SSC, club for all seasons

SSC’s youngsters delivered when the need arose

• Celebrates 125th anniversary with cricketing double

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

One of the most prestigious clubs in Sri Lanka is the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) which in their 125th anniversary, celebrated with a cricketing double by winning the Major Club Limited Over tournament beating Sebastianites in the final and becoming joint champions with Police SC in the Major Club 3-day League tournament. SSC would love to have won the three-day League title outright, if not for the bad weather that allowed barely a day’s play in the four-day final.

SSC has a unique record of winning the majority of titles in Sri Lanka’s domestic club cricket and has produced the largest number of players to the national cricket team as well as national captains, a feat which no other club in the country can boast of.

Why SSC is so unique and gained quite a reputation is because of the high standards the club has set itself for its members and the unique facilities that are available for any player who wants to make cricket a livelihood. In fact, playing for SSC is the next best way to represent the national team. Such is the status the club has built itself over the years.  

“SSC has always maintained the high standards of ethics and discipline, that’s the core factor. Something that we always do is educate the younger boys who join the club,” said SSC’s Cricket House Committee chairman and a member of the Executive Committee Samantha Dodanwela.

“We have a system where we look after all these players, we nurture and make sure they reach the top. There are 30 players in the pool although we can register only 25. The difference between SSC and other clubs is how we nurture these young boys and how we support them to build their cricketing careers.”

“We even have a dormitory equipped with food, TV and washing machine to house about 12-14 boys who come from the outstation. Although some clubs say that SSC won’t allow the boys to go and play elsewhere, these boys are happy to be with SSC because they get all the facilities they need.”

Dodanwela said that the club’s intention is not only winning championships but to also produce cricketers to go on and play for the country.

“The club would always like to see SSC winning championships. This was something that was discussed during the last few years where SSC could not win a championship because the club had produced so many cricketers to play for Sri Lanka that when the tournament is on, most of them are with the national, ‘A’ or Emerging teams. But this year the youngsters have performed exceptionally well.”

“The last three or four years we have brought in a lot of school leavers for example like Nuwanidu Fernando, Nipun Dananjaya, Shevon Daniel, Ranuda Somaratne, Sadeesha Rajapaksa, Kavindu Nadeeshan and Lakshitha Manasinghe. These boys have fitted into our system very well, that within a short period some of them have achieved the top position. Nuwanidu has played for Sri Lanka, he is 23. The best investment we did was with Shevon Daniel. He came to the club at 17 and at 19 represented Sri Lanka this year.”

“The other good thing is we play on good wickets. Most of the boys who join want to pursue a cricketing career. Cricket was once played for prestige, but it has now become a profession. All these boys are given contracts ranging from around Rs. 200,000 to Rs. 800,000 for the season. There is the player match fees, besides that, we also give a lot of incentives. You have to make them realise you have to earn whatever you do.”

“We won the two titles most of the time when the national players were not available. When the need arises the younger boys who are in the system come and deliver.”

Charith Asalanka was appointed captain for the season but due to national duty Nipun Dananjaya, the vice-captain led the side for most of the season. Dananjaya was unwell for the Limited-Over semi-finals and final and Avishka Fernando captained the team.

SSC is considered the Lords of Sri Lanka cricket because it houses the headquarters of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

“Coinciding with 125 years and winning a double championship is something very special. SSC are looking forward to celebrating it in a big way,” said Dodanwela.