Best Fielder All Island:

Bubbling enthusiasm got the best from Andri Berenger

By Leslie FERNANDO

OBSERVER - MOBITEL: The wicket-keeper is the fulcrum of the fielding side and can transform the whole appearance of it. The 19-year-old Peterite Andri Baffaelo Berenger realised this and revelled in it. His bubbling enthusiasm was an inspiration and did much to keep his teammates going. Andri is talented, he won the All-Island Best Fielders’ award at the 32nd Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest 2010. The panel of umpires made the selection when they met to select winners in the sectional contests.

He is considered as one of the best wicketkeepers in the schools. Answering a question as to what made him take upto wicketkeeping, Andri replied saying he really didn’t know. “From my junior days, I have been keeping wickets. Of course, I had the liking. I had special liking to wicketkeeping well, after I made a big score in my first ‘Big Match’ against St. Joseph’s College when I was just 15 years. The school authorities were seriously thinking whether I should stick to wicketkeeping. But it was Roger Wijesuriya our coach, who persuaded me to stick to ‘keeping’.

He said that he had a better chance to play for Sri Lanka Youth Team as a wicketkeeper-batsman”.

Last season, Andri played lesser number of matches as he was playing for under-19 Sri Lanka team in the Youth World Cup New Zealand, Under-19 tour of Australia, South Africa and Tri Nation Tournament played in Sri Lanka. Andri had 16 victims during the five games he played for St. Peter’s 2009-2010, scored 450 runs including two centuries and three half centuries for an average of 76.

Andri undoubtedly, the best wicketkeeper in the schools for the last couple of years. At the Youth World Cup matches, he had somewhat of a record of 29 victims. He also batted adequately to total 254 runs in 16 matches, averaging 25.

Actually Andri Berenger started playing cricket in the year 2004 captaining the Grammer School in Dubai. He played for United Arab Emirates (UAE) under-15 national team in Gulf Cup in Bahrain. He also led the UAE under-15 team to England and Pakistan.

At the age of 15 years, he joined St. Peter’s College and had the chance of playing in the Big Match. Andri has so far played in four Big Matches upto the end of 2010 season. He has made tremendous progress as a wicketkeeper and middle-order batsman.

Andri was the only centurion in the 2009 under-19 Inter-Provincial Tournament, stroking a well compiled 125 for Colombo South. While turning out for BRC in the under-23 tournament in 2008, he hit a carrer best 174 against Colombo Cricket Club. In six matches, he totalled 350 runs for BRC. In the 2009 under-23 tournament, he played for the SSC and fared prominently. He had 20 victims in seven games, scored 325 runs including four half centuries.

Andri had the rare distinction of being selected as the Best Player in the year 2008 in the schools under-17 tournament. As a wicketkeeper batsman, Andri came off with flying colours having scored 807 runs in 13 matches which two unbeaten centuries, six half-centuries for an average of 91. He had 24 victims behind the stumps.

In the 2008-2009 season, Andri was the runner-up in the Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest in Best Fielders’ category All-Island. He had a record of 53 victims as a smart stumper, scored 875 runs inclusive of a century and 6 half centuries.

Presently he is playing for CCC in the Under-23 cricket tournament and his aim is to be a smart wicketkeeper and a consistent scorer.

Speaking about the Observer-Mobitel contest, Andri said he felt really happy at the Best Fielder’s award for All-Island and it will really spur him on for better deeds in the future.

He finally thanked all his coaches and school authorities for the inspiration given to him and also to his parents and supporters who gave him ‘all the push’ to encourage him to better deeds in cricket.