Srilankan born Ruvindu Gunasekera and Srimantha Wijeyeratne has been selected to represent ICC Americas team in the ‘Nagico Super50 Tournament’ to be played in Trinidad & Tobago from January 4 to 24, 2016. The other teams that will take part are Jamaica, hosts T&T, Guyana, Leeward & Windward and a Combined Universities XI. Americas team were selected out of players invited from Canada, USA, Argentina, Bermuda, Surinam & Cayman Island, but only 15 players from Canada and USA made it to the final pool of fifteen.

There were two phases of sessions held in Indianapolis, led by former West Indies captain Courtney Walsh, Australian coach Mike Young and a few more ICC appointed coaches from the Americas region. The proceedings were handled by the Development Director of ICC Americas region, Tom Evans.
Both former Peterites, Ruvindu having migrated in the early stages of his life after playing U-15 is a senior member of the Canadian national team, and played in ICC World Cup held in Colombo, Srilanka. He has played Premier cricket for Baduraeliya C.C. and Under 23 cricket for Chilaw Marians. In Canada, he plays for Brampton Masters C.C. and has been in the runs throughout his career. He was the highest scorer for Masters in the 2015 TDCA finals (63 not out). He also has a career best 150 runs against Netherlands in an ICC Inter-Continental cup match played in Canada a couple of years ago.
Srimantha played for St. Peter’s in all age groups and the First XI in 2007/08. He was selected to play District and Provincial in all age levels where he excelled in 2007/08 for U-19. He represented SL U-19 in 2007 and opened the batting with present national Vice Captain Lahiru Thirimanne. He played U-23 cricket for Bloomfield as opening batsman/wicket-keeper and then decided to migrate to Canada in 2008. In Canada, he played ‘Elite’ division in Toronto & District CA for Centurions until this year when he joined Toronto Cricket Skating & Curling Club (TCSCC). In the finals, playing against Ruvindu’s team, he scored a magnificent 76 in 62 balls before he was unfortunately ‘run out’. He was selected for to the Canadian National team this year after fulfilling the rules and regulations by a Permanent Resident to represent an ICC affiliate Associate country. He has already toured Namibia for the ICC Division two tournament, and taken part in both the Americas Championships held in Florida and the ICC WC T-20 in Ireland.
Wish Ruvindu and Srimantha the very best and hope both will keep the Canadian ‘Red’ Colours flying high and perform well during the tournament in January, 2016.
Srinath Wijeyeratne