Rex Clementine in Cape Town
On a disastrous day for the Sri Lankan cricket team, where they were shot out for 110 in the first innings in reply to South Africa’s 392 all out in the second Test in Cape Town, there was only one positive.
Rabada, Philander and Maharaj destroy hapless Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan batsmen self-detonated and were bowled out for a disappointing 110 by the South African…
Nineteen-year-old quick Lahiru Kumara earned the best bowling figures by a Sri Lankan seamer in South Africa. Kumara claimed six wickets for 122 runs to improve on Chanaka Welegedera’s five for 52 in Durban in 2011. He was constantly clocked at 140kmph, but promised to raise the speed more.
“I was clocked at 145.8 kmph in Zimbabwe and that’s the fastest that I have bowled in Test cricket so far. I am looking forward to step up more speed,” Kumara told journalists after day’s play.
Photos: Sri Lanka v South Africa 2nd Test – Day 2
He became the second youngest Sri Lankan at the age of 19 years and 325 days to pick up a five wicket haul behind Ravindra Pushpakumara, who claimed seven wickets against Zimbabwe in an innings in 1994 aged 19 years and 97 days.
With Dushmantha Chameera too having the ability to clock 140 kmph plus, fast bowling looks to be at good hands as Sri Lanka have a hectic schedule this year.
“I have played only five first class matches and I am bit surprised that I managed to get a six for so early in my career. Very pleased with the effort and I must say that I enjoyed the conditions very much. The conditions were helpful for me and I am thankful for my team mates who took all the catches that came their way.”
Read More: Leo Fransisco: A rising star from North Western Province
“The wicket has eased out at the moment, but if you still put in an effort, you can do something on this wicket. We need to keep them below 250 to have any chance of saving this game,” he added.
Although all young cricketers dream of playing for the country one day, all what Kumara dreamed was to play hockey for Sri Lanka when he grew up. But his dreams came to an abrupt end when he was playing under-15 hockey for Sri Sumangala Vidyalaya in Kandy.
From hockey to fast bowling, Lahiru Kumara’s impressive rise
Not many fast bowlers have played for Sri Lanka at the age of 19. For that matter, not many cricketers…
“One day I was playing a hockey game for my school and got hit on my neck by the hockey stick. I was in the hospital and by the time I returned home my mum had thrown out all the hockey equipment. That’s the end of my hockey and then I randomly started playing cricket. Eventually I got picked for the school team. Then I went onto to tour Malaysia with the Sri Lanka Under-15 team and that was the real start of my cricket career.”
