In Durban last December fast bowler Randi Dilhara Fernando announced his rawpotential to the cricketing world with a five-wicket haul against SouthAfrica
Charlie Austin15-Aug-2001In Durban last December fast bowler Randi Dilhara Fernando announced his rawpotential to the cricketing world with a five-wicket haul against SouthAfrica. Today, in Galle, he confirmed his exciting talent with one of themost 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’sbatsmen had played doggedly throughout the day, scoring at less than tworuns per over. Nevertheless, with the score on 155, India had lost onlythree wickets all day having been put into bat on a green wicket and theylooked certain to end the day on top.Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jaysuriya decided to make one final assault beforethe eminent close. It worked. Fernando, pounding in to bowl with thecrumbling ramparts of the Old Dutch Fort as a dramatic backdrop, burstthrough the defenses of Mohammad Kaif, who had been batting solidly foralmost three hours. Hemang Bandani sparred at a wide delivery in Fernando’snext over and India were 161 for five.In the morning he continued where he had left off the night before, cuttingthrough the Indian lower order with sheer pace, disconcerting bounce andaggression. He took three further wickets in a five over burst and even hadthe gall to rap the oppositions main strike bowler on the gloves, forcingJavagal Srinath to retire hurt. In all, he had taken five for 18 in adevastating seven over spell with the new ball that had changed the courseof the game.Fernando, a shy, friendly man and a strong catholic, was delighted with hisperformance, but does not rate it as his best: “I think my best bowling wasagainst South Africa because the wickets I got there were against betterplayers of fast bowling.””I had no pressure because Chaminda (Vaas), Ruchira (Perera) and Suresh(Perera) all bowled well,” he said. Before adding modestly: “I concentratedon bowling a good line and waited for the wickets to come.”Fernando played for Sri Lanka Under 19 in 1997 and Sri Lanka A againstZimbabwe last year before making his international debut against Pakistan atthe Sinhalese Sports Club last year, when he was far from the finishedarticle 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 thedustbowl pitches. His rate of improvement has been nothing short ofremarkable and in the recent tri-series he commanded a regular place afteran injury to Nuwan Zoysa.He was given a chance with the new ball: “I was asked whether I can bowlwith the new ball in place Nuwan Zoysa, who was injured. I told them I hadnot previously bowled with the new ball because I did not have enoughconfidence in myself, but I would love to open bowling.”The rapid progress was undoubtedly aided by the confidence shown in him bythe team management, the selectors and Chaminda Vaas, who he is full ofpraise for, but owes a great deal to Sri Lankan fast bowling coach RumeshRatnayake, 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 firstsaw Dilhara (Fernando) hit it off in South Africa. He only had firepowerthen, but he has now improved his accuracy, has a superb slower one and canreverse swing the ball. I also believe that he can bowl a yard faster thanhe 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 ifwe straightened his lines – he was losing pace and accuracy by falling overat the point of delivery.””He has done tremendously well since then, but I feel that a 20 per centimprovement can still be made through further fine tuning to his front armand run-up and that he will then be a fully fledged fast bowler in the classof McGrath and Gillespie,” he said.Ratnayake, currently working with an impressive squad of young bowlers inthe Fast Bowling Academy, is now getting excited. He realises the knock oninfluence that the unassuming Fernando could have on Sri Lankan cricket:”Chaminda Vaas was our first fast bowling icon and now Dilhara can be a rolemodel for our youngsters to emulate.”Fernando, a genuine all rounder at De Mazenod College, has set simple goalsfor the future: “I want to contribute more with the bat and take as manywickets at possible.” If he carries on bowling with the pace and verve thathe displayed here, then that is a forgone conclusion.