Bowled over

As an eight-year-old, Suresh Perera would wait impatiently till four o'clock. "Four o'clock meant cricket time and I would scoot off to the small playground near our housing scheme where about 20 boys from the scheme would meet to play cricket. We'd play cricket for hours. That was when I first got interested in the game," he says, recounting some of his earliest and fondest cricketing memories. 

Today as a national team player on what looks like a winning streak, he is stacking up 'memorable moments' and one could probably say that the 'little kid in the playground' has come a long way. But, according to him, "things have hardly even begun yet."

Already branded as a 'risk taker', 23-year-old Suresh loves cricket because of the challenges involved in the game. "You can never predict the outcome of a game and quite often there are some risks that need to be taken and I believe in taking them. Being able to take risks, I think, is a good thing and it's something I do even in normal life." He admits that there are times things don't quite work out the way one plans, but that's cancelled out by the times one does succeed.

Sri Lankan cricket, however, came very close to never having this 'risk taker'. If life had worked out the way Suresh had originally planned, cricket would not have been his game. "At my school, Isipathana College, everyone played rugby and naturally I too wanted to do that." But his grandmother who played a vital role in Suresh's life, apprehensive of rugger's rough and tumble intervened and encouraged Suresh to stick to the gentleman's game. It was an intervention that proved to be Suresh's winning toss.

Having started playing cricket for school at the age of eleven, Suresh excelled and went on to represent his school in the under 13, 15 and 17 teams. The school team making it to the finals of the Coca Cola Limited Overs Tournament in 1996, under his captaincy, was his biggest achievement while in school. "Unfortunately we lost the finals, but we had come a long way and it was the first time our school had come into the finals of the tournament," he says with pride.

"When I was in school I used to watch Sanath Jayasuriya for his batting and Chaminda Vaas for his bowling techniques. Today I play with them on the same team," he says almost trying to come to terms with it himself. With a grin he adds, "I'm past the 'Is this a dream?' stage and am good friends with the whole team. But still sometimes it feels a bit unreal. The days I watched them on TV seem so long ago. At that time my biggest dream was to play on the national team and I really worked hard for it."

In 1998 his hard work paid off and his dream came true. After an exemplary schoolboy innings, he made it to the national team for Sri Lanka's brief tour of England. "I had heard that there might be a chance of me getting into the team, but I didn't pay much attention to it until I saw my name in the papers. I couldn't believe my eyes," he says and is quick to add, "I was so happy." 

It was there that he had thousands on the edge of their seats not just at Oval but at home as well when he was on a hat trick. "But I missed the third wicket, because I was so nervous - I was under so much pressure because I knew so many people were watching and waiting for me to get that third wicket. I think it was too much for me to take." 

Shortly afterwards having sustained some minor injuries Suresh was out of the team for two years, but is now back on track. "Of course you have to prove your worth all over again to get back on the national team, because when it comes to cricket you can easily get out of touch, even after a short break," says Suresh.

Suresh's preference is not to bat but to bowl. Although an all rounder he is a bowler at heart. "I play as a bowler and that's why I'm more nervous when I am bowling. I don't feel that much pressure when I'm batting and am actually quite cool about it, but when I'm bowling the pressure really builds up." So much so that there are times when he's had to stop and remind himself that he's done this before and it's really no big deal. "Yes, I'm a nervous type," he admits with a rather self-conscious smile. 

So how does a 'nervous-type' prepare for a match? Says Suresh, "Physically nothing much changes and with Alex Kountouri in charge, we are in good hands. Mentally, how a cricketer prepares himself varies according to the person. I imagine the entire match and prepare myself for it by just concentrating completely on every part of the game. I do this the night before every match I play." 

As more or less a newcomer, what Suresh finds helpful are the discussions the team has after the match irrespective of the outcome. Analysing strategies and their strengths and weaknesses as a team not only guides him but motivates him as well. 

"We are close as a team and I feel that makes us a good unit, which I am very happy to be a part of. I'm also very grateful to Dav Whatmore and Rumesh Ratnayake who have always been behind me with the guidance, advice and support I need."

To my most obvious question, 'Any girlfriends?' comes a very slow, rather wary, long drawn out, "Ye-es". And it's obvious that's all I'm getting as he quickly changes the subject saying that at the moment he is concentrating completely on cricket.

For Suresh, "Losing a match is always disappointing, especially when you come very close to winning." As for his most memorable matches, at this point, they are his most recent in the current triangular series with India and New Zealand. "Scoring 50 runs was thrilling enough, but to become 'Man of the Match' was like a dream." When he saw his name on the scoreboard, once again as he puts it, "I couldn't believe my eyes." 

His only regret was that his grandmother was not around to see his achievement. "I lost her last year. She was the guiding force in my life after my father passed away when I was very young and my mother went abroad to work." 

It was Suresh's very first Man of the Match award and going by his commitment, energy and enthusiasm for the game, it probably won't be his last. "Cricket is my life," quips Suresh, "Those days my dream was to play for my country. Today my dream is to play my best for my country for as long as I am able to." 

All for the love of learning

By Esther Suhasini

"Although poor, the students and teachers of Dharmaraja School are not lacking in ideas," says the principal in his appeal to institutions to help the less fortunate children of his school. 

Set in the foothills of Ratnapura, three miles from the Ratnapura town, among the rubber plantations and gem mines, the Thoranakada Dharmaraja Vidyalaya was started in 1960. The school caters to children of parents working in gem mines, the agriculture sector and others in the lower income group. Begun with 12 students, the school now has 84 students in grades 1-9 with eight teachers. As in most remote government schools, it lacks basic facilities and the necessary teaching aids.

The UNESCO Club of Devi Balika School, Colombo was set-up with an aim of providing a service to the underprivileged in society. Through personal contributions and the sale of tuck shop items like sweets, ice creams, stickers and bookmarks, the Club raised Rs. 4,500 and decided to contribute this amount toward a library project of Thoranakada Dharmaraja Vidyalaya. The library project when completed would enable students to have access to more English books and thereby enhance their learning.

In a small function to initiate the project, a cheque was handed over to Mr. J. Hettiarachichi, Principal of the School. Students of both Devi Balika School and Dharmaraja School entertained the small gathering with songs, dance and drama. To emphasise the importance of English as a universal language, the English teacher of Devi Balika School, Ms. Sudharma led the students through tongue twisters, simple poems and handwork, a participatory session that had the students of Dharmaraja joining in with gusto.

Mrs. Padmini Egodawatta Arachchi, teacher in-charge of the UNESCO club of Devi Balika said the school had expressed a need for bricks and books and "this amount is to help them start."

The estimated cost of the library building would be approximately Rs.25,000 to Rs.30,000 says the Principal. "If we could receive assistance for the building material, the parents of the students would be more than happy to provide the labour," he added. Parents together with the staff of the school have built a shrine and have also laid the foundation for the library. They also help cultivate the paddy field within the school premises.

Devi Balika intends to continue working with the Dharmaraja School and supporting them in their future endeavours. 

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