Moors Sports Club is one of the first class cricket teams in Sri Lanka. The clubs greatest achievement was winning the Premier League tournament during the 2002/2003 season.
The team that was captained by current national player Rangana Herath defeated a strong team from Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club in order to become the champions and all the current players feel that the main goal of the club and the team is to win the Premier League and elevate the name of the club to greater heights in the local cricketing arena.
Dilhara Lokuhettige takes on the role of captain
The experienced Dilhara Lokuhettige who has built a reputation for himself as a Twenty20 specialist will lead the team from Braybrooke Place for the 2013/14 premier season. Dilhara, who played his College cricket for Asoka Vidyalaya has played in over 100 first class matches and has a total of 300 wickets to his name in addition to having scored more than 4500 runs. He has represented Sri Lanka in the one day international format of the game and he is currently a member of the Sri Lankan Twenty20 World Cup squad. He is renowned for being a dangerous seam bowler and a powerful striker of the ball and he will definitely look to play a key role in ensuring success for Moors Sports Club.
Coaching Staff
Mahesh Weerasinghe who has guided the club to two under 23 finals and one premier final will continue to offer his services as the head coach of the team. He is a coach with plenty of experience which he hopes will be a vital factor in ensuring that his team has a strong season.
Mr Weerasinghe is assisted by his second in command Sampath Ehapasinghe and the fielding coach Dinesh Chaminda who also hope to play their part in supporting Moors SC.
In conversation with ‘ThePapare’ Mahesh Weerasinghe stated “Last year we were able to achieve a total of seven outright victories and I take great pride in the fact that our boys were able to make it to the finals of the premier tournament however this year I feel that the team is motivated, determined and most importantly committed so I believe that we have a chance of going one step further as we are most definitely in it to win it”.
Batting line up
Isham Ghouse and Sri Lanka A team player Shehan Jayasuriya open the batting for Moors Sports Club. Isham Ghouse is on the verge of scoring 1000 first class runs and is bound to achieve this landmark in the ongoing season. Shehan is a consistent batsman who has scored over 1500 runs at a wonderful average of 46.20.
The stylish right hand batsman Bathiya Perera adds great value to the team’s batting line up. He has scored more than 8000 first class runs and has a total of twelve centuries and fifty half centuries to his name.
The captain Dilahara Lokuhettige, wicket keeper batsman Suresh Niroshan, ‘Emerging Player’ of the Mercantile Tournament Chaturanga de Silva and the youngster Kaushalya Gajasinghe form a very strong middle order that has the capability to take the sting out of any bowling attack.
Bowling line up
The bowling attack is fuelled by the pace of Sri Lanka A team player Vimukthi Perera and Himesh Silva. They have taken a total of close to 200 wickets and they will look to perform at their best during the ongoing season. The department of fast bowlers is rounded up by the likes of Irosh Samarasuriya and Nipuna Kariyawasam who are considered to be bowling all-rounders.
Moors SC also has the services of two dangerous spinners namely Janaka Gunaratne and Malinda Pushpakumara. Janaka Gunaratne is a tricky customer who bowls right arm off breaks and has a total of 257 wickets to his credit. In addition to his skill with the ball he has also amassed a massive total of more than 7000 runs proving the point that he is a very dangerous player. Pushpakumara is undoubtedly one of the best bowlers in the Premier League and he has been the highest wicket taker in the league in the 2011/12 season as well as the 2012/13 season. He has taken a total of 311 first class wickets and together with Gunaratne he will look to instill fear in all the batsman who bear the fate of facing him.
Squad
Dilhara Lokuhettige (Captain) – Right Hand Batsman- Right Arm Medium Fast Bowler
Janaka Gunaratne (Vice Captain) – Right Hand Batsman- Right Arm Off Spin Bowler
Shehan Jayasuriya- Left Hand Batsman- Right Arm Off Spin Bowler
Isham Ghouse- Right Hand Batsman- Right Arm Off Spin Bowler
Bathiya Perera- Right Hand Batsman- Right Arm Off Spinner
Vimukthi Perera- Left Hand Batsman- Left Arm Fast Bowler
Chathuranga De Silva- Right Hand Batsman- Right Arm Medium Fast Bowler
Suresh Niroshan- Right Hand Batsman- Wicket Keeper
Malinda Pushpakumara- Right Hand Batsman- Slow Left Arm Orthodox Bowler
Harsha Cooray- Right Hand Batsman- Right Arm Off Spin Bowler
Osanda Fernando-Right Hand Batsman
Irosh Samarasooriya- Right Hand Batsman- Right Arm Medium Fast Bowler
Pradeep Ananda- Left Arm Leg Spin Bowler
Nipuna Kariyawasam- Right Hand Batsman- Right Arm Medium Fast Bowler
Himesh Silva- Right Hand Batsman- Right Arm Fast Bowler
Kaushalya Gajasinghe- Left Arm Batsman- Right Arm Off Spin Bowler
Rajitha Wickramarachchi- Left Hand Batsman- Wicket Keeper
Udara Peiris- Left hand Batsman- Right Arm Off Spin Bowler
Niksy Ahamed- Right Hand Batsman
Naveed Ghani- Batting All Rounder
Imbas Rafi- Left Hand Batsman
The Papare takes this opportunity to wish Moors SC the best of luck for the 2013/14 Premier Season.
