Dhammika was unique as a fast bowler: Atapattu

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Former SSC and Sri Lanka Captain Marvan Atapattu said that Dhammika Prasad was someone who not only wanted to bowl with the new ball but also with the old ball as well.

Atapattu was speaking at a media conference held at the SSC yesterday to announce Prasad’s retirement from international cricket where some of his team mates and former captains showered praise on him.  

“Fast bowlers always want the red cherry. They want to get the opening batsman out. But as captain and later as coach, I realised that Dhammika was someone who wanted to bowl with the old bowl as well. There were situations when there were only ten overs left in the day’s play and the ball was not doing anything and the batsman was 150 not out. Dhammika used to say, give me the ball. That is a great quality of a team player,” said Atapattu.

Speaking further Atapattu stated: “Let me assure you Mrs. Dhammika Prasad, life starts now. You will have your husband 24x7. A cricketer is usually busy playing the sport and it is after retirement he gets to spend quality time with his family. And for your kids, for 15 years you have missed your dad during your important moments. From here on, he is all yours. He will be there to take you to school, to take you to McDonalds and what not.”

Dhammika’s teammate Rangana Herath recalling his moments with the cricketer said: “I played a lot of cricket with Dhammika for Sri Lanka ‘A’.  We developed a special bond at that point. He had some remarkable moments representing Sri Lanka. I remember he got three wickets in the first innings on debut. Those were big wickets – Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag. His greatest moment came at Headingley in 2014. He was on fire, got five wickets and we went onto win our first ever Test series in England. I will never forget that Test match and great to be part of that team.”

Herath played a key role in that victory, partnering his captain Angelo Mathews in a match-winning eighth wicket stand of 149 scoring an invaluable 48, after Dhammika had thrown away his wicket by getting out to the first ball he received, playing a rash shot, that saw him being admonished by his captain and later given the cold shoulder by his teammates.Dhammika thanked Sri Lanka Cricket for all the opportunities they have given him and SSC for everything they had done for him in the 19 years he has been with the club.

“I have enjoyed every bit. Marvan Atapattu was the person who invited me to SSC. I received a lot of support from people like the late Michael de Zoysa and Mahinda Halangoda. I have a lot of people to thank, God, my parents, my wife, my school, all my coaches, curators, team mates, fans and of course the media. 

“Let me tell you one thing. Very early in my career I realised something; that was the media can make and break people. To date I’ve never had an issue with a journalist. I have got on well with them,” Prasad concluded.