By Susil Premalal 

Wickramashila National School, Giriulla Under-19 cricket team has emerged from obscurity to become one of the leading teams in of school cricket with some stunning performances in the 2022 Division III tournament. 

The school situated in the Kurunegala district has a 30-year-old cricket history but for the first time they achieved the distinction of being among the best eight in the Division III Under-19 competition by qualifying to the quarter-finals. 

Wickramashila NS succeeded in winning six out of the seven matches they played in the tournament conducted by the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA). 

In the preliminary round they defeated D.S. Senanayake MV, Uhumeeya by 48 runs, Sri Saranankara National School, Bingiriya by the 'Parabola' method, Saranath MV, Kuliyapitiya by 128-run, Royal College, Kurunduwatte by nine wickets, and A Rathnayake National School, Walala by six wickets. 

Wickramashila NS who lost only one match in the preliminary round to Pannala National School by fived wickets, defeated Sri Rahula National School, Alawwa by five wickets in the pre-quarter finals to book their berth in the last eight. 

Wickramashila NS was beaten in 235 in the quarter-final by Methodist CC, they were unfortunate not to qualify to the final round of the tournament. 

However, this is the first time Wickramashila NS has entered the quarter-finals of the Division III inter-school cricket tournament. 

The architect behind the success of Wickramashila NS in the Under-19 Division III tournament is their cricket coach Dinesh Chandrasiri fondly known as Manju. 

A Sri Lanka Cricket certified Level I coach, Chandrasiri coached D.S. Senanayake MV, Colombo and Trinity College junior teams.

When he was coach of Trinity in 2006 he produced many stars including future Sri Lanka wicket keeper batter Niroshan Dickwella. 

In addition, when Dinesh Chandrasiri served as head women's coach of MAS Slimline for three years from 2008 to 2010, they succeeded in winning the Singer trophy. 

A school with a student population of 3,000 and 150 teachers, Wickramashila NS only have a matting wicket for cricket training. The cricketers don't even have proper batting gloves and undergo much hardship during training but owing to the dedication of the school Principal Damayanthi Satharasinghe and Master in Charge Lal Jayasinghe, the boys have reached this level. 

SLSCA and Kurunegala District Cricket Association should look out for school cricket teams which continue to achieve results despite much hardship and help them continue their cricketing journey. 

"I could not achieve my target in 2022. We were very unlucky. However, my aim is for Wickramashila NS to win the division III title within the next two years," said Chandrasiri. 

Although he has been serving as a school cricket coach and leading cricket academy coach for several years, his job is being a cook of the Wickramashila NS hostel. 

Although he passed the G.C.E. (O/L) examination with four credits and six subjects, he could not qualify as a Sports Teacher in 2015 because he was overage by just six days. 

Photo: The Wickramashila Team - (L-R back-row) Dinesh Chandrasiri (Coach), Isuru Dilshan, Deshan Maduranga, Sithija Nimesh, Dulara Lahiru, Chamindu Bandara, Imesha Nilakshan, Damith Dilhan, Lal Jayasinghe (Master in charge), (L - R front row), Pasindu Dilshan, Sumal Sithanga, Senesh Mihiranga, Dasun Dilhan,Roshan Madushanka & Nirosha Praveen