CRICINFO - Suranga Lakmal
The tale isn`t from a correct perspective of a former Richmond College cricketer striking gold through national selection. The journey begins for the lanky 21-year-old paceman from a remote dusty coastal belt town called ` Kirinde`.
Fourteen year old Suranga had been as many Sri Lankan kids do, going through his daily routine of a tennis ball cricket game with his friends when Neil Kamal (who turned out to be Suranga`s first coach) had spotted the potential of the skinny youngster.
Kamal Sir only spoke to my father and got me into the Debaraweva National School recalls the shy youngster. Off he went from the Tissamaharama MV to Debaraweva National School in pursuit of cricketing glory.
With Debaraweva National School struggling to field a first XI side and moreover with the fast bowling hunter in Champaka Ramanayake on the look out for raw fast bowling talent, Suranga was as a 16 year old packed off to Richmond College. During my three seasons at Richmond College I also had the opportunity of playing a bit of club cricket at Singha SC said Lakmal.
The only son in a family of six siblings, Suranga`s father is a traditional Chena Cultivator. The weakness if at all of Suranga for the time being was to skip training during weekends (off season) and vanish home. Invariably concerned Tamil Union officials would finally locate their missing cricketer over the phone. Suranga by that time would be happily helping his father with the cultivation. A trademark of a teenage boy from a conservative Sri Lankan family.
If Debaraweva and Richmond opened doors for Suranga`s cricket career, it is certainly Tamil Union that grinded and guided Suranga through the treacherous route to national entry. Having alongside them the legendary Muthiah Murailtharan, the Colombo Oval administrators should get the credit for looking after the boy from `Kirinde` - for Suranga was no wizard like Murali. He only had determination and self-belief.
The lanky fast bowler standing at 6 feet 2 inches, within a couple of years from arriving at the totally alien capital city Colombo is now Lahore bound with the national team. After all Suranga did tour South Africa last year with the Sri Lanka `A` squad and performed impressively.
Suranga had been a member of Southern Province teams at all age group levels and had in the process undergone a two (2) year training stint under the watchful eyes of Champaka Ramanayake and Prabath Nissanka. Also during his stint at Richmond College, Suranga had picked up over 50 wickets apiece in his final two seasons. Thus being awarded school colours.
One could say Suranga`s cause was espoused by playing frequently on a lively pitch at the P. Sara Stadium, where there is genuine assistance for fast bowlers. Armed with a solid action and a physic ideal for a fast bowler Suranga is bound to go places if he is monitored carefully.
Suranga wanted to thank a lot of people for helping him realize his dream. Starting from his Schools coaches, with repeated references to Champaka Ramanayake and especially the Schafter family, Dinal Phillips, Jerome Chanmugam and Suresh Murugesar (his mentors in Colombo), Suranga acknowledged with gratitude their support.
Suranga Lakmal born in the remote village of `Wilamulla` in Tissamaharama said that if not for the encouragement and support given by his parents and sisters to pursue a career in cricket despite many an obstacle his dream would have remained only a dream.
CONGRAADZ BRO !!!
PROUD 2 BE A RICHMONDITE
