Cricket: NCC School of Cricket's Ladies Wing launched

With an intention of grooming young girl cricketers and to popularise the game among girls, NCC Cricket Academy have finalised plans to conduct cricket coaching classes for girls in the age group of 8-15 years. 

At a Press briefing held at the NCC Conference Room, Dilip Somaratne, the Director of NCC Cricket Academy revealed that this cricket school's main target is grooming the youngsters to play the game at its highest traditions. 

As game of cricket becoming popular in girls' schools it is high time to guide the young girl cricketers to be cricketers of the highest class in the near future. 

NCC Cricket Academy - brainchild of late Lionel Mendis carry forward the visions of the great guru who was a firm believer of discipline. 

The incumbent coaching director said that the Cricket Academy at NCC still follows the footsteps of late Mendis in discipline. 

Apart from cricket the youngsters are groomed to be good sportsmen/women in accepting victory and defeat alike.

The best example was that the NCC Under 15 cricket team was adjudged the Most Disciplined Team at the recently concluded MCA Cricket tournament. 

Classes will be conducted every Saturday from 8-10.30 in the mornings starting from February 25. 

Randika Galhenage, a former Women's National Team captain will be assisting Somaratne and will make every effort to groom the young girl cricketers to play with a straight bat. 

Former Sri Lanka cricket captain Hashan Tillekaratne, Cricket Secretary of NCC addressing the press said that this cricket coaching academy first by a club will be a giant step towards the upliftment of women's cricket in the island. 

Boys who were students of the school brought pride and glory to Sri Lanka both nationally and internationally through the guidance they received from the coaches of the academy. 

He also said that Sri Lanka Cricket had launched an islandwide programme in identifying talented young girls to take them under their wings. 

Also he went on to state that the ICC had made a huge grant for the promotion of women's cricket in the country. 

Finally the former skipper said that he hope the young girl cricketers who are guided by the NCC School of Cricket to be cricketers of highest class of tomorrow.