Big Matches And Records….

School cricket in Sri Lanka has been the cradle that has nurtured many a great player. Many years ago it was the preserve of elite Colombo schools to provide nearly the entire team to represent the country. With the game being taken to the other townships this monopoly began to change. It was a gradual process but cricket in Sri Lanka gained.
First it was the bowlers who came from the rural areas. Colombo and Kandy yet were the providers of batsmen. This too began to change. Lack of turf wickets in rural schools is yet a problem. Finances are wanting though Sri Lanka Cricket has helped immensely. Trained coaching staff are mostly centred around the big cities for financial reasons. A few matches on turf becomes a luxury for schools in rural areas and this exposure is hardly sufficient. There is talent out there. Believe me I have seen it.

It was with this in mind that I embarked on the Aravinda de Silva Cricket Academy sponsored by Coca Cola Int. I have garnered the support of trained coaches to go with me to the rural areas. We have conducted systematic programmes in several districts and brought a core group together. Proper coaching and physical fitness programmes have been introduced. Those lads who did not make it to the final count will take these methods to their schools and others too would gain.
The raw talent that was out there made me feel good about the future of Sri Lankan cricket. Some of the lads unearthed from the Academy are making great strides and will step up to the national grid in the future. They are good players and have been trained.