Mahesh Sandaruwan cricket coach with a proven track record

Mahesh Sandaruwan

Twenty nine year old Mahesh Sandaruwan de Silva, coach of Devapathiraja College Ratgama is the best schoolgirls cricket coach in the island. He has won six Championships for Devapathiraja College Girls’ Cricket team.

He guided Devapathiraja College Girls’ team to five championships in Girls under 19 age group and one title in under 17 girls age group so far.

Halamba Mahesh Sandaruwan de Silva was born on June 7 1992 at Galle. He attended

Thilaka JuniorMV, Rathna Udagama, Boossa in 1998. He completed primary education from that school. He joined Devapathiraja College Rathgama in 2003. He started school cricket in 2008 at the same school. He represented under 13 teams under the guidance of T.A.C.N. Gunasekara, Principal, Y. Nishantha Kumara, master in charge and K. Ranjan Lasantha De Silva coach in 2003, 2004 and 2005. He led the college under 13 team in 2005. He represented under 15 teams in two seasons 2006 and 2007. He led the school under 15 team in 2007. He represented the under 17 team in 2008.

He represented the under 13, 15, 17 and 19 teams from 2003 – 2008 in Devapathiraja College Rathgama as a left hand batsman and right arm off spinner. He represented the school’s first XI teams in four seasons. He scored more than 1500 runs with eight half centuries and claimed more than150 wickets in four seasons for Devapathiraja College. His best bowling performance was 8 wickets for 52 runs against Karandeniya Central College in 2007/2008 season.

He was deputy skipper of the college first XI under the guidance of coach, Ranjan Lasantha de Silva in 2008/2009.

He passed the GCE O/L exam in 2008. He joined Richmond College Galle for A/L’s in 2009. He represented Richmond College first XI team in two seasons of 2010 and 2011 under the guidance of Dhammika Sudarshana head coach. He played two big matches against Mahinda College Galle in the Lovers’ Quarrel in 2010 and 2011. He was adjudged best batsman in the big match under the captain Dhananjaya De Silva, the Sri Lanka Cricketer. He scored more than 550 runs with four half centuries in the last under 19 season for Richmond. He represented Galle CC in under 23 tournament and emerging tournament. He played for United Southern CC in the Sara Trophy.

He started cricket coaching after leaving school in 2011. He was assistant coach in Devapathiraja College Rathgama under the guidance of Ranjan Lasantha De Silva head coach. Devapathiraja College under 13 team was champion in division two tournament in 2011.

He was assistant coach in Devapathiraja College Boys’ team which emerged under 19

division Three runner up in 2013/14 and champion team in the under 19 division Two tournaments in 2017/18 in the Boy’s category.

He passed level One coaching certificate in 2012. He started coaching Girls’ Cricket with Devapathiraja College Girls’ team in 2012.He has produced many girl cricketers namely Kaveesha Dilhari, Umasha Thimeshani and Sathya Sandeepani who represented Sri Lanka Women’s team, Sachini Nisansala, Teleeshiya Chaturangi Nilakshana Sandamini and Shikari Nuwantha, emerging players. Mahesh has produced five champion teams and one runner up for Devapathiraja

College Rathgama in the under 19 girls’ cricket tournament. Devapathiraja College won girls under 17 title and the Softball Championship in the All Island Schools tournament in 2017, 2018 and 2019 .

He coached the Seenigama Ladies’ team in the Women’s Premier league tournament from 2016. He is currently Girls’ head coach of Devapathiraja College Ratgama and Junior assistant coach of Richmond College Galle. (YK)