Tharaka leads Sri Sumangala

Dilwin Mendis - Moratuwa Sports Correspondent

A fifth year coloursman and allrounder Tharaka Nadeesha Premachandra is the captain of Sri Sumangala College, Panadura. He is a right hand batsman and a right arm pace bowler who opens the attack.

He commenced his cricket career in the under 13 age group and his first year he scored a century against St Thomas’ College, Mt Lavinia and his second year he notched up another century versus Isipathana Vidyalaya.

In the under 15 age group in his first year he scored Centuries against Mahinda and Isipathana and in his second year as captain he made two centuries versus Mahinda and Tissa Vidyalaya, Kalutara.

Then he went on to represent in the under 17 age group and in his first year he scored a century against Asoka and in the second year he scored 160 versus Mahanama and 120 against Tissa Central.

He captained the under 13 and 15 Kalutara District Teams which participated in the inter-Provincial Tournament.

When he was playing for the under 15 team he was selected to the first eleven team and representing the first eleven team since 2009 and played in the Big Matches in 2010, 2011 and 2012 and this is his fourth year.

Last year he played for the Panadura Sports Club in the under 23 cricket tournament conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket and passed the 300 marks.

In 2011/2012 cricket season he passed the 600 mark and took forty wickets. In this year he has fifty wickets and 600 runs under his belt in fifteen matches. His highest score was 95 not out against Revatha College and the best bowling analysis is 6 for 53 versus Gurukula.

Since under 13 his coaches were Rohan Soysa, G Ranasinghe, Kelum Rathnaweera, Thilak Fernando, Crishantha Silva, Sisira Handunge, Ushantha Gunarathne and Jayathu Nilaweera. He said he is grateful to his coaches, parents, the principal L W Somathilake and the teachers.