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| Sunday, 22 May 2005 |
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Ex-Lankan players form Aus-Lanka Cricket Academy in Melbourne by Clifford Landers from Australia MELBOURNE - Three former Sri Lankan cricketers have teamed together to establish a cricket coaching school - Aus-Lanka Cricket Academy - here in Melbourne which is scheduled to open during the first week of June. The trio are Manjula Munasinghe, Ravi Ratnayake and Sanjeewa Weerasinghe while Achini, the wife of Manjula is functioning as administrator. Thirty-three-year-old Munasinghe who initiated the idea of forming the academy over six months ago told the Sunday Observer that the academy was established to extend coaching sessions to students throughout the year. "This would enable students to improve their techniques considerably and keep them in good shape and tune, before, during and after the cricket season. The players will be mentally and physically prepared and very much focused because they are involved in the game continuously", he explained. The academy will provide professional coaching through a program drawn up for children under-11, under-13, under-15 and over-15 every Sunday while for under-8s a coaching session will be held once a month free of charge. At present young cricketers tend to take their focus off the game during the off season and concentrate on other activities or sports and then rush in to get coached or train a few weeks into the cricket season. "When they fail or under perform during the season the students finally tend to get discouraged and disappointed and walkout on the game despite possessing the talent", he said. Prevailing coaching costs are also having a heavy bearing and toll on students and parents. A student pays between A$ 35.00 to 45.00 per hour for coaching but the Academy fee would be just A$ 15.00 per hour. "Our overhead expenses would be met by various Sri Lankan and Australian well-wishers and sponsors. The Sri Lanka Cricket Foundation here is also being consulted and meeting with its head Dr. Quintus de Zylva and many other likely sponsors are also scheduled during the next few weeks," he said. Musashi Pt. Ltd. - A popular Australian company producing sports supplements and nutritional products are the first sponsors. The Academy which will function throughout the year will initially kick-off from the popular suburb of Dandenong and then spread to adjoining suburbs of Frankston and Knox City. "If the Academy and our plans are successful we would be expanding it further and our motive is to produce at least one cricketer to represent Victoria and probably Australia in the future", Munasinghe said. The coaching sessions will be held every Sunday indoors during winter and proceed to outdoors in summer. "In order to provide quality and result oriented coaching, a program has been drawn up and the student numbers will be limited to six per net. Initially every student will undergo a compulsory basic physical test and their weekly test, quarterly assessment and progress will be recorded on the Academy website. Video analysing and written reports will be provided to every student free of charge", he explained. A Best Player of the Academy will be picked annually and sent to Sri Lanka for further exposure and probably train at the Sri Lanka Cricket Academy. "Arrangements are being made to attract sponsors for this purpose", he explained. Munasinghe who played one-day internationals and 50 first class matches is a Level 1 and 2 Cricket Australia qualified coach. He will be bowling coach while former Sri Lanka Test vice-caption Ravi Ratnayake who has been maintaining a low profile on and off the cricket scene here will be seen in action. He is the most experienced of the trio with 22 Tests, 59 one-day international and 159 First Class games played and is a Level 2 UK qualified coach who will administer the batting segment. The other ex-Sri Lanka Test spinner and youngest to represent his country, Sanjeewa Weerasinghe (45 First Class games) is a Sri Lanka qualified coach and will oversee the spin department. Meanwhile, former Sri Lanka's dashing opener Athula Samarasekera will
also be involved during the school vacation programs. |
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