By Srian Obeyesekere
SAYS WOMEN’S CRICKET EVOLVED DURING ‘MY ERA’
Sri Lanka Women’s Captain Chamari Athapaththu in the departure interview of the squad to Bangladesh today Friday for a 3-match series revealed that the team had worked hard on muscling power batting under new Head Coach Australian Jamie Siddons in the build up to this year’s all important T20 World Cup, and that the tour was important for Sri Lanka’s direct qualification for the forthcoming ODD World Cup this year in so much as gaining points than having to scramble from necessarily the outside play offs.
The skipper, who dealt at length as to the way forward emphasised that women’s cricket in the country had fast developed during her era from a hollow past where happily potential young players had emerged by the numbers
“Today, I’m proud to say that women’s cricket here is on an even keel from the little it was before I took over. Young players have come forward to raise their hands and are the beacon to the game further evolving. The arrival of Jamie Siddons therefore is a huge step to women’s cricket going to the next level.”
She said that the injury layoff of experienced batter Vishmi Gunaratne was regrettable, but that her replacement was quite a seasoned performer having impressed at domestic level and representing the Emerging team. She hoped that Gunaratne might recover to join the squad.
Athapaththu referred to the far reaching volume of work put in by Sri Lanka Cricket to putting women’s cricket on an even footing while observing that past players had put their weight behind the team at all times and as much the efforts of the coaching staff in making the women’s team a better outfit by the day.
(Courtesy Sri Lanka Cricket)