It has been an exceptionally successful season for Kalana Perera from the school by the sea. From the big match winning vice-captain, the best bowler at the Observer- Mobitel School cricketer awards for Division-1, he went on to be a member of the winners in the one-day tournament. The habit of winning awards will only intensify his dream and desire of playing for the national side which will only come through hard work.
In Perera’s profile, all that glitters seems to be gold. Along with the rich rewards he has reaped the cream on the cake is his fixture, in the U-19 and emerging squads. The tall left-armer is now making a case for the Sri Lanka ‘A’ team and in due course that box too, will be ticked.
Speaking with the Youth Observer, he is a calm Kalana. But on the field, his bowling is filled with aggression and appetite for wickets.
“I’m so happy, that I got this award. It’s all due to my hard work. I never expected this. It is really hard for a fast bowler to become the best bowler. It is a dream come true, I’m really thrilled, It means a lot to me,” he said, immediately after bagging the Best Bowler’s Award.
“That is how I give back to my College. Because, being the best bowler is not that easy because this award usually goes to a spinner. Now, it has gone to a fast bowler and i am really lucky to have it. Since, I played with my team I feel my players and coach rendered much support. This is not just an individual award for me, this is a team award as well,” he explained.
Perera is proud that being a seamer he has broken the trend of spinners clinching it always. “I just wanted to prove that fast bowlers also take wickets. Though, we (quicks) have instructions to bowl only seven-overs and stop, spinners get to bowl none stop from any other end. With these limitations, to break records is not impossible. I’m really happy to do everything, in one season.”
“Both are heavy, but my effort and the team’s support are heavier,” Perera disclosed with a small smile.
The left-arm lad, with humility and gratitude remembers and credits his coaches, Dinesh Kumarasinghe, in particular. “Credit goes to my coaches, because they have been training me. They have managed me,” quipped Kalana.
“My next move will be to be in the national team. But before that I want to represent my school and get the colours. Now, all I want is to represent my country and somehow want to be a world cup winning player,” shared Perera, in his last year, as a teen.
Swiftly and steadily, in the transition from a schoolboy cricketer to donning national colours, he says school level is really different compared to the national level. Looking ahead, he thinks he has to work on his bowling, during the process of going from good to great.