Kumar Dharmasena felicitated by the ACUSL

Ranjan ANANDAPPA

Former Sri Lanka Test cricketer and Elite Panel umpire Kumar Dharmasena who was selected as the Best Cricket Umpire Of The Year by the ICC recently, was felicitated by the Association Of Cricket Umpires Sri Lanka at their 68th Annual General Meeting at the Thurstan College Auditorium recently.

Dharmasena, an employee of the Hatton National Bank took up umpiring mainly to give something back in return to the game hat he loved so much from his early school going days and in a fairly early stage in his career as an umpire has reached the pinnacle through his confidence playing the game at the highest level and being in the company of the best of players during his playing days. He once said that playing at the highest level and umpiring are two difficult aspects of the game but rated umpiring as a much more difficult jog than playing.

He was a member of the 1996 World Cup-winning team under Arjuna Ranatunga Players of the calibre of Australian Ricky Ponting and India's Sachin Tendulkar who are still actively playing the game are his contemporaries.

Dharmasena addressing the gathering at the AGM said that he had the highest regard for the umpires during his school,club ,international and Test career and he is still not hesitant to address a senior umpire by calling him ‘sir'.

Respecting the superiors that is something in our Sri Lankan culture and the umpires are the people who control the game. He concluded saying to shelve all petty differences between the umpires and rally round for the betterment of the game.

The President of the ACUSL Nihal Pathirage who was elected uncontested for the second time said that many Sri Lankans are riding high in the ICC list by winning awards.

Ranjan Madugalle the former Sri Lankan captain and the elegant batsman has been the ICC Chief Match referee .. Roshan Mahanama, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene have made their mark too.

The Association Of Cricket Umpires

office bearers for 2012/13’

President. Nihal Pathirage (Re-elected)

Vice Presidents- A.R .M. Aroos, Shirosha Gunatileka, Vidura Prasad, R.H.S.K.Perera , U.G.Saman, Sumith Prasanna.

Treasurer- Vajira Surasinghe. Assistant Treasurer. Prasad Amarasuriya. Secretary. Kapila Jayalath. Assistant

Secretary. J.A.K.Indrajith. Assignment Secretary. Saman Hewavitharana. Assistant Assignment Secretary. Sunil Chandrasiri.

Executive Committee. Rusiru de Silva, Sujith Chandana, Ranganath Prasanna, Palitha Kulatunga, Brian

Wimalasena, Deepal Surasinghe, P.M. Dissanayake, K.A.D.Wimalasena, Sisira Prabodha, Upul Wewage, Nihal Fernando.