Hemantha Boteju

A right-arm medium-pace bowler and lower-order batsman, Boteju has come up through the ranks to represent Sri Lanka. Boteju was a key member of the Sri Lankan U-19 team that played against the Indian U-19 side in 1996-97. Opening the bowling and batting in the top six his performances suggested he would represent Sri Lanka in the future. In the lead up to the 1999 World Cup, Boteju was blooded in the Pepsi tri-nation series in India. On debut he performed poorly. Struggling to control the ball he was taken apart by Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, conceding 56 in eight overs, and scoring only 2. His second game, against Pakistan, was more promising, bowling tidily until he ran into a withering display of strokeplay from the enigmatic Wasim Akram. He remained in the picture touring with the A team though his performances suggested he may lack the strength to specialise in either department at the highest level.
Johann P Jayasekera