1000 runs in 10 innings and still craving for more
Kalana Madushanka
Seethawaka National School’s skipper Kalana Madushanka is the first schoolboy cricketer to reach the milestone of 1000 runs in the ongoing schools Under-19 cricket season. Apart from his batting his inspiring leadership had helped the Seethawaka NS to ride high this season.
This right-handed batsman has scored 1161 runs from ten innings which included three double centuries and an equal number of centuries. A batsman with a sharp eye and smart footwork gets into business as soon as he walks to the wicket. Madushanka, a high class batter with a wide range of strokes makes the bowlers toil hard to keep him quiet. The beauty of his batting lies in his respect for the good deliveries and the way he sends the loose ones to the ropes and over, with perfect timing and power.
The three double tons he scored were: 217 against Bandarawela Central College, 209 against Hindu College, Jaffna and a lusty 274 against Gankanda Central College. In addition to the three double hundreds Madhushanka fashioned his milestone with scores of 101 runs against Dehiowita NS, 144 runs in the Seethawaka NS vs. Sri Pragnananda MV, Raddoluwa and 152 in the clash with President’s College, Maharagama.
Madhushanka is not only a batsman of class, he is also a fine right-arm fast medium bowler who swings it into the right handed batsmen and is capable of swing across the left-handers. So far he has captured 33 wickets in eight matches.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, this talented allrounder paid a high tribute to his coach Wadiba Perera and the school authorities for their guidance and encouragement. He went on to state that “my job as a skipper and the leading batsman of the side is made easy with the support I get from my team. The batting of my team-mates is such that whenever I am at the wicket they kept their end going allowing me to be in strike most of the time. My main ambition is first to play for the junior national side and then to go ahead from there”.