BRC dream run for success
Standing from left: Shashin Dilranga, Chameera Dissanayake, Rajitha Wickramarachchi (Captain), Indika De Saram (Coach cum player), Vikum Sanjaya, Upali Manukularathna (Cricket Secretary), Rahula Dassenaieke (President), Hashen Ramanayake, Mangala Kumara, Nuwan Perera, Kavindu Silva, Dulanja Silva. Squatting from left: Lisula Lakshan, Poorna Aluthge, Damith Rangana, Pranama Sri Vimukthi, Savin Gunasekara, Senal Deelaka
With many setbacks around them, a young, gritty set of cricketers, guided by the most eligible veteran player in the game as player cum coach and with the backing of ever-resolute club officials, made a long term dream come true.
Burgher Recreational Club, better known as the BRC in the domestic cricketing circle, earned a double – first pocketing the Emerging Twenty20 championship pursued by the much awaited Emerging Championship – which will give them passage to compete alongside at the top sides in the Premier Championship from next season.
A club with a rich history 118 years, BRC has featured themselves twice in the Premier Championship before – from 1988 to 1989 and, the last from 2012 to 2013.
When they were on top, BRC failed to sustain more than a season with the last being unfairly axed when the number of first class teams were reduced from 20 to 14 after the 2012/13 season.
The hard-earned promotion comes after three years and the entire BRC fraternity, officials, players, followers and even the general membership, are keen to see the club continue its transformation with a major title at first class level in the near future.
But the path towards that was never a rosy one for the players, officials and also the in-form dual performer, Indika de Saram, who is BRC’s coach cum player.
De Saram, a former Sri Lanka cricketer who had played in four Tests and 15 One Day Internationals, is known as a versatile allrounder. Throughout his career which began at St. Thomas’ College Matara and went through the Sri Lanka Under-19s, United Southern SC, Matara SC, Tamil Union, Colts, Bloomfield, Galle CC, Ragama CC and Moors SC, before finding refuge at BRC, was one of the main cogs in the club’s double success.
Upali Manukularate
“I may be in good shape to compete at Premier level but my personal thought is that rather than competing neck-to-neck aimlessly with other national level players, who are much younger than me, does not do me any good. It’s much better to come to a lower level like the Emerging and help out a thriving side while continuing as a player. It’s not my first stint as player cum coach.
In 2004 I played the same role at Galle CC and a bit at Moors SC. But at BRC it was totally a different experience. At Premier level you fight for a place in the national squad, it’s all about individual glory though the club loyalty was intact. But at Emerging level it’s another story. For BRC, the team was truly inspired by my presence inside the boundary line and it was really helpful I suppose.
I was able to guide the youngsters and chip in some runs and take them towards two championships in my second year as a player and the first season as player cum coach,” de Saram, who wishes not to give up his playing career yet, said.
BRC played nine three-day games and six Twney20 games on their way to annex both championships. But to serve the purpose, BRC had just 17 players in the squad and mostly the playing eleven was rotated among 13 players.
In the forefront, supporting the players in all aspects were BRC officials Rahula Dassenaieke, the club President, Dr. Jagath Alwis, the Vice President and Upali Manukularatne, the Cricket Secretary while former officials Haritha Perera played an effective role off the field.
One of the silent contributors to BRC’s success was its Cricket Secretary Upali Manukularatne, who refrained from talking anything related to cricket throughout the season. He played a fatherly role to the players at times while conducting himself with dignity as a friend-in-need for the youngsters at many a time.
“It was not an easy way up. We had a shaky start but by the end we were the strongest among the teams in the Emerging segment. Individually all at BRC played a different role behind the curtain and off the field and my task was to be the linkman between the team and the club.
Skipper Rajitha Wikramarachchi
I think that was one of the toughest tasks to handle with many youngsters around. The club did followed many method to compensate and motivate the players in many ways. And the players too showed their eager to win with two titles. It’s something that we at BRC can recall in time to come for many years,” Manukularatne stressed.
Guiding the entire process of the success was the club’s President Rahula Dassenaieke, who was delighted with the outcomes that came under windy conditions. He becomes the first to take the seat in 28 years after former president Jayantha Paranathala left office last year after nearly three decades. Dassenaieke, being a former Vice President for five years said that BRC is keen to remain where they reached.
“BRC has been playing top cricket in the past with many reaching the national level. We reached a fallout about eight years ago and cricket was not the same.
But last year, we thought of working out for a plan and implement whatever possible missions to reach the next level. We have reached that platform now and it will be another challenge to overcome. We are gearing up now itself with a comprehensive plan to retain the place we earned. I want our guys to finish among the top five in the Premier. We have got to do a lot of work.
We have good talents at BRC, but a few more additions probably some big names will definitely create competition within the set of players. We expect Indika de Saram would continue to do the same for BRC in the coming season and in the future.
He did a marvelous job this season, as a coach cum player. I think we are fit enough to compete at Premier level and we have proved it with two championship titles this season,” stated Dassenaieke.
Under the captaincy of Rajitha Wickramarachchi, BRC was represented by Indika de Saram as coach cum player, Maduranga Zoysa as assistant coach cum player, Shashin Dilranga, Chameera Dissanayake, Vikum Sanjaya, Hashen Ramanayake, Mangala Kumara, Nuwan Perera, Kavindu Silva, Dulanja Silva, Lisula Lakshan, Poorna Aluthge, Damith Rangana, Pranama Sri Vimukthi, Savin Gunasekara and Senal Deelaka.
BRC President Rahula Dassenaieke
Indika de Saram played a key role