NSL 4-day opens door for youngsters to perform

Kandy head coach Malinda Warnapura

Galle head coach Ruwan Kalpage

Dambulla assistant head coach Upul Chandana

Jaffna assistant head coach Dhammika Sudarshana

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

The National Super League four-day continues on its second week with many of the national cricketers, some of whom are overseas playing franchise cricket and the others withdrawn from the tournament to face the touring England Lions side.

Nevertheless, despite the teams being weakened by the circumstances the coaches of the respective sides are happy that at least it is giving those who have performed well at domestic major league level the opportunity to showcase their talent at a slightly higher level in the NSL.

Defending champions Kandy who recorded a facile innings win over Colombo are minus seven players Lasith Croospulle, Oshada Fernando, Sahan Arachchige, Lahiru Udara, Lasith Embuldeniya, Amshi de Silva, and Nimsara Atharagalla for today’s clash with Galle at the P. Sara Oval.

“Definitely we will miss some experience, but at the same time this is a great opportunity for the youngsters to come in and show their talent,” said Kandy head coach Malinda Warnapura. “In a way we will miss experience for the competition, but I am sure the NSL is purely for looking at new players who have done well in the domestic.”

“As for winning the tournament, the missing players will definitely have an impact but at the end of the day we are all working for Sri Lanka cricket and more than wanting to win the tournament, all want to see some new players come in.”

Warnapura said that it was a fine team effort that brought them the win. “We had two good fast bowlers Amshi and Nimasara and it was good to see Lasith Embuldeniya back in form with his confidence level high.

“From the practice session till the end of the third day’s play he really made an impact in the team, and he really made all the other guys work hard. When he came to play for Kandy this year, he was a different character. He has improved better than what he was, something really different.”

Embuldeniya took five wickets in each innings for a match bag of ten wickets to bowl Kandy to victory inside three days against Colombo.

Galle Head Coach Ruwan Kalpage speaking on similar lines said: “Definitely there will be changes to the team but, I am not going to mourn about the players whom we will miss. It’s good luck to them to play at a higher level.

“At the same time, it affords the new players to come in and creates opportunities for them to perform in the NSL and puts pressure on the senior players who are playing in the national and ‘A’ teams. I believe they have done really well domestically and they are getting another opportunity. If the top players were available, they wouldn’t have got this chance.”

Galle beat Dambulla by an innings and speaking of the win Kalpage said, “Overall our side is well balanced and I was pleased with their performance. A bit disappointed that no one could get a hundred and bat for long. Other than that, as a team they gave their best. We had a plan and we stuck to it and we did well.” Galle are without Dunith Wellalage, Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Milan Ratnayake.

Last year’s losing finalist Jaffna who are coming out for the first time will take on Dambulla at the SSC grounds. Jaffna are without ten of their regular players some of whom are overseas and the others called up for national duty against England Lions.

“We are below strength but there are some young players who should step in. It’s a challenge playing without ten regular players,” said Jaffna’s assistant head coach Dhammika Sudarshana, who expects Dambulla to come out with all guns blazing after their innings loss to Galle. Lahiru Madushanka is leading Jaffna in the absence of captain Dhananjaya de Silva and vice-captain Sadeera Samarawickrama.

Dambulla’s assistant head coach Upul Chandana blamed their defeat on bad batting. “We have a good set of players but they didn’t bat well in both innings. These players score heavily in the Major League but when they come here they cannot score.

“That alone shows the quality of cricket played at club level.  The batsmen don’t get as many loose balls as they do in club cricket and the lack of patience brings about their downfall. This tournament affords players the opportunity to play at a higher level and they must take the chance offered to them.”

Apart from Kamindu Mendis and Wanindu Hasaranga, Dambulla will be at full strength. Chandana expects a big improvement in the batting with acting captain Minod Bhanuka and Ashan Priyanjan leading the way.