Saracens Sports Club has had its fair share of relegation and promotion battles but is determined to break away from that norm, in creating a sturdy position in the Premier League this season.
Bit of History
Saracens earned promotion to this year’s Premier Tournament by winning the Tier B segment last year but was unable to replicate that form early in the Premier Limited Overs tournament winning only one and losing four matches.
Key Players
Saracens will be captained by experienced Upul Indrasiri who has crossed over from Chilaw Marians. Indrasiri has picked up 285 wickets in first class cricket at an impressive average of 23.14 with his left-arm orthodox. His experience and guidance will need to be at its utmost best for this young and inexperienced side.
For Coach Dinesh Weerasinghe, he will be banking on his batsman namely Umesh Karunarathne, Geeth Kumara, Gamindu Khanishka, NIsal Randika, Mohomed Aslam and Damith Priyadharshana. Umesh Karunarathne who has a batting average of 35 and a bowling average of 22 taking 159 wickets represented the Sri Lanka U19 side for the 2008 World Cup will look to impress after his match winning 52 not out against SSC in the limited overs. From the bowling department Weerasinghe will look to Buddika Sanjeewa who is in good form having picked up 4/38 in their win against SSC and 3/40 against Army.
“For us making it to the super eight stages is our prime objective and I hope these young guys can step up and make a difference.” Captain Upul Indrasiri added.
Head Coach
“Though we won the tier B championship last year only two players from that squad are with us now. Most of them have left to play in Australia and England. So this is a new team and it takes a long time to gel with each other,” Saracens coach Dinesh Weerasinghe expressed as to why the club was unable to perform to the expected level in the Limited Overs Tournament.
Weerasinghe is a vastly experienced coach where he started his coaching career while still schooling at Kottawa Ananda Vidyalaya. Thereafter he has gone onto coach Lumbini, Mahanama and Thurstan schools and Seeduwa, Raddoluwa, CCC and Chilaw Marians Premier Clubs.
There were positives for the side after the first three-four matches where they defeated Sinhalese Sports Club, who went onto the finals. Saracens raced to a 5 wicket win after skittling SSC to 146 while they took the match to the last ball in their next match against Ragama Cricket Club. This win would undoubtedly give the new look Saracens side a huge morale boost going into the three-day tournament.
“The big negative for us is that we don’t have a proper ground for practices. There are 14 Premier League clubs and of those four clubs do not have their own grounds. That’s Saracens, Chilaw Marians, Badureliya and Ragama. Sri Lanka Cricket should directly get involved in this and provide these four clubs with grounds. From these clubs only the future Sri Lanka stars will be born.” Weerasinghe lamented of not having proper training facilities.
“We go to different grounds for training. There also sometimes we are not given the facilities due to different reasons.” he went onto say.
Squad
Upul Indrasiri – Left hand Bat – Left arm spin
Nisal Randika – Left Hand Bat – Left Arm Orthodox
Chalitha Halambage – Left Hand Bat – WicketKeeper
Sajeewa Salgado – Right Hand Bat – Right Arm Offbreak
Umesh Karunarathne – Right Hand Bat – Right Arm Offbreak
Ruvinda Shamen – Left Hand Bat – Left Arm medium fast
Mohomed Aslam – Right Hand Bat – Left Arm Spin
Ishan Nilaksha – Left Hand Bat – WicketKeeper
Damith Priyadharshana – Left Hand Bat – Right Arm Medium Fast
Geeth Kumara – Left Hand Bat – Right Arm Leg Spin
Sachith Dias – Right Hand Bat – Right Arm Offbreak
Gamindu Khanishka – Right Hand Bat – Right Arm Offbreak
Chanaka Ruwansiri – Right Hand Bat – Right Arm Offbreak
Prabath Jayasuriya – Right Hand Bat – Left Arm Leg Spin
Buddika Sanjeewa – Right Hand Bat – Right Arm Fast
Rajesh Priyan – Right Hand Bat – Right Arm Fast
Dushan Hemantha – Right Hand Bat – Right Arm Leg Spin
Cricket Club Previews – Saracens CC – Captain
Cricket Club Previews – Saracens CC – Coach
