Sri Lanka deaf cricket team emerged runner-up in the 3rd Asia Deaf Cricket Tournament worked off from March 13 to 19 at the Lal Bahadur Stadium in Hydrabad, India. Sri Lanka performed well to qualify for the final to meet strong India, but had to be satisfied with second place, losing the final by 156 runs.
Lankan captain T. S. Jayasinghe won the toss and invited India to bat first. India piled up a mammoth 391/7 with openers Vipul Patel (139 including 15 fours, 3 sixes) and Vinay Sanap (60 with nine fours and two sixes) laying a solid foundation. Udaya Lakmal bowled best for Sri Lanka and captured 4/77. Chasing a seemingly impossible 392 target the Lankans were skittled out for 238 runs in 48.3 overs. Captain Jayasinghe top scored with 56 (4 fours) while D. Sachin (34 n.o. including 4 fours) was the only batsman to impress.
Sijit and Vinay did the main damage to Lankan batting bagging three-wicket hauls.
Teams from India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh participated in the tournament which was worked off on a league basis.
Jayalath Aponso, the head coach of the Sri Lanka deaf cricket team stated, “Our deaf boys did well however I would have loved a better fight. We failed in our fielding dropping four catches. I think this was the turning point of the game. I have been working with the deaf since 1995 and my dream is to see our deaf cricket team bring glory to Sri Lanka soon. SLC has backed us with support and we are very grateful to them."
The Sri Lanka Deaf Cricket Association (SLDCA) was founded in 1995, to uplift the game of leather ball cricket in Sri Lanka by active parents of deaf children. The association’s primary objective is to encourage deaf cricketers to play leather ball cricket and be able to play and compete in domestic and international tournaments.
The SLDCA’s efforts have borne fruit since year 2000 as its players commenced playing Division III tournaments conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket. This exposure has enhanced the morale, commitment and enthusiasm of deaf cricketers from all parts of Sri Lanka.
The SLDCA is affiliated to the Deaf International Cricket Council (DICC) headquartered in Pakistan and the National Federation of Sports for the Disabled in Sri Lanka.
The runner-up Sri Lankan deaf cricket team comprised Tharaka Sampath Jayasinghe (Captain), Lakshan Fernando (V. Captain), Sumudu Lanka, Tharindra Deepika Wimalaweera, Goyum Shanaka Walgama (Wicketkeeper), Nalin Sameera, Asanka Manjula, Udaya Lakmal, Priyankara Madushanka, Kumarasamy Thirukumaran, Alenross Kalep, N P G Ushan Lakshitha, G A Nuwan Hasaranga, A P Dinuka Sachin, Anton Jayasegaram, Antony Norman.
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