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| Sunday, 22 December 2002 |
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Jeewan Mendis is national material - says Dinesh Kumarasinghe by PELHAM JURIANSZ Jeewan Mendis, the first recipient of the 'Thomian Blue' was coached by Dinesh Kumarasinghe who was responsible for nurturing the youngster. First spotted by old Thomian cricketer, Kumar Boralessa, Jeewan was encouraged by Dinesh, who is a qualified Level 11 coach from Melbourne, Australia. Dinesh Kumarasinghe said that Jeewan is National material and should be given all the encouragement necessary. Being included in the "A" side is a first step. Dinesh, who has coached the Thomian teams from 1996 to 2002. In his second year Jeewan scored a century in the "Big Match" in 2001. He was on his way to completing another in 2002 (this year) but was unfortunate to be given out lbw for 78 to a ball that seemed to be missing the stumps, and to which he got a nick as well. In this manner Mendis missed out entering the record books by being the third Mendis after Duleep and Manoj to score two successive centuries in the Royal-Thomian. Having represented the college for three years(2000-2002), the shy lad Mendis is the proud recipient of the Prince of Wales award, the second Thomian to receive it after Upekha Fernando in 1998. The highlight of the young Thomian's and Dinesh's dream was when the Thomians under Dilshan Gunawardene won the Lemonade Trophy beating a strong Peterite outfit by 8 wickets at the SSC. In that game, Jeewan hit a scintillating century. What was eye catching and noteworthy about this century was the fact that his partner at the other end - another Mendis was nearing a fifty when Jeewan was struggling in his forties. But Jeewan literally galloped to a century while his younger partner, no doubt giving him encouragement and much of the strike to Jeewan helped him to a century while he himself barely reached a fifty. Jeewan's ability to score at will and pierce the inner ring and also the outer, speaks well of his capabilities as a batsman. |
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