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| Sunday, 26 January 2003 |
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Lankan lasses to play 7 one-dayers in Caribbean by Pelham Juriansz Come March the Sri Lankan women's cricket team will be leaving the shores for the Caribbean. Leading from the front in what is traditionally a man's domain, Suthershini Sivanatham, skipper of the team will breathe new life into this game. It is Gwen Herat who runs the show but behind the scenes the machinery goes on. Coach Nihal Kodituwakku looks after the future of the women cricketers. Hailing from Nugegoda the tall, lanky off spinning virtuoso was all agog when we met her at the Cricket Foundation at the NCC grounds recently. The Cricket Foundation at the NCC is the venue for the practices for the West Indian tour. The Sri Lankan lasses will leave on March 8 to challenge their West Indian counterparts with bat and ball in 7 one dayers. "There is no room for a one off Test, as there is no interest in Test cricket", said Mrs, Gwen Herat, the President of the Womens' Cricket Assocaition. "We are in preparation for the World Cup in 2005, and this is best time to get cracking in the game", continued Mrs. Herat. In December the Pakistanis came here but that was a one off thing in that they were taking the place of the Windies", said Herat. The previous time that Sri Lanka played at International level was in the World Cup two years ago and when the Pakistanis toured here last year, so this will good exposure for the lasses. Fourteen members have trained for approximately the last month for the tour under the gimlet eye of able coach Nihal Kodituwakku. Two years ago Guy de Alwis coached the team and England, Australia and New Zealand who have been competing for about 25 years had the upperhand in the World Cup in New Zealand in December 2000. Twenty eight old Suthershini, an off spinner, sees the three Test series against West Indies as a blessing for the game. "In Sri Lanka we have been playing only for about four years and so it is all the more creditable that we have reached this standard because the players are basically all from the outstation schools and clubs but they are a very dedicated bunch", said the skipper. "There have been very good players like Vanessa Bowen, the former captain, and selections are purely on merit and from those who come for the practices and work hard at the game. The clubs they represent are altogether 12 in all and they are Vimukthi, Dankotuwa, Colts (of which Suthershini is a member), Young Women to name a few and there are 2 schools represented as well". "If not for the efforts of Gwen Herat(President, Women's Cricket Association of Sri Lanka) this tour would not have come off. Last year the "Windies" cancelled their tour and the Pakistanis came here at short notice", commented the tall, lanky off spinner who is captaining a rather "mixed" bag. They lost about eight girls from the side that represented the country in the last World Cup. "The game should be promoted in the clubs in Colombo and not just in the outstations. We need a greater awareness amongst the Colombo sides", she said. The Colts grounds will host the second one day International and the Tour ends with the final one dayer at the same venue on January 30. After the last world Cup almost a year ago, drastic changes had to be made and Suthershini Sivanantham who was the vice captain on that tour took over from Rasanjalie de Silva. Six players from that squad out of the 14 selected. Sivanantham is a veteran in the team and has represented the country in two World Cups, namely the last one in New Zealand and the previous one in 1997 held in India. She has also taken part in matches against the Netherlands, Pakistan and India. Her best bowling performance has been against the Netherlands having captured 4 for 18. Skipper Suthershini and Hiroshi Abeysinghe are accomplished off spinners in a side that seems to be top heavy with spinners. Rose Fernando and Janakanthi Mala are the other two off spinners with variety in spinning coming from leg-spinners Ramani Perera and Sandamali Dolewatte. Hiruka Fernando is the only left-arm spinner. The wicket-keeping is in the safe, able hands of Thanuja Ekanayake with Randhika Galhenage as her deputy. Chamani Seneviratne and Gayathri Kariyawasam are the opening bowlers. Chamani is a versatile batswoman as well being the only player to have scored a century. Squad: Suthershini Sivanantham (capt), Chamani Seneveiratne (vice captain), Vasanthi Ratnayake, Rose Fernando, Janakanthi Mala, Hiroshi Abeysinghe, Hiruka Fernando, Thanuja Ekanayake (wk), Ramani Perera, Sandamali Dolewatte, Randhika Galhenage, Gayathri Kariyawasam, Lalani Priyadharshani, Indika Kankanage. |
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