Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya felicitated by Christ Church College Matale

Sri Lanka’s emerging left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya was felicitated by his first school Christ Church College Matale last week after his outstanding bowling performances in the last two home Test series against Australia and Pakistan. Jayasuriya made the ball do the talking exceptionally well which was instrumental for the Lankans in leveling both the series having suffered bitter defeats in the opening games.

A late boomer at the international level, Prabath Jayasuriya made his Test debut last month against Australia. However, it was his remarkable performances in the following series against Pakistan that stood out the most where he was adjudged the Player of the Series for finishing with 17 wickets in two matches.

Prabath Jayasuriya rewarded for his consistent bowling performances

Christ Church Matale is where it all started for Prabath to realize his cricketing dreams as he went on to represent the College Under 13 and 15 and Matale District XI under 15 in SLC Inter District Tournament in 2006. The slow left-armer was then selected for the Matale Cricket Club in Sara Division 1 Tournament in 2007.

A felicitation ceremony was organized for Jayasuriya with the President of the Christ Church College Matale Old Boys Association and Matale CC Captain P.K Aluvihare in attendance along with College Principal and the College Development Society.

His debut Test series, which happened to be the home series against Australia, saw him finish as the leading wicket-taker in the two-match series with 12 scalps to his name.

He took all those 12 wickets in the second Test against the Aussies with a six-wicket haul in both innings as the Lankans registered a comprehensive win by an innings and 39 runs to level the series. He followed it up with nine wickets in the first Test against Pakistan and took a match-winning fifer in the second Test as Sri Lanka won by 246 runs.

Thus, Jayasuriya finished with 29 wickets in three matches with three five-wicket hauls to his name in three successive innings. He would now be hoping to replicate similar performances with the ball in hand going forward.