Kellepotha Makes History in Australia

By Harsha Amarasinghe   

 Ruwantha Kellepotha who was in the headlines recently having bagged a sensational deal at the Australian Big Bash League (BBL) through which joining an elite bunch of Sri Lankan players including Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardena, TM Dilshan, Muttiah Muralitharan, Lasith Malinga to have played in arguably one of the biggest T20 tournaments in the world.   

 The lanky leg spinner achieved an even bigger feat on Monday when he became the first Sri Lankan in 60 years to have played in the highest level of cricket in Australia when he made his debut for Victoria against Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield game at Junction Oval in Melbourne.   

 The 31-year-old former St. Thomas’ spinner became the first Sri Lankan to have played in Sheffield Shield since Gamini Goonesena who played for New South Wales in the 1960s having also represented Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) pre-Test era.   

 Kellepotha on his debut picked up the big wicket of Cameron Bancroft who had made a century for Western Australia. The former Moors and Police Sports Club spinner finished the Day one with figures of 1 for 78 in 21 overs.