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| Sunday, 6 April 2003 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Trinitian Pathirana's record double century by S. M. JIFFREY ABDEEN, Kandy Sports Correspondent An unbeaten double century at limited over cricket match at an inter-provincial cricket tournament. That's the incredible record of 13-year-old left hander S. Pathirana from Trinity College. Pathirana's innings of 235 not out for Central Province Cricket Association against Uva Province Cricket Association had 26 sixes and 14 fours at St. Anthony's College grounds, Katugastota. His feat sent several records tumbling. His century came off 38 balls. When Pathirana came to bat, the score was 62 for 2 which became 85 for 3 a little later. He was joined by 13-year-old Mohammed Freshal from St. Sylvesters College. Strangely Pathirana's first seven scoring strokes were all singles and this youngster wanted to settle down first before wading into the attack. Next he had his eyes in completing 150 runs which he reached by scoring a further 3 sixes and 3 fours in 70 balls and 52 scoring strokes. There was no stopping for this little boy who bledgeoning the bowling, the way a blacksmith would in his anvil. He reached his double century with a push to mid wicket with the help of 22 sixes and 12 fours in only 88 balls. He hit four consecutive sixes in an over. Meanwhile, his partner Mohammed Freshal enjoyed himself with a knock of 103 not out with 8 fours and 6 sixes. This pair put on a record unbroken partnership of 341 for the fourth wicket. Pathirana's knock embellished with 26 sixes and 14 fours may be a record for the number of hits to the ropes in a limited over match at that level. Pathirana took to cricket at the age of nine and came under the watchful eyes of Sunil Fernando at the Kandy Cricket Academy which has produced a number of outstanding cricketers in the past. It must be recalled that it was the foresight and planning of Fernando which changed Muthiah Muralitharan from a pace bowler to a spinner in his formative years at junior level which made him later the Greatest spinner the world had seen. Sunil Fernando taught him the basics and corrected his flaws and chiselled him to be a pugnacious hitter of the ball. At Trinity College he played for the under-13 team and captained it and the senior coach at Trinity College, the experienced H. M. Muthalib saw the oozing talent in him and drafted the youngster directly to the senior cricket team. This gamble has paid off. |
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