a bid to encourage the players, Killi told them that if anyone scored a hundred, he was going to give them a gift of 1000 Pounds.
Sidath, Amal Silva and Duleep Mendis scored hundreds. Arjuna Ranatunga missed out. He was dismissed for 84. Arjuna is a tough man, but the fact that he had missed out on having his name in the Lord’s honours board got the better of him and in the dressing room, he was in tears. There was a tap on Arjuna’s shoulder. It was Killi. He too had tears in his eye. All centurions were given 1000 Pounds as promised. But Arjuna received 2000 Pounds. Killi was fond of Arjuna.
People wonder how a developing cricket nation like Sri Lanka could afford Sir Garfield Sobers as their coach in 1980s. All credit obviously goes to Gamini Dissanayake. But every good leader needs a capable second in command. Killi was Gamini’s right hand man and Vice-President of Board of Control for Cricket. It is he who made it possible that Sri Lanka could hire the services of Sir Garry spending generously.
It is a well known fact that Sri Lanka were given Test status in 1981 when Gamini was President. Not many people know that before the Lord’s meeting, the Sri Lankan board had hosted Australian Cricket Board officials taking them around the country showing them our cricket infrastructure. All financed by Killi. Australia had regularly vetoed Sri Lanka’s application for Test status. But after Killi’s hospitality and having taken a good look on the status quo, they could not turn it down again. Like Kerry Packer, Killi knew how cricket politics worked.
Once Australia was on Sri Lanka’s side, England followed suit. Test status achieved; thanks to smart moves by two men; Gamini Dissanayake and Killi Rajamahendran.
After quitting cricket, Killi built up a his media empire. Like all media bosses who love cricket, he had one golden rule; never criticize cricketers.
In 2001, when England came to Sri Lanka to play a first ever three match series, there was lot of excitement. Sri Lanka won the first Test by an innings in Galle. But then from thereon, things didn’t go their way and lost the games in Kandy and at SSC. England clinched the series 2-1. Sirasa were drawing out heavy weapons. Their target, captain Sanath Jayasuriya. Then, Killi called. “That poor boy is already going through hell. Don’t add up to his misery.” Message was loud and clear. Sanath looked up to him like a father figure. So did others from Arjuna to Nuwan Zoysa.
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A strong Sri Lanka’s Under 19 team captained by Viran Chamuditha left for the Asia Cup with a ballanced squad drawn mostly from the country’s top cricket schools.
The batting line-up is led by St. Servatius’ bat Chamuditha, who made history at the last ICC Youth World Cup with the highest individual score of 192. His deputy, Senuja Wakunegoda of St. Joseph’s College, Darley Road, has a double century to his name for SL U19, a rare feat at this level.
Royal College’s Rehan Peiris has been consistent in the country’s premier schools tournaments, while Ananda College’s Kithma Withanapathirana adds further quality to the middle order. Gimhan Rasanjana, a key figure in the success story of Devapathiraja College, Rathgama, completes a batting group with both big-hitting ability and depth.
Jaffna’s Vigneswaran Akash of St. Joseph’s College has been consistent since breaking into the SL U19 team. Royal College’s Himaru Deshan has produced impressive performances since his Under 15 days and has been on the radar of Sri Lanka Cricket selectors from a very young age. Trinity College’s Chaniru Senarathne adds another option in the spin department.
Medium pacer Lathendra Akash of Sri Sumangala College, Hikkaduwa is the only player drawn from a school playing in a lower division of country’s Under 19 tournament. He recently took wickets against India U19, a good sign ahead of a tournament where the same opposition looms.
Trinity’s Sethmika Senevirathne has a five-wicket haul as his best performance for SL U19, while left-arm paceman Gimhan Mendis of S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, brings variety to the attack.
Selectors have also placed their confidence in S. Thomas’ College wicketkeeper Stevon Peiris, who will be responsible for the gloves.
With centurions and a double centurion in the batting order, spinners who have been proven at junior levels and pacers who have already troubled strong opposition, Sri Lanka go into the Asia Cup with a well-rounded squad.
The tournament, organised by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), will feature eight teams competing in the 50-over format, with Sri Lanka drawn in Group B alongside Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Malaysia.
Sri Lanka will commence their campaign when they meet Malaysia on Thursday.
Team: Viran Chamuditha (Captain), Senuja Wakunegoda, Rehan Peiris, Kithma Withanapathirana, Gimhan Rasanjana, Sanul Weerarathne, Chaniru Senarathne, Lithma Perera, Vigneswaran Akash, Sethmika Senevirathne, Gimhan Mendis, Lathendra Akash, Himaru Deshan, Stevon Peiris, Kaushika Kumarasinghe. (RF)
St. Benedict’s College, Kotahena, will take on Ananda College, Colombo, in a much-anticipated quarter-final of the Under-19 Division I Tier ‘B’ Limited Overs Cricket Tournament at the Gajaba Stadium in Saliyapura, Anuradhapura, today.
St. Benedict’s, led by Dinath Senila, will enter the knockout encounter with confidence after securing their place as group champions in the first round. Their consistent performances have made them one of the teams to watch in the competition.
Ananda, captained by Nethula Edirmanna, qualified for the quarter-finals after finishing third best during the group stage. They will be looking to raise their game and produce a strong performance against their more highly placed opponents to keep their title hopes alive.
With a place in the semi-finals at stake, both teams will be eager to make the most of this knockout opportunity.
Dharmasoka encounter Christ King
Meanwhile, Dharmashoka College Ambalangoda are set to meet Christ King College Ja Ela in the semi finals of the Under 19 Division II Tier ‘A’ tournament at Maris Stella College Ground Thimbirigaskatuwa today.
Dharmasok led by Kaveesha Matheesh are in the semi finals after registering several crushing victories including 98 runs win over Royal College Panadura in the quarter final.
Their other big victories included 99 runs win over St. John’s Panadura and seven wickets win over St. John’s Jaffana. They were the leading team in their group in the first round.
Christ King College Ja Ela advanced to the quarter final as the runner up of their group in the first round. They are led by Heli Anjana. (RF)
St. Thomas’ College, Matara, booked their place in the semi-finals of the Under-19 Division I Tier B Limited Over Cricket Tournament with a four-wicket win over Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala as Firaz Ahamed and Thathsara Dewmith played key roles for them at the Uyanwatta Grounds in Matara on Monday.
Chasing a modest target of 138, the Thomians reached 140 for six with many overs to spare with Firaz Ahamed and Thathsara Dewmith scored the bulk of runs in the successful run chase.
Ahamed top-scored with a patient 58 off 83 balls, including five fours and a six, while Dewmith remained unbeaten on 40 off 60 deliveries, striking four boundaries.
Their contributions ensured that St. Thomas’ recovered from a few early setbacks to secure victory.
Earlier, batting first Maliyadeva were dismissed for 137 (in 41.2 overs).
The Thomians’ bowling attack was spearheaded by Punal Pamuditha, who claimed three wickets for 21 runs, while Dewmith also took three wickets for 17 runs. Vindila Chanuth supported them with an economical spell of one for nine.
Dushan Rajapaksha top-scored with 28 off 70 balls, while Thiwanka Dissanayake made 25 and Risith Wijesinghe contributed 18.
For Maliyadeva, Rahal De Silva and Risith Wijesinghe claimed two wickets each, but their efforts were not enough to prevent St. Thomas’ from advancing to the last four. (RF)
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