Niman Umesh, a fine all-round cricketer
St. Peter’s College Colombo 4 First Eleven Cricket team 2020/21. Seated L/R – Manuka Gunarathne (Physical Trainer), Janudika Sriyapala (Coach), Shanaka Fernando (Coach), Sunanda Fernando (Sports Secretary/MIC Seniors), Nipunaka Fonseka (Captain), Rev. Fr. Rohitha Rodrigao (Rector), Rev. Fr. Milan Beernard (Sports Coordinator0, Vinuda Liyanage (Vice Captain), Roger Wijesuriya (Head Coach), Wasantha Haputhanthri (Junior MIC), Rohan Soysa (Coach), Mohan Liyanage (Coach) Standing 1 st Row L/R – Shenal Boteju, Wanuja Kumara, Sanuka Galagoda, Chamelka de Silva, Monil Silva, Jeshuran Benjamin, Danal Hemananda, Niman Umesh Second Row Standing L/R – Visshen Halambage, Shenon Rodrigo, Nimuthu Giunawardene, lakindu Sachin, Sanshay Gunathilake, Rusanda Gamage (Picture by Dilwin Mendis Moratuwa Sports Special Correspondent)
Left hand middle order bat, right arm off spinner, safe fielder at any position and an all rounder Pelandage Niman Umesh has brought immense fame and honour to Dharmapala Vidyalaya Kottawa and St. Peter’s College Bambalapitiya and his motherland with his deeds in the field of cricket.
Niman was born on 24th March 2003 and admitted initially to Sri Parakrama Vidyalaya Panagoda in 2019. Though there were annual inter house sports meets Niman did not participate as his forte is cricket from his smaller days. Noticing his keenness and talent in cricket his parents Sunil Shantha and Wasanthi Menike Disanayake admitted their child to Akarawita Cricket Academy and he immediately came under Mr. Athula in 2011.
Mr. Athula picking up his talent encouraged him to join Dharmapala Vidyalaya Kottawa in 2014 and he attended under 13 Division One cricket practices under Duminda Gunasekera and in the same year he played in eight matches in the under 13 Division One and in 2015 too he played in all matches and excelled well.
His first year in the under 15 Division One was in 2016 and he passed for 300 mark with two fifties and got selected for the Prima Cup of Colombo South Outer team and played for the District and inter Provincial. Their team reached up to finals and in 2017 Mr. Gunasekera noticing his leadership qualities he was appointed as the under 15 captain and he scored 430 runs with a century against Mahanama College Panadura and got another three fifties and claimed 26 wickets with a one five wicket haul. Same year he was selected for the Sri Lanka Schools under 15 National Team and toured Malaysian in 2017 and it was a fine exposure for him.
Then in 2018 as an under 17 player he joined St. peter’s College Bmbalapitiya and he passed the 200 mark with a fifty and captured 10 scalps and in the following year there was no under 17 tournament and he was able to play only last five matches for the first eleven team and in 2021 season he passed the 200 mark and this tournament was played on 50 limited over basis. This year he played in the Big Match against their arch rivals St. Joseph’s College Colombo and captured 3 for 46 and played for the limited over game too. His coaches were Roger Wijesuriya, Malinda Warnapura. Janudika Sriyapala, Shanaka Fernando, Rohan Soysa and Master in Charge Sunanda Fernando and his Prefect of Games is Rev. Fr. Milan Bernard and the Rector is Rev. Fr. Rohitha Rodrigo and all of them have played a very supportive role for him.
In addition he is a member of the King Fisher Cricket Academy Homagama and he carried away the Best All Rounder’s Prize in the Mercantile Cricket Association Tournament in 2017 and in the Nelson Mendis Tournament they reached up to the finals in the under 15 tournament.