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"Hathuru"- back to the backyard
By Bernie Wijesekera
Everything was not always "tikitiboo" for Chandika Haturusinghe. The former Sri Lanka all-rounder started his cricket career at Veluwana in the backdrops of Colombo, but yet turned out to be an outstanding cricketer where he played with success for the country at home and abroad.

Late Tom Dep at grassroots level coached Chandika. Besides his alma-mater he got a break at his backyard club at Wanathamulla -- Tamil Union at the age of 16 and it was here that he was discovered as a potential future cricketer. Here the club hierarchy which consisted players and administrators in the likes of S. Skandakumar and Chandra Schaffter saw to that he got due recognition.

Naturally "Haturu" has come back to his old-club to part with some of the knowledge that he acquired as a player, but this time as the professional coach of the club.

Q: You were a consistent performer as an utility allrounder. Did you face any hiccups during your career?
A: During my time with the national team I scored 1267 runs with a debut 81 against New Zealand in 1991. The again made 88 against Pakistan in 1995 in Faisalabad. Altogether I played 26 tests and 35 ODIs. My best bowling effort was against Australia in 1992.In that game I captured the wickets of David Boon, Dean Jones, Alan Border and Mark Waugh and finished with a haul of 4 for 60.

Played in two World Cups in 1992 in Australia/ New Zealand and in the 1999 World Cup in England. I was picked purely on my 1998 Premier League performances. But sad to mention never got a chance to play in any of the ODIs during the World Cup in England. I have a test batting average of 30. From year 2000 to 2004 in the Premier league I was the "player of the tournament" on three occasions, but still was overlooked by the selectors.

Q: In what way you are contributing for the game which helped you immensely?
A: In the year 2000 I went to Australia to play district cricket for Prahan CC where Aravinda de Silva once played. It was made possible thanks to David Cruse - a staunch supporter of Sri Lanka.

He has contributed much to uplift his motherland's image on and off the field, via the Sri Lanka Cricket Foundation in Victoria. Late Eddie Gray was a key figure, Besides playing I got qualified as a Australian Level II coach cum instructor. This was made possible by Dav Whatmore.

Back in Sri Lanka I did not lay idle. There was no looking back. In 2000/02 took over Moors SC as player cum coach. At Moors history was created. Moors SC for the first time won the Premier League Div. I final, defeating defending champions Bloomfield.

Q: Any outstanding players who you nursed and nurtured while at Moors?
A: It was virtually an rural team. Rangana Herath (now a regular member of the Lankan team) Nandika Ranjith, who played softball cricket for Veluwana who in three years, turned out to a fiery left-arm paceman. The lad has captured 50 scalps per season. Now he has been drafted into the national pool. Chanaka Welagedera from Matale. He's in the National Cricket Academy - a player with a future. Amila Wettasinghe from Kalutara M.V. Also a member in the Academy. 75 percent of the team comprised of rural cricketers. In the year 2003-04 was runner -up to the SSC in the Premier league final.

Q: You have apparently performed a miracle for Moors SC as player -cum coach?
A: I don't think so. But handled them with understanding. It pays dividends. They did their homework on their own to be result oriented.
Last year I went to England to play league cricket. Whilst playing I followed a Level III coaching stint handled by the England Cricket Board (ECB). This gave me the highest qualification at international coaching level.

Q: Were there any other foreign participants, who followed this course?
A: There was Andy Flower and Murray Godwin (Zimbabwe) and Courtney Walsh (West Indies), etc.

Q: Now you are tagged with an Aussie II and ECB III certificates. It should stand in good stead for the future betterment with your practical know-how. Any national teams you handled besides coaching the Moors SC?
A: The Level II and III qualifications has helped me to get due recognition. Today I am totally committed to coaching. It's a great experience to learn under varying conditions (fast and seaming pitches) and help the youngsters to adjust themselves.

Appointed coach by SLC, for the emerging six nations tournament in Namibia in 2002. Sri Lanka was runners-up to Kenya national team, who later played in the World Cup in South Africa and entered the final round. Coached the Janashakthi team in the MCA "A" cricket tournament. In the previous year they failed to win a single match.
Now I am back at my old club - the Tamil Union where I started my career.

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