Dhananjaya de Silva overcame severe obstacles to hit the top
CRICKET: The Observer/Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year
2011 runner-up and the Best Allrounder All Island Dhananjaya de Silva
began his cricketing career at Lalith Athulathmudali MV,Ratmalana. While
living in Ratmalana his house was severely damaged during the 2004
tsunami and his parents were forced to vacate the Ratmalana house and go
to in Debarawewa.
|
Dhananjaya de Silva never
gave up and stuck to his task
of making runs. |
While at Lalith Athulathmudali MV, Dhananjaya represented the
under-15 team and was a member of the Debarawewa under-17 team where he
displayed enormous talent. After moving to Richmond College, Galle his
school cricket career started blossoming in the last three years.
He made a big impact in the school cricket season at Richmond which
earned him a place in the Sri Lanka Under 19 team to play against
England. There too, he justified his selection by scoring 84 in the
first ‘Unofficial Test’ and 42 in the second Test. In the third one day
game Dhananjaya struck a fine 79 which helped the side to beat England.
He did not get a chance to bat in the second and fourth one day games.
The Sri Lanka under-19 team which met England comprised many talented
players. Among them were his teammate Yasodha Lanka who scored a double
hundred in the Test match.
According to Dhananjaya, he rated Bhanuka Rajapakse who became the
Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year twice, with a great future.
Dhananjaya played for Ragama CC in the SLC under-23 tournament and
has scored over 425 runs. He hopes to represent Baduraliya SC at the
Premier tournament. He concluded saying that it was sheer dedication and
hard work with the support from others that has given him the
recognition at the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year show. |
