Best Bowler All Island:

Anushka Samaratunga - a ‘MUST’ in schools team

By Leslie FERNANDO

CRICKET: If a Sri Lankan schools team was to be selected today, surely one of the first names to come to the selectors’ minds’ would surely be Anushka Samaratunga of Isipathana College, the left-arm ‘leggie’ who had the rare feat of capturing 142 wickets during the 2009-2010 schools cricket season.

It was a unique achievement for the 19-year-old Anushka who was the Best Bowler-All Island in the 32nd OBSERVER-MOBITEL Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest.

The panel of umpires picked him as the Best Bowler All Island for his fine bowling during the season.

Anushka’s left-arm spin bowling has shown no mercy on opponents. The fourth-year coloursman became the first Isipathanian to capture a record number of 142 wickets in a season.

Figures speak

His fine bowling figures: 15 for 47 against Mahanama College, 13 for 72 against Lumbini MV, 13 for 89 against Joseph Vaz College, II for 105 against S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia, II for 88 against St. Aloysius College, 10 for 105 against Zahira College, Maradana, 9 for 90 against President’s College, Kotte, 8 for 150 against St. Peter’s College, 9 for 120 against D.S. Senanayake College, 8 for 118 against St. Sebastian’s College (best Team All Island), 8 for 77 against St. Servatius’,College, Matara tells the story. The consistent performer Anushka had a hand of 5 wickets 16 times and a match haul of 10 wickets on 6 occasions. Indeed a lion-hearted bowling feat. He became only the second Isipathanian to achieve this bowling performance after former Sri Lanka paceman Nuwan de Zoysa achieved while he was turning out for Isipathana.

Anushka’s driving force has been his ability to maintain an excellent line and length and aided by a temperament he can bowl for long spells and keep the batsmen in check.

Earlier during the 2008-2009 schools cricket season, Anushka also performed well capturing 85 wickets with his best being a match haul of 10 for 71 against Trinity College.

Anushka has played in the college under-13, under-15, under-17 and first XI. In adition to his bowling, he has been among the runs-scoring 279 runs last season. He is also a good fielder and excels in the deep as well as in close-catching positions.

He is such a dedicated cricketer that he is found to go for national honours in the near future.

Anushka is in the under-19 Sri Lanka ‘pool’ for the tour of England. He will be representing the Colombo South in the SLC and SLSCA conducted under-21 Inter-District cricket tournament. He is also in the National Development pool.

Plays for Colts u.23

He will not be playing for the college next season as he will sit for the ‘A’ Level Examination. Presently he is turning out for Colts C.C. in the SLC Under-23 cricket tournament.

He paid a grateful tribute to his school authorities and parents for encouraging him in the game and he also thanked his coaches W.L. Withanage, Sanjeeva Weerasinghe, K.H. Nandasena and Suranga Wijenayake who helped him along to achieve success.

So, year 19 has been a memorable year for this unassuming cricketer. He will turn 20 on September, 16, though success has come for Anushka this season he has been calm and collected. He also thanked his team mates and supporters..

Anushka thanked the ANCL and Sunday Observer for keeping the contest for all these years. He also commended the sponsors Mobitel for supporting the up-and-coming schoolboy cricketers.