SLC contract women Cricketers | Sri Lanka Cricket

The interim committee of Sri Lanka Cricket under the leadership of former Test player D.S. De Silva has offered player contracts to twenty five women cricketers. This is the first time in the history of Sri Lanka Cricket, official contracts have been offered to women. Women’s Cricket in Sri Lanka’s dates back to the early fifties however premier cricket clubs such as the NCC and Colts CC were pioneers who encouraged women’s cricket. The game became very popular among the ladies after Sri Lanka’s world cup win in 1996. Many clubs and Mercantile firms also played a big part in popularizing the game. The women’s cricketers association headed by Mrs. Gwen Herath and her committee worked tirelessly in the early stages to help and encourage the players. The players have competed against competitive teams such as the West Indies, Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and the Netherlands.

The current administration must be commended for setting up a special department to handle women’s cricket at SLC Under the guidance of the coaching department a qualified coach namely Harsha de Silva was recruited. Today SLC has conducted competitive domestic tournaments to raise the standards. Sri Lanka Cricket also organized a soft ball tournament at district level with an objective of identifying young hopefuls for the future.

At the last world cup the ladies were impressive, however with professional guidance women’s cricket in Sri Lanka will be a force to reckon with.

Official contracts were handed over to the players during the provincial T20 finals at the Moratuwa stadium last Sunday. Secretary to the Sports Ministry S. Liyanagama and Hony Secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket Mr. Nishantha Ranatunga officiated at the simple ceremony which was telecast live on the National Television Channel.

Women’s Contracted players profile
	Name: Chamani Senevirate -Captain Age: 31 Years/All rounder Batting: Right Hand Bat- All Rounder Bowling: Right Arm off Break
	Name: Ama Kanchana Age: 18 Years Batting: Right Hand Bat Bowling: Right Arm Medium Fast
	Name: chamari Athapaththa Age: 20 Years Batting: Left Hand Bat Bowling: Right Arm Medium Fast
	Name: Chamari Polgampala Age: 29 Years/All rounder Batting: Left Hand Bat Bowling: Right Arm Medium
	Name: Chandi Wickramasinghe Age: 27 Years Batting: Right hand Bat Bowling: Right Arm Medium Fast
	Name: Chaturani Gunawardena Age: 19 Years Batting: Left Hand Bat Bowling: Right Arm Medium
	Name: Dedunu De Silva Age: 32 Years Batting: Right Hand Bat
	Name: Deepika Rasangika Age: 27 Years/All rounder Batting: Left Hand Bat Bowling : Right Arm Leg Break
	Name: Dilani Manodara Age: 27 Years Batting: Right Hand Bat Wicket Keeper-Vice Captain
	Name: Eshani Lokusuriya Age: 26 Years / All rounder Batting: Right Hand Bat Bowling: Right Arm medium Fast
	Name: Gayathri Kariyawasam Age: 33 Years Batting: Right Hand Bat Bowling : Right Arm Fast
	Name: Hiruka Fernando Age: 33 Years/All Rounder Batting: Left Hand Bat Bowling: Left Arm Orthodox
	Name: Inoka Galagedara Age: 32 Years Batting: Right Hand Bat Bowling: Right Arm Leg Break
	Name: Lasanthi Madushani Age: 22 Years Batting: Right Hand Bat Bowling: Right Arm Medium Fast
	Name: Prasadini Weerakoddi Age: 21 Years Batting: Left Hand Bat/ Wicket Keeper
	Name: Rangika Fernando Age: 21 Years Batting: Right Hand Bat Bowling: Right Arm Off Break
	Name: Rose Fernando Age: 30 Years Batting: Right Hand Bat Bowling: Right Arm off Break
	Name: Ruchini Samarasinghe Age: 18 years Batting: Left hand bat Bowling: Right Arm Slow Medium
	Name: Saduni Abeywickrama Age: 27 Years / all Rounder Batting: Right Hand Bat Bowling: Right Arm off Break
	Name: Sandamali Dolawatte Age: 27 years/All Rounder Batting: Right Hand Bat Bowling: Right Arm Leg Break
	Name: Shashikala Siriwardena Age: 25 Years/All Rounder Batting: Right Hand Bat Bowling: Right Arm off Break
	Name: Sripali Weerakkodi Age: 24 Years Batting: Left Hand Bat Bowling: Right Arm Medium Fast
	Name: Sumudu Fernando Age: 28 Years Batting: Right Hand Bat
	Name: Suvini De Alwis Age: 35 Years/All rounder Batting: Left Hand Bat Bowling: Left Arm Orthodox
	Name: Udeshika Prabodani Age: 24 Years Batting: Right Hand Bat Bowling: Left Arm Medium

Rizna

What’s the point in contracting if players are not given an opportunity when they are performing.

Most recent example is Jeevantha Kulatunga , the SLC contracted T20 specalist (ironically) who seems not getting a chance to be at T20 WC squad even this time, despite his outsatnding performance in all forms the game, among the contracted T20 Specialist group and even above all the SL National Team players.

His age, which they often put forward to axe him, a common occurence even from his twenties, and which often comes forward as a disqualification during only in international tournaments when he appears to be a strong contender for them, can not be the reason. Because his age would not be a problem for T20 WC since he scored top to be the player of T20 tourney only last week and there would not be much of difference in age by the time of the WC , scheduled to be held in next month.

There is a trophy to win in World Cup. It is not a platform and it would prove costly, to send a less performing player and test his performance, because he is younger than Jeevantha. If moulding is the objective, the young could be trained at less important international tournaments and the young has all the years ahead of him. The current inform is an important factor for winning the cup.

If age is a disqualification, I am sure the SLC would strip Kulatunga of all his recent T20 achivements because he achieved all that while still in that age.

Man of the Prov t20 final in 2008, Jeevantha had bee given very limited offers in T20 which were very difficult even for the seasoned players. His T20I debut tourney in Canada last year, even Jayasuriya had very low figures till the fourth match and top guns of Mahela, Dilshan etc were also out for less than 10 runs in some matches , due as some say wet conditions in Canada. Mahela was out for zero and Dilshan was out for 2 in their T20I debuts , to name a few. Dilshan was out for zero in the Sl T20 Prov semi fimal and he is yet to come out of it as is seen by the 2 IPL matches he has faced so far where he was out for zeros. Also in comparison, in the Champeans league in 2009, Dilshan; the only SL player outside Wayamba, scored a total of 49 nine runs facing 4 matches and was in the 49th place among the top scorers , compared to Kulatunga’s total of 51 facing only 2 matches to be at the 44th place. Cricket is like that , in form and out of form. But certain out of form players are getting repeated chances. So there is nothing wrong in giving Jeevantha a few opprtunities. T20 WC is the ideal platform.