Ananda Cricket Wing backs its First XI side
View(s):The Ananda College Cricket Wing made a huge stride, to go back to the glory days of producing gentlemen cricketers to the country, it was revealed at a ceremony held in Kularatne Hall recently. The Cricket Wing, a novel concept of Ananda, inaugurated recently, is funded by well-wishers and old boys who are currently in top positions in the local corporate sector as well as living in overseas.
“When I was the President of Sri Lanka Cricket Board in 1994, there was a study at the Adelaide University, which identified the Under-14 players from the Test playing countries. Sri Lankan cricketers came up on top in ‘hand-eye co-ordination’. So, we are talented. Unfortunately, we don’t have a proper structure for young children in schools,” said Old Anandian Ana Punchihewa.
When Punchihewa was appointed Cricket Board President, his main focus was to build the self-confidence of the players. According to him, Sri Lankans have born-talent but only they need is the self-confidence.
“I set a target to be the best cricketing nation in the world by 2000, I kept a mission of that because our cricketers were always talented. Only thing we had to build the self-confidence of the players. That’s why I think self-confidence is the most vital thing,” he added.
Ananda, which has a rich cricketing history of 130 years, regarded as the ‘power house of school cricket’ in Sri Lanka. The college has produced highest number of Test caps for the nation. Since the game has evolved very high, the Cricket Wing has laid the foundation to create complete cricketers.
Under Ananda Cricket Wing, committees such as Technical and Logistic to take care of every school cricketer from the Under-13 age group, up to the Under-19. Cricketers will be provided with their needs in every aspect, to be a potential Sri Lanka cricketer, who can straightly knock the door of national pool.
Ananda officially launched their cricket season for this year, by handing over the official playing kit to this year’s captain Kanishka Ranthilakage, who revealed that they have a very good side. Ananda First XI represents two players each from Under-15 and Under-17 squads. The College has recruited six coaches on a one-year contract. Each coach takes the responsibility of 30 players per day.
Ananda’s contribution to Sri Lanka Cricket has been immense, on and off the field. When the islanders won the solitary ICC Cricket World Cup in 1996, old Anandians — Arjuna Ratnatunga, was the captain and Ana Punchihewa, who was also present at the occasion, was the Board President then.
Ananda College produced top class Test cricketers to the nation such as Ajith de Silva, Brendon Kuruppu, Sidath Wettimuny, Mithra Wettamuny, Arjuna Ranatunga, Dhammika Ranatunga, Sanjeewa Ranatunga, Charith Senanayake, Marvan Atapattu, Avishka Gunawardena, Dinuk Hettiarachchi, Thilan Samaraweera, Sachithra Senanayake and Dinesh Chandimal.
During the pre-Test era, Anandians, who played for Ceylon were Sunil Wettimuny, Sunny Yatawara, Sarath Wimalaratne, Anurudda Polonnowita and Dhanasiri Weerasinghe.