Damitha Silva – a promising cricketer from Kurunegala
View(s):Damitha Naveen Silva of Maliyadeva College Kurunegala is a fine cricketer who represented Sri Lanka junior national team against Australia Under-19 in September 2014 at the age of sixteen. He was the youngest player in the team at that time. He began his schools career at the age of 12 respectively in the Under-13 team and he played for the first eleven team at the age of 14 in 2013. He represented his college in all age groups namely Under-13, 15 and 17.
He toured to Malaysia with Sri Lanka schools under 15 team led by Avishka Fernando in April 2013 for the 9th Tuanku Jaa’far Trophy Under-15 cricket tournament. Sri Lanka along with India,South Africa and hosts Singapore participated the tournament. Sri Lanka clinched the prestige Jaafar Trophy and in the final against South Africa Silva scored a fluent 40. He also took 2 for 14 against Malaysia in a first round match.
Silva represented Sri Lanka Under-17 against England Under-17 in April last year and captured 2 for 31 and 2 for 34 in the second and third Youth One Day matches. The three-match Youth One Day series was won by the host nation 2-1. He also captured 2 for 21 against the same opposition in the three day match which was played at Colts grounds.
He was selected to play for Sri Lanka Under-19 for the first time in September 2014 against Australia Under-19 on home soil and fared well during the six match one day series. He took 10 wickets for 142 runs during the series with a best of 4 for 36 from in the third Youth One Day International at the P. Sara Oval. He also made an unbeaten 25 in this match which Sri Lanka won by 23 runs. In all he played 6 Youth ODI’s (4 vs Australia Under-19 and 2 vs Bangladesh Under-19) and captured 11 wickets from his left-arm orthodox deliveries. He played one Youth Test against Bangladesh Under-19 in February this year at Pallekelle International Stadium and took 1 for 51.
He was adjudged the best all rounder during the Under-17 Inter Provincial Cricket Tournament last year which was conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket. He took 4 for 80 against Combined XI after making a superb 142 with his bat at Dambulla International Stadium and continued his good form as an allrounder during the series by capturing 5 for 81 vs Western Province (South) and 4 for 53 vs Southern Province, both at Pallekelle International Stadium. In all he made 237 runs and captured 18 wickets during that tournament.
He was adjudged man-of-the-match in the 32nd Maliyadeva-St Anne’s big match this year after taking a match bag of 7 for 106 including a five-wicket haul in the first innings. He also contributed 29 runs in this match. The stylish left-handed batsman Silva has scored 438 runs and also captured 46 wickets during the 2014 season for his school. He hopes to bring more credits to his alma mater and his native town in the future.
- Vijitha Senaratne in Kurunegala