Bentota Guruge Don Dunith Limhan Jayathunga joined the select band of school cricketers from his alma mater St Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa to score 1000 runs twice in successive years.
A second year player, right hand bat, right arm leg spinner and occasional wicket keeper of St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa, Dunith scored 1104 runs in 16 matches including two centuries and nine fifties with a highest score of 156 against St. Aloysius in the recently concluded inter school under 19 division one cricket season. Last season he scored 1127 runs.
Susil Fernando (1974/75), Suranga de Silva (1999/2000) and Oshada Fernando (2010/11) were the other Sebastianite cricketers to achieve this feat.
Dunith played for Sebs last year under Nuvanidu Fernando and this year his skipper was Janishka Perera.
He commenced his cricket career for Kalutara Vidyalaya in 2011 in the under 13 division one team and captained in 2013. The same year he notched up a century against Zahira College, Colombo. Representing the Fingara Cricket Club he helped them win the Nelson Mendis Trophy in the under 14 format. He played for the under 15 team in 2014 and 2015 and led the team. The same year he played for the Prima Cup representing Western Province South Outer. Noticing his talents Niroshan Bandaratillake advised him to take up to wicket-keeping.
As an under 15 player he played in the Big Match “Battle of the Mangoosteens” against arch rivals Tissa Central in 2015. He also played in 2016 and 2017 when he was the vice captain. He played for the under 17 team in 2016 and 2017 and he was awarded the Most Valuable Player for passing the 500-run mark with three centuries. His coaches at Vidyalaya were Sunil Saluwadana and Rumesh Rangana.
When he got through the G.C.E. Ordinary Level Examination the then Principal Sarathchandra de Silva encouraged him to join a school where there were facilities. The former Rector of St. Sebastian’s College Reverend Father Ranjith Andradi took him to his school and in his first year he was a unanimous choice for the Sebs under 17 team. That year he scored 695 runs including two centuries and four fifties and Sebs was the runner up of the tournament. The following year he was selected to the first eleven team and passed the 1000-run mark and played in the Big Match against Cambrians. After a very successful season this year with 1104 runs under his belt he was unlucky to play in the Big Match against Cambrians as the corona virus has brought school cricket to a halt. If he had done so he would have played in five Big Matches in a row.
Dunith’s coaches at St. Sebastianites are Imal Boteju and his assistant Samith Fernando. He was very well supported by the Rector of the school Rev. Fr. Anton Ranjith, Prefect of Games Rev. Fr. Indunil Sampath and his assistant Rev. Fr. Samesh Anthony and Master in Charge evergreen Frank Cooray. The Sebs past Cricketers Association was a tower of strength to him and in addition Dr. Sunil Jeybalanage, Arosha Dias and Priyantha Sisira Kumara of Nawaloka Construction too helped him in numerous ways.
Dunith was selected for the Kandy Team as an opening bat and glovesman and later he played for Ragama CC in the division one tournament. He played for Moratuwa Sports Club in P. Sara Trophy in 2020 and scored a century and he also he played in the Premier Tournament for Baduraliya. He commenced his education at Kalutara Vidyalaya.
0 comments:
Post a Comment