Fingara 'Talent Search'caters to 225 youngsters

CRICKET: The Fingara International Cricket Academy (FICA) conducted its fourth "Talent Search" among 22 schools in the North Central Province at the Rangiri Dambulu International Cricket Stadium where over 225 youngsters from Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kekirawa, Thalawa, Eppawala, Yatiyalpathana, Palugaswewa, Thimbatuwawa, Bakamuna and Rattanakadawela participated.

The FICA coaches headed by Hemantha Devapriya were in attendance and also present were Sanjeewa Weerasinghe (former Sri Lanka 'A' player) and Malintha Gajanayake (former Sri Lanka Schools Under-19 Captain).

Cricket gear was presented to the schools and to coincide with the event, a Twenty-20 cricket match too was played between a FICA side and a Dambulla-Kurunegala Invitation XI.

A series of these FICA 'Talent Search' programmes are being conducted to identify and select talented schoolboy cricketers from the outstations and provide them with scholarships to follow the FICA coaching programmes to enhance their performance and attain national level. The previous programmes were held in Ambalangoda, Galle and Negombo, which included the participation of FICA Cricket Ambassadors Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara, and also Upul Chandana, Upul Tharanga and Lasith Malinga.

The FICA is the brainchild of Mervyn Jayasinghe (Deputy Chairman of the F&G Group), established two years back, which has the services of John Dyson and Trevor Chappel, guiding the Academy.

L.G.