Sri Lanka Baseball under 18 team to take part in 12th BFA Championships in Japan

By Susil Premalal

The championships will take place from September 3 to 9 in Mivazaki. Eight Asian Countries are taking part in the event. They are: Sri Lanka (Group A ). The other countries in this group are: Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong.

Group ‘B’ will consist of Chinese Taipei, China, Indonesia and Pakistan.

In the preliminary rounds Sri Lanka will take part in three matches. The first match will be on September 3 against South Korea, September 4 Sri Lanka vs Japan, On September 5 Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong.

The Super Eight Round will commence on September 7 and 8, The final round will be on September 9.

The Sri Lanka team will be captained by Charith Karunaratne of Nalanda College. His deputy will be Dilshan Lahiru Jayasinghe of Wewalawewa MV, Dambulla.

The Sri Lanka Amateur Baseball and Softball Association received the invitation to take part in the tournament and the team was selected by the Sri Lanka Amateur Baseball Schools Association.

The captain of the team is Charith Karunaratne who is also a member of the Sri Lanka Baseball team currently in Jakarta, Indonesia taking in the Asian Games Baseball Tournament.

Over Sri Lanka Rupees 2.5 million is the estimated cost of sending the team for air-tickets and accommodation, said the Secretary Rajith Ratnayake and they are currently seeking the funds to send the team.

The Under 18 Sri Lanka Schools Baseball team – Charith Karunaratne (Capt -  Nalanda College, Colombo), Dilshan Jayasinghe (Vice Captain – Wewalawewa MV, Dambulla), Chantha Mithushan (National School, Medirigiriya), Janith Buddhika ) DS Senenayake College, Colombo), Promod Wasala (Nalanda College, Colombo), Sihanath Tharupathi (Bandaranaike National School, Veyangoda), Lakshan Indrachapa Herath (Dharmaraja College, Kandy), Lakshitha Herath (Nalanda College Colombo), Chanuka Maduwantha (Wewalawewa MV, Dambulla), Dinith Kumara (Nalanda College Colombo),  Lahiru Prasad (Wewalawewa MV), Theekshana Puwakgolla (Dharmaraja College, Kandy), Chamod Wanigabahu (DS Senenayake College Colombo), Dilip Seneviratne (Wewalawewa MV, Dambulla), Dinith Kaveesha (Royal College Colombo), Wathslya Gamage  (Royal College Colombo), Pinimal Lakshan (Royal College Colombo) and Chaturanga Dilshan (Royal College, Colombo).

Officials -  Bandara Unantenne (Manager), Malindu Hewage (Head Coach), Amila Pathiraja (Coach), Ajith Indika (Trainer), Tharanga Vithanage (Umpire).