He gave the ‘ that Trinity needed
Having served as head coach of his Alma Mater - D. S. Senanayake for nine years and also at the NCC for four years, Sampath Perera must have surprised one and all by his decision to dig up his roots and betake himself to the salubrious city of Kandy. This was especially so, since he had only weeks earlier guided the NCC to victory in the under 23 tournament.
Trinity College ( and Asgiriya) was his new port of call in September 2008. The school had not been doing too well. The task before him was, frankly enormous. However, the school was able to register seven outright wins in each of his first two years. His ‘ magnum opus’ came in 2010- 11, when Trinity became undisputed champions of the schools league tournament. They were the runner up in the limited over version and, the icing on the cake, T20 Champions.
The ten wins have been repeated this year, too. But the coveted prize that had eluded them for twenty six years – a Big Match Victory – was finally achieved last weekend. Unsurprisingly, Sampath Perera now walks about Asgiriya and the streets of Kandy ten foot tall.
Declining to go into too many details, he says that when he took over the boys were short on technique. Building up for his first season ( 2008- 09) didn’t happen overnight. Players needed to have commitment, game sense, a high level of skill and proper technique. In earlier times, the Trinity lads were not allowed to play club cricket. All that has changed. Eight of the Trinity team represent United Southern Sports Club in the Sara Trophy Tournament. Some of the others play for either the Kandy Cricket Club or the Kandy Youth Cricket Club.
Quizzed as to whether he has a mantra for suc- cessful performance, Sampath feels he has a special talent for analyzing a player’s weakness. He is a good reader of the game and this helps him to be one step ahead of the others. He trains the players to expect pressure so that when it comes, they are ready for it.
Selection of the team is performance based. Past performances don’t count for much. Niroshan Dikwella ( Captain), Janishka Premasinghe ( Vice Captain) Akila Jayasundera ( last year’s skipper) the coach and the master- incharge, A. Vishnuvarthan, form the selection committee. The coach says he doesn’t lay down the law to the committee, but instead explains the different aspects of the situation and leaves the decision to the others.
Sampath emphasizes that every player, other than the keeper, should strive to add another string to his bow. Thus a batsman is encouraged to do a little bit of bowling. While conceding that bowling or batting first didn’t matter, he says his team planned to bat first – whenever possible and have 300 runs on the board by tea. They could then dominate the match from there.
On the Vexed question of ‘ importing’ players, he says Trinity now has a system whereby they only have two ‘ outside’ players in a match. Some players join from outside by going through the requisite procedure. Two scholarship are offered at under 15 and under 17 level. The victorious Trinity team of 2011- 12 had only Heshan Wanniarachchi and Lakshan Jayasinghe from outside. This situation exists in other schools, too. The achievements of the Trinitians are as follows.
runs
550 and 106 wickets (19 matches)
ets and 659 runs
836 runs 490 runs
58 wickets (15 matches)
64 wickets
(21 matches)
(12 matches)
51 wick-
43 wickets
Sampath says that five players will be out of school next year. As for next year’s captain, the coach feels that the decision will cause a few headaches. Since Wanniarachchi will be one of those missing next year, the search has already started for a replacement from outside.
Trinity’s coach is happy that one of his punches paid off. A batsman who has flopped time and again and moreover one who has an average of about seven was selected for the Big Match. The selection paid off and Sampath is pleased as punch.
The Trinity coach has an efficient assistance in Ruwan Meepagala. Not content within that, Trinity covered all bases by employing a Physio, a Trainer and a Masseur. Sampath mentions that the Principal Brigadier Udaya Ariyaratne and the MIC are one hundred per cent behind him.
Is there light at the end of the tunnel for other teams next season? A sphinx – like smile tells it all. True to their motto Respice Finem, the Trinity lads will not cave in easily.