Carlton Bernadus – an excellent cricketer and coach-by Upananda Jayasundera

Carlton Bernadus

Carlton Bernadus, Head Coach of SSC School of Cricket from 2013 to date is an old boy of St.Joseph’s College,Colombo who is a versatile cricketer and coach who was guided during his school days by Fairlie Dalpathado who represented SSC and Ceylon team As a cricketer , when he represented his Alma Mater Carlton scored twin unbeaten half centuries in the ‘Big Match’ against St.Peters’ College,Colombo in the year 1976. He coached the Under 15 and Under 17 teams of his School, which emerged All Island Champions for two years.

Carlton’s highest score in the Premier League is an unbeaten knock of 133 against Police SC. He was also a brilliant close-in fielder who was selected as the Best Fielder among Sri Lanka Schools in the year 1976 and also at the Single Wicket Cricket tournament organized by the Sri Lanka Cricket Board

After leaving School he represented Colts Cricket Club and later became the Captain of the Colts Cricket team. He was appointed the District and Provincial Coach of the Under 15 and Under 19 Cricket teams by the Cricket Board for the Inter District/Provincial Cricket tournaments. At that time,Rangana Herath, Kumar Sangakkara and Prasanna Jayawardena were also in the Under 19 team.

He had the opportunity of coaching Chaminda Vaas at St. Joseph’s in the Under 19 level. When he coached St.Anthony’s College,Wattala Cricket team for a few years when Hirantha Perera became the Best Outstation Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year. As a Cricket Coach and Administrator, he was appointed as the former Head of Cricket Operations-Sri Lanka and as Manager of Under 19 National Cricket team

In the year 2000 they were Runners-up to India in the Under 19 World Cup under Malintha Gajanayake Thilina Kandamby and Kaushalya Weeraratne were also in that Team. After that Carlton was appointed as Under 19 National Coach of Bangladesh. He paved the way to Bangladesh Cricket team to get Test Status as he built a good structure for the Under 19 team. He mentioned with gratitude the names of Thilanga Sumathipala and Nishantha Ranatunge for

recommending him to get this post in Bangladesh. He was awarded the Certificate of Accomplishment in December,2007 by the Sports Management World Wide, USA for Cricket Management.

In Coaching he is holding the Accredited Level II Coaches Cricket Australia-Advanced – ID 936778, accredited as the Level III Coach and instructor Sri Lanka. He says that age is not a barrier for Coaching Cricket as long as one is fit enough to do so.