Sri Lanka: Stars of tomorrow in action (27 November 1998)

27 November 1998

Sri Lanka: Stars of tomorrow in action

By Sa'adi Thawfeeq

The best of under-23 talent will be on view at the SSC grounds for the next three days from today, when SSC take on CCC in the division I youth final.

More than the prize money of Rs. 100,000 for the winners and Rs. 75,000 to the runner-up, much attention will be focused on the individual performances of the players, many of whom will be the stars of tomorrow.

Both teams have an abundance of talent, with SSC having an edge over CCC mainly due to the experience they have. In skipper Mahela Jayawardene, Suresh Perera, Avishka Gunawardana and Tilan Samaraweera, SSC have players who have represented the country at Test and one-day international levels.

SSC would have been still more stronger had Nuwan Zoysa also played. Zoysa, has recovered from a side strain suffered in Sharjah, but has been advised to skip the game, because he is not match fit. His absence would be some relief for CCC, who however will have to contend with the pace of Suresh Perera and Ruchira Perera.

A third seamer, Dilhara Fernando may also join the attack depending on the state of the pitch. Otherwise, SSC will opt for the right-arm leg-spin of Sanjeeva Peiris to support the off-spin of Samaraweera.

Getting through the SSC top order will be the priority of the CCC bowlers. Jayewardene, Gunawardana, Shantha Kalavitigoda and Upekha Fernando are all capable of big scores. Only last week Jayewardene and Kalavitigoda scored a double century apiece and shared in a massive third wicket partnership of 405 in their semi-final game against Colts.

"We have only to take a couple of key wickets and we are in the game," said former CCC stalwart Shammi Silva exuding confidence in his team. he said the wickets of Jayewardene, Gunawardana and Samaraweera were important.

"We are very positive and we are going for a victory. The outright win over NCC has given the team a big boost," Silva said.

Former Sri Lanka captain and SSC's head coach Anura Tennekoon was a bit cautious with his words.

"The team has been improving all the time. All I can say is that we are looking forward to a good final," he said.

CCC will depend once again on their fast bowlers Indika Gallage and Hemantha Boteju and spinners Arshad Junaid and Nalliah Rajan to restrict the strong SSC batting to within reasonable limits. Boteju took a match bag of nine wickets with the support of Gallage in the semi-final against NCC which CCC won by eight wickets last week.

CCC's top order led by Bradman Ediriweera will face a testing time against SSC's varied attack, and if they come through it successfully, the title could be theirs.

SSC (from): Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Avishka Gunawardana, Shantha Kalavitigoda, Upekha Fernando, Tilan Samaraweera, Mahesh Dissanayake, Suresh Perera, Wesley Fernando, Ruchira Perera, Dilhara Fernando, Sanjeeva Peiris, R. Suresh Chandra, Tilina Imbuldeniya, Darshana Gamage.

CCC (from): Bradman Ediriweera (captain), Damith Hunukumbura, Anushka Polonowita, Roshan Wimalasiri, Hemantha Boteju, Bathiya Karunaratne, Romesh Fernando, Nalliah Rajan, Indika Gallage, Arshad Junaid, Nishantha Rupasinghe, Hemantha Alles, Janaka Siriwardene.

Umpires: B.C. Cooray and W.A.U. Wickremasinghe.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)