Despite the misfortune of endless showers and games being washed away during the recently concluded premier league limited overs tournament, the Ports Authority Sports Club is prepared with sails set high to cruise through for a better three day tournament.
A bit of History
The history of the Ports Authority Sports Club does not span into a long number of years. The newly inculcated club entered the domestic dais in the year 2011. Injecting young blood into the Sri Lankan cricketing franchise since it’s inception, the club since stands solidly with a clear path to dominance in the rostrum ahead.
Key Players
Commencing his cricketing career around the suburbs of Colombo, Mahela Udawatta will lead the outfit for the 2015 season of domestic cricket. Udawatte holding the experience of 181 innings in 104 first-class matches will be hoping to make an impact and sail the club into a winning course. With a batting average of just over 30 and a highest score of 191, this left-handed batsman will come-in handy with his elegant stroke play and his arrogant style of scoring fast runs.
While the skipper strengths the top order, the middle order of the outfit will be reinforced by Ashan Priyanjan. Priyanjan having played 102 innings in 64 first-class matches with a batting average just under 40 and a highest score of 235 will defiantly be the person to anchor the innings if the top order fails to deliver. Having bagged 26 wickets in his 64 matches his all-round skills will come in use as a part time to bowler and to shift the momentum of the game at any given time. His stint with the national side will add stature and experience to the outfit.
While two national cap holders strengthen the batting department the other will be the back-bone of the bowling department. Isuru Udana having played 89 innings in 58 first class matches his medium pace bowling will pressurize the opposition without doubt. With a bowling average of just under 30 and a total wicket count of 140 and national exposure, he will be the club`s main weapon to shoot the opposition down.
Malinda Pushapkumara will take on the spin attack from the other end and hold up to the pressure created by the rest of the bowling department. This skilled campaigner having played 122 innings in 69 first-class matches has bagged 360 wickets with his slow-left arm orthodox action. With a bowling average of 20.69 he will be ideal folly for Udana.
Coaching Contingent
Lasantha Prasad guiding the Ports Authority Sports Club will be hoping to rectify the mistakes that happened in the limited overs tournament and move forward with a positive mentality despite the bad-luck of rain which halted many performances.
Lasantha sharing his ideas with ThePapare.com stated the fact the he believes that international experience that the top four players holds will indeed make its impact towards their game plan and that the players will adjust themselves from the shorter version into the longer version to play good cricket and win convincingly.
The skipper in answer to our question on what went wrong in the limited overs tournament said “Well it`s a bit of a controversial question, I think the pitches and the turfs that we played on were not in right condition and they were used for many games hence we could not perform as we expected. Rain was also a factor, but the issued with the turfs were a problem not only for us but for all the clubs”
Full Squad with Disciplines
Mahela Udwatta – Left Hand Bat
Isuru Udana – Right Hand Bat – Left Arm Medium Pace
Ashan Priyanjan – Right Hand Bat – Right Arm Off-Spin
Anuk De Alwis – Right Hand Bat – Left Hand Medium Pace
Pulina Tharanga – Right Hand Bat – Right Arm Off-Spin
Ranesh Perera – Right Hand Bat – Right Arm Off-Spin
Gayashan Weerasekara – Left Hand Bat – Right Arm Off-Spin
Dhananjaya De Silva – Right Hand Bat – Right Arm Off – Spin
Yohan De Sliva-Left Hand Bat – Right Hand Off- Spin
Madushanka Ekanayake – Right Hand Bat – Right Arm Medium Pace
Shanuka Dassanayake – Right Hand Bat – Left Arm Leg Spin
Prashan Wickeremasinghe – Right Hand Bat – Left Arm Leg-Spin
Malinda Pushapkumara – Left Hand Bat – Left Arm Orthodox
Ishan Rangana – Left Hand Bat – Right Arm off Spin
Sachithra Serasinghe – Right Hand Bat – Right Arm Off-Spin
Cricket Club Previews – Sri Lanka Ports Authority CC – Ast. Coach
