By Srian Obeyesekere
The Sri Lanka Women’s cricketers dethroning of defending champions India to crowning themselves Asian Champions has been a huge multi-faceted success story of the country’s women’s cricket.
For one, bringing down the long time dominant force in the Asian region was a massive victory for the Lankans. India had been on a virtual surge subduing the rest of their opponents in that long reign as Asian champions. That a Lankan team that had hit a groove of solidness from low depths in not so many years from a history of a virtual underdeveloped quarter for want of latent talent where early years had not found a desired participant interest at school level by itself was a tribulation. Indeed, Lankan women’s cricket had been a bits and pieces story of finding the desired fruition to brushing shoulders with the giant world of women’s cricket dominated by such countries like Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and India.
The backdrop scenario was daunting to the local cricket authorities – Sri Lanka Cricket to putting women’s cricket on a firm footing. If lack of talent was a major obstacle, having the same old brooms sweeping did not help. The same old order was a negating factor, a negative factor identified by the authorities to forging a fine combing talent hunt from the grass roots with new incentives and expertise in place with accent of promoting the game at the school periphery. The gradual evolvement from such a drive did see a progressive shake-up of old brooms giving way to some potential young talent that started walking into the national mainstream. Harshitha Madavi Samarawickrama has been the best example of the discovery of new blood that has given succor to women’s cricket in the land.
The gradual development has come following a phase of changing batons of the caching set up with former Sri Lankan star pace bowler, Rumesh Ratnayake taking over the coaching reigns. His arrival has by and large proved to be the driving fusion to putting steel around a pack mounted by a virtual lone performer in skipper Chamari Athapaththu known to have battled Sri Lanka into recognition against all the odds of being recognized for her lone showmanship that started with a rollicking ton against Australia in a world cup.
That one-show upping has certainly fallen into one basket woven around a potentially strong eleven that has evolved with one for each raising their hands in a victory unison that has brought down heavyweights such as England, South Africa, New Zealand and Ireland with India now in their bag.
Dethroning India signals arrival of SL Women’s Cricket
By Srian Obeyesekere
The Sri Lanka Women’s cricketers dethroning of defending champions India to crowning themselves Asian Champions has been a huge multi-faceted success story of the country’s women’s cricket.
For one, bringing down the long time dominant force in the Asian region was a massive victory for the Lankans. India had been on a virtual surge subduing the rest of their opponents in that long reign as Asian champions. That a Lankan team that had hit a groove of solidness from low depths in not so many years from a history of a virtual underdeveloped quarter for want of latent talent where early years had not found a desired participant interest at school level by itself was a tribulation. Indeed, Lankan women’s cricket had been a bits and pieces story of finding the desired fruition to brushing shoulders with the giant world of women’s cricket dominated by such countries like Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and India.
The backdrop scenario was daunting to the local cricket authorities – Sri Lanka Cricket to putting women’s cricket on a firm footing. If lack of talent was a major obstacle, having the same old brooms sweeping did not help. The same old order was a negating factor, a negative factor identified by the authorities to forging a fine combing talent hunt from the grass roots with new incentives and expertise in place with accent of promoting the game at the school periphery. The gradual evolvement from such a drive did see a progressive shake-up of old brooms giving way to some potential young talent that started walking into the national mainstream. Harshitha Madavi Samarawickrama has been the best example of the discovery of new blood that has given succor to women’s cricket in the land.
The gradual development has come following a phase of changing batons of the caching set up with former Sri Lankan star pace bowler, Rumesh Ratnayake taking over the coaching reigns. His arrival has by and large proved to be the driving fusion to putting steel around a pack mounted by a virtual lone performer in skipper Chamari Athapaththu known to have battled Sri Lanka into recognition against all the odds of being recognized for her lone showmanship that started with a rollicking ton against Australia in a world cup.
That one-show upping has certainly fallen into one basket woven around a potentially strong eleven that has evolved with one for each raising their hands in a victory unison that has brought down heavyweights such as England, South Africa, New Zealand and Ireland with India now in their bag.
