Right-arm leg spinners are considered the most prodigious in the art. In the world of cricket right now there are many wrist-spinners dominating. We take a closer look at the array of Sri Lankan ‘leggies’ who have turned out for the national side in the past and at present.
Upul Chandana
Chandana is the most successful leg-spinner who played the game for Sri Lanka cricket. Hailing from Mahinda College, Galle, he played domestic cricket for NCC and Tamil Union and was a member of the World Cup winning team in 1996. His brilliance in the field and contributions from the bat made him a prominent all-rounder in the squad.
Despite making his ODI debut in 1994, Chandana had to wait for five long years to play the long version of the game. Chandana has 469 first-class wickets from 165 matches with 20 five-wicket hauls and has also managed to grab 306 scalps in 258 List A matches.
After his Test debut against Pakistan in 1999, the energetic live-wire in the field represented Sri Lanka in 16 Tests with 37 wickets, but his ODI record is the most impressive with 151 wickets in 147 matches at 31.90. running an economy rate of 4.70. Chandana is currently being employed at Sri Lanka Cricket as a fielding coach.
Malinga Bandara
He could not cement a permanent place in the national ODI team playing in the shadow of the legendary off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan but managed to play 31 matches grabbing 36 wickets at 34.22 with an economy rate of 5.02.
Bandara went back to play domestic cricket where up to date he has taken 570 wickets in his first-class career with 22 five wicket hauls. He has also taken close to 250 List A wickets.
He has plenty of County Cricket experience throughout the last two decades and has played Mercantile Cricket for MAS Unichela last year and currently coaches Ragama Cricket Club.
Kaushal Lokuarachchi
Fondly known as ‘Loku’, a former Peterite is another genuine all-rounder who is well-known for his leg-spin and handy contributions with the bat late in the order. He commenced his journey of fame in 2000 when he was a part of that strong Sri Lanka U19 team which finished runner-up in the ICC Youth World Cup.
He commenced his domestic career at Bloomfield Cricket & Athlectic Club before moving to SSC. He has pocketed 370 wickets in 139 matches with 8 five wicket hauls in his long first class career.
Loku made his Test debut against the Black Caps in 2003 where he went wicket-less in the 1st innings but picked up 2/47 in 19 overs in the second innings. He played only 4 Tests because as for many spinners in that era, once again in the shadow of the great Muralidaran. He was in and out of the ODI team due to inconsistency in performances but managed to play 21 ODIs with 31 wickets and had a best of 4/44. His economy rate was 4.30.
He had many off-field disputes which probably shortened his international career and currently he is playing club cricket in Australia.
Jeffrey Vandersay
One of the current leg-spin wonders in Sri Lanka, Vandersay commenced his cricketing journey at Wesley College, Colombo. ‘Vanda’ is known to be a hard-working leg spinner who fought his way through to the national squad purely from his domestic performances. He has all the variations as a leggie to trouble any batsmen. He came in to the domestic arena from Seeduwa Raddoluwa SC and currently has found a better home at SSC
Up to now, Vandersay has 168 wickets after playing only 36 first-class matches which includes 14 five-fers. He burst onto the scene when he scalped 8 wickets in a three-day game against Pakistan and that effort earned him a national call-up in 2015. He was the only positive in Sri Lanka’s disappointing World T20 campaign last year.
Due to a finger injury, Vandersay missed several national tours and since then has found difficult to find a place in the team but will be a serious wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in future.
Jeewan Mendis
Mendis last represented Sri Lanka in the ICC World Cup in 2015 and a day later, disaster struck; he injured his hamstring in a game of football at training and since then he has not been able to represent Sri Lanka.
A hero at S. Thomas’ College for his heroics at the Battle of the Blues, Mendis has plenty of domestic experience playing for clubs like Bloomfield and SSC but currently has found peace at Tamil Union Cricket & AC.
Mendis has captured over 400 wickets in domestic cricket over the past 17 years and can be rated as a batsman who bowls a bit of effective leg-spin. He made his ODI debut in 2010 and has taken 28 wickets in 54 ODIs with a best of 3/15. He has also played in many T20 leagues around the world and currently represents Derbyshire this summer.
Seekuge Prasanna
The current leg-spinner in the national limited overs team, ‘Seekku’ is a dangerous customer with both bat and ball. He is not a spinner who turns a lot but picks wickets with his accuracy. He has spent his domestic career at Army SC and is known as a brilliant performer in the domestic circuit.
Currently, Prasanna has played 98 first-class games and has taken 488 wickets with 37 five wicket hauls. He played only one Test for Sri Lanka, the last leg-spinner to play Test cricket for the Island nation, in 2011 against Australia.
In the same home series against the World Champions, Australia, he made his ODI debut for Sri Lanka where he took 3/32 in his 6 overs. Prasanna is also been in and out of the ODI side in the past, having played only 35 matches and capturing 30 wickets in his ongoing ODI career with an economy rate of 5.38. He will be determined to make an impact in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2017.
D.S De Silva
Somachandra De Silva hails from Galle, and he is known to be one of the greatest leg spinners who played the game for Sri Lanka. De Silva was a steady wicket-taker during the 70s capturing 241 wickets in his 66 first class games that included 15 five wicket hauls.
De Silva played the inaugural Test for Sri Lanka against England, exactly 35 years ago where he captured 3 scalps. De Silva has taken 37 Test wickets in 12 matches, while recording 32 scalps in 41 ODIs. De Silva was unlucky that when Sri Lanka was granted Test status, most players were well into retirement time including himself. He was later involved in the SLC administration and currently has a business of his own.
Asoka De Silva
Former Isipathanian, Asoka De Silva represented Sri Lanka from 1985 to 1992. A crafty leg-spinner with a nice action, De Silva represented Galle CC and NCC taking a tally of 186 wickets in 84 first-class matches including 7 five wicket hauls.
De Silva claimed 8 wickets in 10 Tests and 17 wickets in 28 ODIs. After his International career was over, De Silva emerged as an International Umpire who served in the ICC Elite Panel, umpiring two Cricket World Cups in 2003 and 2007. He is still involved with Sri Lanka Cricket as a Match-Referee.
