Dharmashoka College Ambalangoda has been having a fruitful season this year and it has been largely due to the bowling of their skipper Yohan de Silva.
The team from Ambalangoda has had a decent season this year winning 3 games outright and 2 on first innings, while conceding the solitary loss and 2 matches ending without a decision.
Yohan De Silva a 5th year player has led his side with exemplary form claiming 69 wickets this season. The right arm off spin bowler has taken 6 five wicket hauls this season coupled with 2 ten wicket match bags.
ThePapare.com managed to contact the skipper and he said, “It has been a great season for me personally. The best match for me was the one against S. D. S Jayasinghe where I finished the game with a match bag of 11 wickets. The main reason why that was the highlight for me this season was the fact that I didn’t give that many runs away and bowled well within the stumps”.
Yohan has mastered the art of off spin, but he tells how it was not the preferred bowling style when he started cricket. “I started my career as a leg spinner, but I soon realized I was not performing with the ball as much as I would like to have had. I was bowling a lot of short balls and full tosses which prompted me to speak to my coach, D. S. C Teklal who adviced me to take up off spin”.
“It paid off immediately as I finished last season with 40 wickets in 7 matches”. ThePapare inquired as to what his future plans are and the Dharmashoka skipper said, “the main objective this season for me is to take 100 wickets. I’m currently on 69 wickets and I feel that I have the capabilities to achieve it. The next goal for me is to make it to the Sri Lanka under 19 team this season. And obviously the next step would be to go on and play for the main team which is the dream of any school boy cricketer”, ended De Silva.
The highlight for De Silva came during the match against St. Servatius College Matara when he grabbed 8 wickets for 49 runs in the first innings. He however could not have a bowl in the second innings since the match was called off due to heavy rain.
During the match against S. D. S Jayasinghe Dehiwela the Shokian managed to claim 11 wickets collectively in both innings which is the his personal best this season. He took 4 wickets for 25 runs in the first innings and 7 wickets for 34 runs to end with tally of 11 wickets.
Dharmashoka have another bowler who is equally lethal and that bowler is their right arm off spinner Ramesh Mendis who has grabbed 46 wickets this season which includes a hat-trick against Ananda College.
The team is currently coached by Premasiri Halambage and assisted by Viraj Chaminda. Below is a breakdown of De Silva’s record during the current season,
Dharmashoka vs. Prince of Wales – 4/44
Dharmashoka vs. Dharmaraja – 5/19/ 1st innings, 3/33 2nd innings
Dharmashoka vs. Panadura Royal – 5/40 1st innings, 5/53 2nd innings
Dharmashoka vs. Thurstan – 2/33 1st innings, 2/16 2nd innings
Dharmashoka vs. St. Servatius – 8/49 1st innings
Dharmashoka vs. S. D. S Jayasinghe – 4/25 1st innings, 7/34 2nd innings
Dharmashoka vs. Matara Rahula – 6/36 1st innings, 3/46 2nd innings
Dharmashoka vs. Mahinda College – 8/28 1st innings, 1 wicket 2nd innings
