Dhammaratne JS, Dekinda longing to play cricket

by S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen, Kandy sports Corr.

Dekinda - an isolated town passing Galadoda around 20 kilometres from Nawalapitiya on the Colombo-Badulla train journey is fast becoming interested in the game of cricket, the girls who have taken to the game.

The girls in that area have got-together and formed a girls cricket team who are running up the ladder of success.

The girls from Dhammaratne Junior School from Dekinda have around 123 girls on roll and are hell bent on the game of cricket.

Dhammaratne Junior School is one of three girls schools teams from the Central Province who entered for the Twenty20 cricket tournament organised by Sri Lanka Cricket to develop women's cricket in the country.

Dhammaratne Junior School stunned the women circuit when they scored a comprehensive win over St. Anthony's Girls College, Kandy.

Cricket was introduced to Dhammaratne Junior School by the Physical Training Instructor Dilip Kumara and the Principal of the School P.P. Piyaratne Banda and it caught the interest of the girls in a flash.

The District Coach Amila Pinnaduwa along with Provincial Coach Sunil Fernando not only sharpened their raw skills, but also gave them the necessary encouragement.

The school had a small piece of land to use as a playground and a small piece of matting was presented to them by the Urban Council, Nawalapitiya.

Sports Minister gives incentives

But the incentive for their playing cricket came from none other than the Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage who provided them with all the cricket playing equipment. Otherwise they would have never dreamt of playing hard ball cricket in a school with a small student population with no amenities whatsoever and located off the beaten track.

Dekinda is a small village surrounded by tea estates and the villagers are cultivators and hardly know the game. It is located between Galaboda and Watawala Railway Stations. Most of the children have to walk long distances on hill terrain to attend practices and return home. It is the wild boar which is in abundance roam the area after dusk and the children fear most.

The children from Dekinda first played softball cricket and later decided to take to hard ball cricket as there is not much scope in softball cricket. The wife of the Principal Savithri Ashanthi is a tower of strength to the girls encouraging them all the time, so that they will not fall by the wayside.

Children physically strong

The children are physically strong and they have an inclination to play hard ball cricket at a much higher level. These are the contributory factors which led them to take to hard ball cricket. Can any school with a student population of only 123 girls, with no proper coach or playgrounds or any other facility take to this game left as a legacy by British rulers. That's the courage and dedication which they have against all odds.

Their parents are mostly labour class and do not have the money to spend and they need to be helped to further their cricket.

The team is led by Thakshila Maduwanthi, a left-hand bat and left-arm medium pacer. The vice captain of the side is Sadun Nimesha, a right hand bat and a right-arm medium pacer.The bats women in the side are Hasini Thakshila Liyanaarachchi, Ajantha Kumara, R. Sinduja, Wasanthi Lakmali, Iresha Sewwandi, Chathurika Nisansala Jayaratne.

The team has a number of medium pacers Susini Thakshani, W.D. Thakshila Maduwanthi, Sanduni Nimesha Bandara. The spinners in the side are Ajantha Kumara (off spinner), R. Sindija (leg spinner), Chathurika Nisansala (off spinner), Wasanthi Lakmali (leg-spinner).

Hasini Thakshila Liyanaarachchi is the stumper of the side. The game of cricket is essentially English and so is the laws of the game, but these village girls are give to grasp them and know from a no ball to a fielder taking the catch on the lines and going out of the playing area with the ball in hand. How many schoolboy cricketers will know this rule.The skipper of the Dekinda Junior School Thakshila Maduwanthi said that they find it difficult to play the game for each of funds and hope someone comes forward to help them. The school has no money and it is our parents who help us to travel for matches and with other expenses Maduwanthi added.

Anyone willing to help these girls with a mission in their hearts could contact the Master-in-Charge Dulip Kumara on mobile No. 077-3853058.

Whatever help which is rendered will serve a worthy cause and in the best interest of women's cricket in Sri Lanka. The girls have played their part in a manner which could only be a dream and the rest should be outside help.