Malcolm Perera resigns as Manager of Coaching of SLC
S M Jiffrey ABDEEN Kandy Sports Corr.
Malcolm Perera
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Malcolm Perera one of the most senior cricket coaches in the island
has relinquished duties as the Manager of Coaching at Sri Lanka Cricket
after serving cricket with the governing body for over 15 years.
Malcolm Perera started his cricket career at St Sylvesters College,
Kandy, as an opening batsman in the late sixties and had grace and style
in his batting whilst scoring consistently. He also played hockey for
his school and later for the Kandy District.
His first cricket coaching assignment was at St Sylvesters College
and changed the complexion of the game in that school. The school
progressed at cricket under his stewardship and their performances
helped them in a big way to get fixtures from bigger schools like St
Sebastian's College, St Peters' College for example, a change from
playing lesser known schools. He was the cricket coach of Ishak
Sahabdeen who later became the first double international from St
Sylvester's College having represented the country at cricket and
hockey.
His talents as a cricket coach was spotted by no less than the
Australian cricket coaches Lee Lenham and Peter Philpott who in separate
coaching assignments in Sri Lanka found Malcolm Perera a fine coach who
could identify talents and sharpen their skills and could influence and
motivate anyone to give out his best. He also topped the marks in the
coaches examination.
From St Sylvesters College he moved over to Kingswood College, a
school which was faring very poorly at school cricket at that time.
The previous season they had the dismal record of recording seven
outright defeats. But with his coaching skills, he was able to stop this
rot and they were able to hold their own against any strong opposition
thus giving a new dimension to cricket at Kingswood.
He was at this time employed at the Physical Education Department of
University of Peradeniya. An advertisement in the local press for the
post of Director Coaching at the then Board of Control for Cricket in
Sri Lanka appeared.
Though one of the requirements was that the applicant should have
played cricket at national level, which he did not possess but he still
applied in a 'hit or miss' attempt. If he was not selected he had
nothing to lose but he was confident that he could get over this
problems with his other coaching qualification and persuasive ways.
Though many national cricketers applied to this post but Malcolm Perera
forged above them and was appointed to the post.
What was most important was not the level of cricket you had played
but your coaching skills and proven track record. Having held the post
of Director Coaching of Sri Lanka Cricket for nearly 10 years, he went
over to Bangladesh to assume duties as the Junior National Cricket coach
where he once again stamped his class.
Some of his products like Tamim Iqbal, Kaushik Mortasa, Mohamed
Ashraful, Naim Islam, Javid Islam, Hafeez Iqbal, have made it to the
Bangladesh National cricket team. He also had a coaching stint at
Malaysia at national level.
On his return to the country, he was appointed Manager Coaching at
Sri Lanka Cricket and also later to the Cricket Development section as
well, where he contributed immensely for the development of cricket
especially in the provinces. No coach in Kandy could match his record.
He has also coached and captained Kandy Cricket Club and Kandy Youths
cricket club at Sara Trophy cricket before the days of the Premier
League.
His return to Kandy will benefit cricket in the hill capital in a big
way when he resumes his coaching of the cricketers from the kiddies
level. |