Bloomfield meet BRC in Under23 Inter-Club 2-day final today

• Two Head Coaches on debut air their views

Anil Rideegamannagedara’s (aka Ridee) first assignment as the new Head Coach of Bloomfield is taking charge of the Under23 side and like the coach with the Midas touch has brought them within touching distance of winning the Under23 Inter-Club 2-day title. They will meet BRC in the final beginning at the CCC grounds today.

“We play to get a winning result at the end of the day. We are going flat out to win. I don’t believe in becoming joint champions, either you win the championship or finish as runner-up,” was how Ridee, who a few months back had successfully guided Colombo Colts CC to win the Major Club 3-day title, assessed the final.

Last year Bloomfield had to share the title with CCC as joint champions when the final ended in a no-decision. However, on this occasion Bloomfield are determined to win it outright.

“Overall we have had good performances from all the departments. We are not dependent on one or two players, it’s a team performance. That has been the difference between our team and the others,” said Ridee.

“Team unity and discipline is the best formula for success. That’s what I develop initially with any team. The rest falls into place automatically. When I came as coach we didn’t have wickets to practice because they were under preparation. We had very little resources for practice but we somehow managed to come to the final.”

“My focus is on the Major Clubs 3-day tournament. I told the boys that I am looking for players for that tournament and if they perform well here they can find a place in the team. It serves my purpose because whilst trying to win the U23 final I am also getting players to form the team for the Major Club 3-day. The players know their goals.”

Ridee said there was a vast difference in handling a senior side and an Under23. “There are more responsibilities because it comprises young players, some of whom are just out of school. I have previously handled clubs in the Under23 

tournament and brought them to the semi-finals and final. I have combined that experience to bring Bloomfield to the final.”

For BRC Head Coach Janudika Sriyapala, it has been a dream run so far to the final. The former SSC, Saracens SC and Bloomfield cricketer turned coach is handling a club side for the first time.

“We have come to the final because of our batting and bowling, good preparations and well executed plans. In every match at least one player has managed to score a hundred. We have the batting till number 9. Our success has been largely due to our batting. We have topped 300 in the majority of our matches and we are strong with spin. We are looking forward to playing positive cricket. The confidence levels of the team is high,” said Sriyapala ahead of the final.

BRC have lost Pawan Sandesh one of their centurions to Kandy Royals in the ongoing LPL but have been strengthened by the return of former Jaffna Hartley College and St Joseph’s College Colombo leg-spinner Vigneshawaran Akash who played for Sri Lanka in the recent under19 series against India.

Having coached schools and district teams since 2010, handling a club side for the first time Sriyapala said, “Club coaching is more about man management and the mental aspect and the tactical side than technique. The main thing is preparation, to create a healthy environment for the players at practice sessions and prepare them for the matches. I absorb all the pressure and allow the players to play freely. That has been the main reason for our success.” – [ST]