Great encouragement for players - Aravinda
by Ranjan Anandappa
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Aravinda de Silva
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Former Sri Lanka batting maestro Aravinda de Silva has played many
great Innings,but what invariably comes into one's mind is the match
winning century at the 1996 World Cup final when Sri Lanka beat
Australia to win a World Cup for the first time.
This great batsman has never won the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year
award, but could remember taking the Best Batsman's award on one
occasion as he could remember somewhere in the 1980s.While at
D.S.Senanayake College he represented the school at cricket in all age
groups and he quickly became a much-talked about player because of his
unprecedented talent. He was an automatic choice in the under 19 team on
tours home or away.
Aravinda de Silva wouldn't have asked for a better Test debut when he
wore his Test 'cap' at Lords when Sri Lanka played a one-off Test
against England in August 1984.
He was in the company of some other Sri Lanka players such as,
skipper Duleep Mendis, Roy Dias, Sidath Wettimuny, Amal Silva, Arjuna
Ranatunga Ranjan Madugalle and Ashantha de Mel to name a few.His Test
and ODI careers are lucrative ones. In his 93 Test matches he has scored
6,361 runs with 20 centuries and 22 half centuries. His ODI statistics
is also equally good striking 11 hundreds and 64 half 'tons' while
scoring 9,284 runs.
Aravinda, while commending the Schoolboy Cricketer contest said that
it is good encouragement for the players and every player looks forward
for the contest. The hard work done during the school cricket season is
recognised and it is a great boost for the youngsters.
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