Manidu Shyamal outstanding cricketer and athlete

Siri PiyarathneVidyalaya Padukka. He was born on 16th June 2001 and admitted to the Suborathie Maha Vidyalaya Godagama and the then Principal was Saman Manjula and the first class teacher was R.Dayananda and in the same year he was admitted to Sri ParakramaVidyalaya Godagama and his Principal was M.Asoka and his class teacher was Mrs.Yara.

In his first year initially he participated in the inter house athletic meet and in the under six age category he did 100, and 75 metres and Long Jump and he swept the board in these three events and upto grade five he did the same events and he was the champion athlete from 2007 to 2011.

In these three events in all five years he won and perhaps to date it may be a record for his school. In 2008 in his events he took part at the meet and came second and in year six too he won his events and in the under 13 age group he came first in 100 and 200 metres and third in Long jump and in the next meet he won the 100 metres and under 15 age group and he came first and his Coaches were Saman Manjula and Saman Dayananda and in the same year he joined Subarathie Vidyalaya and his Coach was Mrs. Manel and in 2016 he came first in the Zonal and he came second in 2017 he came first in Javelin and came first in Division and second in zonal In 2019 Shyamal joined Siri Piyarathne Vidyalaya and at the school meet he came first in 1500 metres and his relay team came second in 4 x 100 relay event and he did not go further due to cricket.

When he was at Subarathie Vidyalaya and at the age of eleven he came under Ajith Priyankara and in his first year in 2013 in the under 13 he got 732 runs with three centuries and two half centuries and same year he toured India with the team and in the final match he scored 80 runs and they became champions and he won the best batsman of the senior group and it was a fine exposure for him and in the next year in the under 13 he scored 520 runs with a fifty and took 20 wickets with two five wicket hauls and in the same year he toured Bangalore India with the same club and they won the champion ship.

Then in the under 15 Shyamal scored 580 runs with two fifties and bagged 12 scalps with one five wicket haul and in his last year in the under 15 he got 243 runs with one fifty and took 16 wickets with one five wicket haul. He played for Finagara Cricket Club under Mr.Asela and Mr.Damith in the Nelson Mendis Tournament.

And in the under 17 tournament he scored 620 runs with two centuries and in the following year playing for Siri Piyarathana Vidyalaya he scored 320 runs with a fifty and in 2019 he played for the first eleven team and scored 602 runs with two fifties and finally in 2020 at the under 19 limited over tournament Siri Piyarathne came up to pre quarters and he got 120 runs and six wickets.

His coaches were Hiran Gunawardene, D. Susil, Mrs.Shammi and C.Kusanidu