England under 17 Youth Cricket Tour to SL a roaring success
The recently concluded junior under 17 cricket tour of England to Sri Lanka turned out to be an extremely successful one for both sides as many positives came out of it especially with the emergence of future schoolboy stars, the manner that they conducted themselves and the smooth running of this entire tour which was conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket.
The Sri Lanka junior team that secured the One Day International series by two games to one were held on to a credible draw by the English lads who put up a gritty performance on the last day after being bowled out for a paltry score in their first innings in the three day game played at Colts Cricket Club grounds.
David Graveney the former England chairman of selectors and currently in charge of English cricket youth development and who was an official of the touring side commented at the awards presentation that he was extremely satisfied with the Sri Lankan Cricket Board and their support extended to them on this tour. “I certainly recommend that these junior tours be done on a reciprocal manner for all junior age groups more often and perhaps be included in a future tours programme. We look forward to having these junior boys over in England soon. This trip was a golden opportunity for your boys to experience sub continental conditions and play against some of the best juniors spinners who impressed us a lot” concluded Graveney.
The Lankan Lads who shared The Sri Lanka junior team that secured the One Day International series by two games to one were held on to a credible draw by the English lads who put up a gritty performance on the last day after being bowled out for a paltry score in their first innings in the three day game played at Colts Cricket Club grounds the three day match trophy with their English counterparts decided to hand over the trophy to the England boys to take back home as a mark of friendship and goodwill as that’s how this series was contested.
Roger Wijesuriya the head coach who worked tirelessly with the junior boys and who was ably assisted by fast ball coach Darshana Gamage and the team managed well by Shane Fernando commented that it would only be a matter of time that a schoolboy cricketer makes his way into the national side. Whilst praising the administration of Sri Lanka Cricket he went on to say “the cricketing talent we have got is immense and the success of nurturing and harnessing this is done brilliantly by the district and provincial coaches and those that spot talent Island wide. Through this system from the under 15 junior cricket tournament stage onwards we are able to monitor their respective school performances. We then maintain a pool of nearly 100 boys and it gives us the opportunity to get to know them better, their family backgrounds, if financial assistance is required and provide us the chance to help them flourish to their maximum level with their talents.
The success of our local boys was immense in all three departments of the game. The batsmen displayed their skills and their hunger to score centuries and safe guard their wickets, the fast bowlers ripped through the top order and the spinners spun wily webs bowling in tandem.
Sri Lanka Cricket Secretary Nishantha Ranatunga who was present at the grounds spoke exclusively to the “Daily Mirror Sports”. Ranatunga commented that “the results of this tour have been extremely heartening and we certainly would look forward to having bilateral tours for these junior cricketers to England. The need of the hour however now is to groom these players for the next ICC under 19 world cup which is scheduled to be played in Bangladesh in 2016 and they will be given sufficient international exposure during this period. I have to mention that we should also thank our sponsors Prima and Singer for the outstanding support they have rendered towards junior cricket in the country” concluded the secretary.