U.19 cricketers on tour before Youth World Cup

by Leslie FERNANDO

CRICKET: Sixteen-member Sri Lanka under-19 Youth Cricket Team led by Peterite Allrounder Chathura Peiris leaves for Australia today to play eight one-day international matches.

The tour for our youth players will be in preparation for the Under-19 World Youth Cup to be played in New Zealand next year.

According to Dilshan de Silva, the senior selector of the Junior Selection Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket said that they selected 100 players after holding several trials and then it was short listed to 30 players. The final 16 players together with four standbyes were selected purely on performances at practice games and also on their performances in the 2008-2009 school cricket season.

Asoka Senani Hewage, Principal, D.S. Senanayake College who is also the President of the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association said that the best 16 promising cricketers were selected on merit and it will do a world of good for the players to gain the much needed experience prior to taking part in next year's Youth World Cup Tournament to be played in New Zealand.

Altogether 8 one-day matches will be played, 5 games in Darwin and the other 3 matches in Melbourne.

The team: Chathura Peiris (St.Peter's College), Captain, Banuka Rajapakse (Royal College), Vice-Captain, Nipun Karunanayake (Nalanda College), Romesh Buddhika (Mahinda College), Lahiru Jayaratne (St.Peter's College), Charith Jayampathy (D.S. Senanayake College), Udara Jayasundara (Ananda College), Denuruwan Rajakaruna (Mahinda College), Adisha Nanayakkara (Nalanda College), Andrew Berenser (St.Peter's College), Akshan Fernando (St.Peter's College), Kithruwan Vithanage (Royal), Dhanushka Gunatilleke (Mahanama College), Saranga Rajaguru (Nugawela College), Kasun Madusanka (St.Servatius College, Matara), Rukshan Jaleel (Trinity).

Stand Byes: S. de Mel (St.Sebastian's College), A. Jayasundara (Trinity), M. Perera (Ananda), A. Jayasinghe (Maris Stella College).

Officials accompanying the team: Muttiah Devaraja (Manager), Aravinda de Silva (Consultant), Naveed Nawaz (coach), Priyanka Wickremasinghe (Physiotherapist) Darshana Weerasinghe (Trainer), Upul Chandana (Fielding coach), Thoswin Jayatissa (Computer Analyst), Asoka Senani Hewage (Schools Representative) Duminda Wickremasinghe (Junior Selection Committee member).

The youth team will return on October 17.