Cricketers share experience

MADURA Weerasinghe has taken up his brother’s legacy to help Sri Lankan cricketers connect with local cricket teams.
Udara Weerasinghe played for Korumburra in 2012 and recommended other Sri Lankan players join the competition, including Madura.
Madura played with Leongatha Town for six years and organised several players to travel internationally to play for the team.
This season, he is playing four games for Wonthaggi Miners and has introduced Yashas Alwis and Dinesh Indika to the side.
“As all teams, we want to win this season, but I am also here to share my experience with the boys,” Madura said.
“I want to do for this club what I did for Town and organise players.”
He was also an agent for other Sri Lankan players who have joined local teams this year.
Madura said the Miners had been extremely responsive, and he was appreciative of its commitment to helping the boys with accommodation and payment.
Madura brings a wealth of experience for the Miners.
He has played in the Leongatha and District Cricket Association for eight years and was named in the Victorian Team of the Year for 2013.
He also played in Dandenong and in Perth.
Now a permanent resident in Darwin, he has played in Darwin’s premier cricket competition and was picked up for the NT Strike Team.
Madura said he had enjoyed working with the Miners so far and the aim was to get the A2 side in the top four for Christmas for a chance to contend in the finals series.
The Miners are sitting sixth at the moment, but percentage is all that is standing between fourth and sixth.
Yashas and Dinesh said they also looked forward to sharing their experience with Miners.
Yashas was named captain and coach for the Miners in A2. He has 16 years worth of experience and is now playing in his second season with the Leongatha and District Cricket Association, having played for Town last season.
“It can be a bit stressful (to take on a leadership role) but I am enjoying it,” Yashas said.
Yashas trains his team on Tuesday and Thursday nights, but is also available for players to arrange one on one coaching with him.
Dinesh also has 16 years of experience and is playing his first season in Australia this year.
Yashas described himself and Dinesh as “the branches” of Madura’s root initiative.
Madura said the indirect objective at Miners was to rebuild the team and attract future players to keep the club running strong.
“I would like to thank the club officials – the president (Matthew Donohue) and secretary (Brendon Thomas). They did a fantastic job with the paperwork and giving this opportunity to the boys. It was all done really well,” he said.
“We hope to bring this club to a higher level and help give direction for others.”

New players: from left, Dinesh Indika, Madura Weerasinghe and Yashas Alwis are donning the Wonthaggi Miners’ uniform this season.

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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Dec 18 2018. Filed under Sport. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry