Lahiru Milantha, another promising left handed wicketkeeper batsman, it seems Sri Lanka are producing a plethora of them, but what separates Milantha from the rest?
So far in his short career he has managed to stand out with the bat, particularly in the limited overs formats of the game, scoring runs at the top of the order for Ragama CC. On the eve of the Provincial T20 final, Milantha dropped by ThePapare.com office to speak to us about his journey so far.
Like most Sri Lankan youngsters these days, Milantha cricket craze was influenced by his family and the 96 World Cup, “I watched cricket from the time I was a little kid. I even remember watching the 96 World Cup as a toddler – that’s how much of an impact cricket has had in my life. My dad, who was working in Dubai, was a big cricket fan himself and whenever he came home, he bought me all the different kinds of cricket gear. Those days, my dad and my uncles used to bowl to me and all I did was bat.”
Milantha’s cricketing journey officially began when he was 7 years old and his dad enrolled him in a cricket academy down south, where he learned the basics of the game. “My earliest memory of cricket was Sri Lanka winning the 96 World Cup but I also remember the very 1st day I went for cricket at an academy when I was in the 2nd Grade. My academy coach was Neil Rajapakshe, he was my 1st coach. I’m really thankful to him because he gave me the foundation on which I have built my game.”
Like many in the outskirts of Colombo, Milantha’s family knew that moving to the city would give him the best opportunities in the cricketing arena. It turned out that Milantha was as good with the pen as he was with the bat and after passing his grade 5 scholarship exam, he was admitted into St. Peter’s College in Colombo. “I started off playing in Kalutara, I came to St. Peter’s when I passed the Grade 5 scholarship. Because I showed promise in cricket and was able to pass my exam well, St. Peter’s admitted me.”
At the recently concluded Provincial T20 Championship, although a specialist wicketkeeper, Milantha did not keep wickets, but was usually seen in the outfield. His versatility is probably due to the fact that he started keeping quite late in his career. “Actually what happened was, when I 1st joined St. Peter’s, I got hit on the nose and eventually I ended up not playing that season. At that point, I was in the Division III team, I played as a leg spinner and batsman. When I made it to the 1st XI, the team did not have a keeper. I was a good fielder so when I came to grade 13 LH Sunil sir asked me to keep – so basically because there was a spot available for a keeper, I decided to grab the opportunity.”
Although he didn’t start off keeping, he did not find the job too hard to do. “I used to bat up the order either opening the batting or at no. 3 and I had developed a good eye so keeping was not too difficult for me.”
His performances for the Peterites brought him to the attention of Ragama CC, the club which he has represented since he was a school boy. “I played in the Ragama CC U 23 team when I was still in school. After playing there for a year, coming back and playing in school was very different. Cricket at the club level is of a much higher standard.”
When asked if he sees anyone from Ragama CC making it to the national team in the near future, he had this to say. “I would love to play for Sri Lanka but if there is someone playing better than me I would like them to get an opportunity before me because I know from experience that when someone who deserves to make it isn’t given an opportunity, their confidence really takes a hit.
So, Roshane Silva, I only got to know him once he moved to Ragama CC from Colts this past season. I think he has one of the highest averages in the Sri Lanka domestic scene and he hasn’t had the chance to play for Sri Lanka yet so I think he will get an opportunity in the future.”
Having spent a few years at Ragama CC, he has built some memorable partnerships.
“I enjoy playing with Lahiru Thirimanne, we play at the same club together. In my premier league debut, we had a big partnership. I made 70 odd and he made 80 odd in that match, it was a really memorable moment in my career because by then he had played a lot of cricket for Sri Lanka.”
His consistency in the domestic scene won him the Best Batsman award in the Premier Limited Overs Tournament at the Sri Lanka Cricket awards last year. It is an achievement he looks at with much pride as it was just his 2nd year in top level domestic competition.
He also got the opportunity to go to Australia for a couple of weeks and participate in a coaching camp there. “I was sent to the Darren Lehmann cricket academy in Australia after I won the emerging player award in the Mercantile tournament. They didn’t focus too much on technique there, they tried to build the mental aspect of our game. The focus was mainly on our strengths and how to use them to be effective in a match.”
Milantha plays an attacking game, any innings of his features a lot of cuts and drives through the off side. So it comes as no surprise to hear of his admiration of Adam Gilchrist and the Australian cricket team. “I really like the Australian cricket team actually. The players, they are so positive in all three disciplines of the game. They play the game very aggressively, I think there is lot to learn from the way they play. Adam Gilchrist was one of the best wicket keepers in the world. The way he batted at 7 in tests and opened in ODIs and the way he played the game as a gentleman, I really loved watching him.”
Perhaps it is this influence that makes him fearless when he goes to bat. “If you talk about seniority, a person is only a senior to you off the field. Once you cross the boundary rope into the grounds, no matter who bowls, even if it’s Brett Lee, my aim is to score runs. I don’t feel any real difficulty or pressure based on reputation. See because, if you are to do well and go forward, you have to be able to face the best and beat them.”
His journey to where he is now, has not been easy. In fact, he has perhaps had to face more difficulties than many of his peers. Coming from a situation where he was cared for by his aunt for most of his childhood to having to face rejection after rejection while coming through the ranks, Milantha has faced every situation with determination to overcome his circumstances.
“Every time I was rejected, I made up my mind to perform even better the next time. However well I performed I couldn’t seem to get an opportunity to play…. Even though it upset me when I wasn’t given the opportunities I thought I deserved, I always focused and made it my goal to prove myself.”
His message for other players is simple, “Obstacles will come your way, and people will try to bring you down, but if you have a goal, focus on that and work towards it. Focus on your next step, work hard at it and you will make it. You have to have the courage and you have to believe in yourself. There will be sacrifices that you have to make but if you really want it, work hard and go for it.”
It is clear that he himself has followed that advice, his confidence and determination is clear to see. “For any player the goal is to make it to the national team but I have a target beyond that. If I ever get the chance to represent Sri Lanka, I want to win a man of the match award for a performance that helped the team win. I am confident that I will play for Sri Lanka someday, so that’s my goal.”
What is refreshing to see is that Milantha seems to be a guy who does not want to forget the past and those who have helped him along the way. “Neil Rajapakshe my 1st coach, LH Sunil St. Peter’s coach from U 13 to U 17, 1st XI coach Keerthi Gunaratne, Nelson Mendis as well as Roshan Abeysinghe, Ruwan Dissanayake and Chamara from Ragama CC, my dad, my relatives, Ivon Nicholas and his family and everyone who helped me, even with words of encouragement, I am thankful for.”
Deprived of a mother he may have been, for much of his life, but deprived of a mother’s love, he was not. “My mum left us when we were little, when I was in grade 3 – my dad was in Dubai then. So it was my aunt who took care of us. She’s the one, who stayed unmarried, took care of both my brother and me. She was the one always with us, teaching us right from wrong. I think the courage and strength I have is a result of her guidance.”
ThePapare.com would like to thank Lahiru Milantha for the time to come speak to us and we wish him all the very best for his future endeavours.
