Ruwan Kalpage fine athlete and cricketer-by Upananda Jayasundera

Ruwan Kalpage

Ruwan Senani Kalpage, an old boy of St.Anthony’s College, Katugastota, is a former Test Cricketer and a fine Athlete who won the 400 Metres Race at the Public Schools Meet representing St.Anthony’s College in the late eighties. He is the eldest Son of former Cricket Captain of Nalanda College, Sena Kalpage.

Sena played Cricket for Nalanda College while the writer represented Dharmaraja College in Cricket. Stockily built Sena Kalpage was a left arm opening bowler. Later he played club cricket and ended up as a Senior Executive in the Mercantile sector. Ruwan followed in his father’s footsteps and became a leading all-rounder in Sri Lanka Schools in Cricket and Athletics before being included in the Test Cricket team in the year 1993 against India.

His younger brother Nuwan played cricket for St.Anthonys’ and now he is settled down in Australia. His Sister captained Mahamaya Girls Cricket team in the mid eighties. Ruwan played 11 test and 86 Limited over matches for Sri Lanka and in his test career he scored 294 runs, his highest being 63 runs and in limited over matches he scored 844 runs and his highest score was 51 runs. As a right arm off-spinner,, he bagged 12 wickets in test matches with the highest being two for 27 runs, while taking 73 wickets in the limited over matches and best being

claiming 4 wickets for 36 runs. His last Test match was on 4th of March,1999 against Pakistan and the last limited over match was on 30th March, 1999 against India. Ruwan was appointed as high Performances Head Coach for the Bangaladesh National Cricket Academy in 2008 and he worked as the Assistant.Coach and Spin Bowling Coach of Bangladesh National Cricket team.

Presently Ruwan is Coaching cricket in Sri Lanka