Above: The Young Cricketers Development and International Experience Program touring party in Malaysia last month.By Paul Pickering
A LOCALLY-BASED cricket development program continues to gain notoriety in Sri Lanka.
The Young Cricketers Development and International Experience Program sent an under-17 touring party – comprising mainly Dandenong and District Cricket Association juniors – to Sri Lanka and Malaysia last month, returning with more than a few memories.
The 11-player squad – including local players Kevin Tissera (Dandenong/Springvale South), Ashan Anthony (St Mary’s) and Shannon Marrell (Springvale South) – performed brilliantly in winning four of its six games on foreign soil.
One of those wins came at Test venue Asgriya International Stadium in Kandy, where the boys upset local school Trinity College, which famously nurtured current Sri Lankan Test captain Kumar Sangakkara.
That victory was an obvious topic of conversation – and some light-hearted bragging – when the group later met the Sri Lankan skipper, who took time out from training to chat with the Aussies.
The boys also spoke in length with former Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman and now assistant coach Romesh Kulawitharana, who gave them an insight on the differences between master spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne.
Sri Lankan cricket officials were suitably impressed by the skill and conduct displayed by the Victorian touring party and extended an invitation for the program to send an under-14 group to the sub-continent later this year.
Program organisers are now recruiting players to participate in the Nelson Mendis Challenge Trophy, an invitational tournament that will bring sides from 12 countries to Colombo this December.
Any youngsters interested in joining the 10-21 December tour should call either team manager Peter Mathison on 0437 981 782 or game development manager Vernon Tissera on 0403 298 626 for further details.
