Sri Lanka open cricket academy

The Max Cricket Academy of Sri Lanka, an institution designed to bridge the widening gulf between schools and professional cricket in Sri Lanka, was officially opened on Thursday.

The academy's first batch of cricketers, the majority of whom were selected after a all-island talent search, have already started a seven-month training programme at the academy headquarters at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

"The formation of an academy had been discussed by the Cricket Board for the last 20 years," said Hemaka Amarasuriya, the chairman of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL). "But due to various reasons it had got postponed. The academy became a necessity because Sri Lanka cricket today is facing a problem where there are no sufficient replacements for the national team."

The project is part funded by Sony Max Television, who had owed the BCCSL approximately US$1 million in development funds from a television contract that expired in late 2000. Sony Max pumped in US$500,000 for the academy and pledged the balance towards the development of a new media centre in Galle.

Owen Mottau, formerly coach of the Under 19 side and assistant batting coach for the national side, has been appointed head coach. He will be assisted by Ruwan Kalpage (fielding coach), Champaka Ramanayake (fast bowling coach), Hemantha Devapriya (batting and wicketkeeping coach), Oshadee Weerasinghe (spin bowling coach) and Lal Thamel (trainer/masseur).

The cricketers will be put through a seven-month training program from April to October, which will include training and development of scientific batting, bowling and fielding, mental skills, match preparation, planning, coping with pressure, making and reading wickets, captaincy and game strategy.

In addition to providing allround training in cricket, the academy will also aim at improving other areas in the player like language and communication skills, computer literacy, independent living (cooking, laundry etc), first aid, table manners and etiquette. The trainees will be given food and accommodation during their stint with the academy.

Academy Squad G Chandrakumar, ST de Silva, S Gallage, J Gunaratne, MS Jayaprakash, N Kulasekera, D Lokkuhettige, L Malinga, J Mendis, T Paranavitharne, R Peiris, D Perera, D Prasad, D Ranatunge, I Ratnayake, C Sylvester, A Wettasinghe, S Wijeratne, O Wijesiriwardene.