Sri Lanka unearth new pace sensation
Charlie Austin - 15 August 2001
In Durban last December fast bowler Randi Dilhara Fernando announced his raw
potential to the cricketing world with a five-wicket haul against South
Africa. Today, in Galle, he confirmed his exciting talent with one of the
most lethal new ball bursts by a Sri Lankan fast bowler in modern times.
It started late last evening as a golden sun hugged the horizon. India's
batsmen had played doggedly throughout the day, scoring at less than two
runs per over. Nevertheless, with the score on 155, India had lost only
three wickets all day having been put into bat on a green wicket and they
looked certain to end the day on top.
Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jaysuriya decided to make one final assault before
the eminent close. It worked. Fernando, pounding in to bowl with the
crumbling ramparts of the Old Dutch Fort as a dramatic backdrop, burst
through the defenses of Mohammad Kaif, who had been batting solidly for
almost three hours. Hemang Bandani sparred at a wide delivery in Fernando's
next over and India were 161 for five.
In the morning he continued where he had left off the night before, cutting
through the Indian lower order with sheer pace, disconcerting bounce and
aggression. He took three further wickets in a five over burst and even had
the gall to rap the oppositions main strike bowler on the gloves, forcing
Javagal Srinath to retire hurt. In all, he had taken five for 18 in a
devastating seven over spell with the new ball that had changed the course
of the game.
Fernando, a shy, friendly man and a strong catholic, was delighted with his
performance, but does not rate it as his best: "I think my best bowling was
against South Africa because the wickets I got there were against better
players of fast bowling."
"I had no pressure because Chaminda (Vaas), Ruchira (Perera) and Suresh
(Perera) all bowled well," he said. Before adding modestly: "I concentrated
on bowling a good line and waited for the wickets to come."
Fernando played for Sri Lanka Under 19 in 1997 and Sri Lanka A against
Zimbabwe last year before making his international debut against Pakistan at
the Sinhalese Sports Club last year, when he was far from the finished
article and often speared the ball down the leg side.
However, he had natural pace, a rare commodity in Sri Lanka's recent past.
The selectors picked him for the South Africa tour, where he was impressive,
but expensive, and against England, when he rarely bowled because of the
dustbowl pitches. His rate of improvement has been nothing short of
remarkable and in the recent tri-series he commanded a regular place after
an injury to Nuwan Zoysa.
He was given a chance with the new ball: "I was asked whether I can bowl
with the new ball in place Nuwan Zoysa, who was injured. I told them I had
not previously bowled with the new ball because I did not have enough
confidence in myself, but I would love to open bowling."
The rapid progress was undoubtedly aided by the confidence shown in him by
the team management, the selectors and Chaminda Vaas, who he is full of
praise for, but owes a great deal to Sri Lankan fast bowling coach Rumesh
Ratnayake, who has been working hard with him during the past 12 months.
Ratnayake is confident that we have not yet seen him at his best: "We first
saw Dilhara (Fernando) hit it off in South Africa. He only had firepower
then, but he has now improved his accuracy, has a superb slower one and can
reverse swing the ball. I also believe that he can bowl a yard faster than
he is at the moment and should average about 93-4 mph in two years time."
"After the England tour we have been fine tuning his action," he revealed.
"Speed is a rare natural talent, so we did not want to make drastic changes,
but we felt that he could improve his performance levels by 40 per cent if
we straightened his lines - he was losing pace and accuracy by falling over
at the point of delivery."
"He has done tremendously well since then, but I feel that a 20 per cent
improvement can still be made through further fine tuning to his front arm
and run-up and that he will then be a fully fledged fast bowler in the class
of McGrath and Gillespie," he said.
Ratnayake, currently working with an impressive squad of young bowlers in
the Fast Bowling Academy, is now getting excited. He realises the knock on
influence that the unassuming Fernando could have on Sri Lankan cricket:
"Chaminda Vaas was our first fast bowling icon and now Dilhara can be a role
model for our youngsters to emulate."
Fernando, a genuine all rounder at De Mazenod College, has set simple goals
for the future: "I want to contribute more with the bat and take as many
wickets at possible." If he carries on bowling with the pace and verve that
he displayed here, then that is a forgone conclusion.
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