Around the Schools - Kalutara Vidyalaya Kalutara Vidyalaya striving to hit the winning path again
Cricket takes top priority at Kalutara Vidyalaya, despite coming from the rural yet fast developing town of Kalutara, which is an hour’s drive from the capital. The school has been playing in the top division for a quite a long time while contributing enormously to the country’s cricketing fold. More than five cricketers have reached the Test arena from Kalutara Vidyalaya. The present skipper of the Sri Lanka national cricket team, T.M. Dilshan is their pride at the moment. With all these progresses around them to energise their morale, the Kalutara Vidyalaya lads are certain that they can reach the winning path once again, a path they once strolled.
“The standard of cricket at Kalutara Vidyalaya was not at its best in recent times. As a result we have not been able to comeback into winning ways for some years. In addition to the lack of wins we have failed to advance to the limited overs tournament for several years. Our immediate ambition is to overcome all these barriers and give the players their confidence back which is lacking. As a team we may have problems. However there is always an answer somewhere for each set back,” said Sunil Saluwadana the present coach who has rejoined the team.
Saluwadana, who served as the coach of Kalutara Vidyalaya for 24 years before stepping down four years ago has a very good knowledge of the school’s cricketing background. Before Saluwadana, Kalutara Vidyalaya was coached by Ranjan Paranavitana and Neil Rajapakshe. They guided players in the calibre of Dulip Liyanage and Niron Gunasekara to reach the national level. Saluwadana holds the honour of unearthing the cricketing talent of T.M. Dilshan while assisting the cricketers of the school for nearly two-and-a-half decades. After Saluwadana bowed out four years ago due to personal reasons, the standard of cricket took a back seat, prompting him to make a comeback. Saluwadana is still studying the skills of Kalutara Vidyalaya cricketers while being on the lookout for solutions to guide the team back to its glory days. “I took over the junior structure four months ago. I took charge of the first XI team only a month back. What I found out during this short time was that the players are not short of talent. The only thing they lack is the correct guidance. Another aspect I saw was that the players have lost the confidence of their own potential. If a team is to ride high confidence of players and positive approach is a must. They were vital facts which took us to the top sometime back. Today these players lack the attitude. So the first step in my agenda was to rebuild these setbacks. We are making gradual progress,” added Salu- wadana.
The change of attitude has paid dividends for the youngsters who had to fight for their survival in the top league last season whilst failing to record wins. This season however their fortunes are in for a change. After facing six games Kalutara Vidyalaya was able to win a game against hometown rivals, Holy Cross and draw four games with major honours. The last game they played was against De Mazenod. However they lost the game by four runs after displaying positive cricket, an attitude which was missing at one stage. The team led by the experienced Dharshana Manatunga are coping up very well at present with a whole lot of confidence.
Apart from Manatunga, a fifth year player, the team has the services of six seniors including deputy skipper Vinuth Rashinda and wicketkeeper/batsman Isuru Buddhika. The team is considered to be a strong unit with the inclusion of eight all-rounders who form the line-up. The squad includes 18 players, including potential youngsters from the Under-17, 15 and 13 teams who are being groomed for the future. The top order consists of Subhath Upekshana, Dharaka Dilshanm skipper Manatunga, deputy Rashinda and Buddhika. The rest of the line-up depends on the opposition and the nature of the wicket but with a strong set of allrounders, Kalutara Vidyalaya has a wide variety to choose from.
Their bowling department consists mainly of three fast bowlers and four spinners. Right-armers Rashinda and Dulan Weerasuriya are their frontline seamers while the spin department has a range of spinners with average talent. The fielding department is at a satisfying level. A gradual improvement is visible with the blend of all talent, coupled with expert guidance, according to Saluwadana’s observation.
“First thing I did was guide the skipper on how to handle the team during certain situations. I also directed the batsmen on how to adjust according to the conditions and how to overcome pressure. My advice to all the players is to turn to the dressing room as a last resort when the situation is critical. So far the players have shown great promise and their approach towards the game is improving day by day. Things will certainly shape up with time”.
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