Manjula Asanka Guruge felicitated by his alma mater
The hamlet of Goonapeenuwala in Hikkaduwa came alive when Manjula Asanka Guruge who turned out for the United Arab Emirates was 
felicitated by his alma mater. Goonapeenuwala Saralankara Madya Maha Vidyalaya felicitated its distinguish old boy for his representation at the recently concluded Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.In a colourful ceremony organised by the school authorities, the students of this little known school gathered to pay their honour for its past pupil. Having left Sri Lanka in 2004 to join a private company in the Emirates, Guruge for his love for the game started playing club cricket in the desert. Cricket authorities in the Emirates were quick to recognise this lanky left arm seam bowlers credentials and 
encouraged him to concentrate on his bowling.
Guruge was selected to represent the Emirates team at the Associate Members Qualifying round matches where he came out with superb performances with his left arm swing bowling to capture sixteen wickets in ten matches. There onwards Guruge never looked back.
Going from strength to strength he helped the Emirates team to clinch the second spot in a cricket tournament in New Zealand where 16 Associate cricket playing countries took part. This Sri Lankan played 4 matches in New Zealand and 2 matches in Australia at the Cricket World Cup.
Opening bowling for Emirates Guruge would have learnt a lot by bowling at world class batsmen which will help him to be recognised as a classy bowler in the near future. Though he failed to impress at his maiden outing at the world cup, Saralankara Madya Maha Vidyalaya would have impressed a lot by producing a cricketer to play in the Cricket World Cup.
As a gesture of gratitude Guruge presented his alma mater with cricket material and his dream will be to see a student from the school in representing Sri Lanka.