Matara DCA nurtures schools players to next level | Page 9 | Daily News

Matara DCA nurtures schools players to next level

Secretary of MDCA, Prasanna Galappaththi addressing the gathering
Secretary of MDCA, Prasanna Galappaththi addressing the gathering

In a bid to help Sri Lanka regain its lost prestige in the cricketing arena in years to come, the Matara District Cricket Association (MDCA) has finally decided to provide schools in the district and school

cricket coaches with sufficient infrastructure and skills which have been long due.

“If Matara has been able to produce cricketers of the caliber of Sanath Jayasuriya, J C Gamage, Prabath Nissanka, Pramodya Wickremasinghe, Indika de Seram, Tharanga Lakshitha, Suraj Randiv and Kasun Rajitha who have made the national team in the past, we can do it in the future” said MDCA secretary Prasanna Galappaththi addressing

masters in charge and coaches who gathered at the H K Dharmadasa pavilion at Uyanwatta. “St Servatius College wining the all island schools under 17 division one cricket championship this year proves that we got the talent in Matara” he added.

“I was Sri Lanka Cricket’s District Coach in Matara for a considerable period of time and am fully aware that it is difficult to achieve goals if the DCA is tight fisted which was another reason that the Cricket Development committee of the newly elected MDCA has decided to help the game at school level by providing the necessary facilities including equipment and also conduct regular training programs to upgrade the skills and knowledge of all those associated with game in the district with the blessings of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). On our recommendation in addition to equipment, SLC will be constructing practice nets at every school in the district that participate

regularly in the age group cricket tournaments conducted by the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA)” said Galappaththi.

“We will be scouting for talented players in the district and provide them with specialized coaching. This is to be done at the under 13, 15, 17 and 19 age groups and we will be maintaining 30 member squads in each age group.

The selection process will be fair and transparent at all times”.

Former National junior selector Jagath Nandakumara divulged the how a potential fifteen member or twenty member squad is selected.

He also highlighted the many obstacles that a school cricketer has to overcome to reach a national pool which may be the reason for the present down fall at national level.

Coaches and masters in charge of cricket were requested to answer a questionnaire independently which would help the district association to identify the shortcomings faced at school level.


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