Marylebone Cricket Club UK visits FoG

The Marylebone Cricket Club- UK has been one of our biggest supporters for over a decade now, joining with us to convert FoG Founder Kushil Gunasekera’s ancestral villa in to the MCC Centre of Excellence, which combined with the Seenigama Sports Academy nearby and the Sri Sumangala MCC Lords Cricket Grounds also established together with MCC makes up our flagship Centre which is a one of a kind rural development model praised by RMIT University, Australia as the best post-tsunami project studied by them.

Therefore, we were delighted to welcome a group of over 50 made up of MCC Members and their families including the sitting MCC President Mr. Anthony Wreford.

The groups first stop was, of course, the MCC Centre of Excellence where many of the members who had never visited before had the opportunity to tour the premises and see all the incredible programmes taking place because of the contribution by MCC.

The next stop was at the Seenigama Sports academy and then the Sri Sumangala MCC Lords Cricket Ground in Hikkaduwa where Mr. Anthony Wreford handed out the annual MCC scholarship to up and coming young cricketers to help promote the game and develop new talent.

The list of outstanding young players who received the MCC 2018/19 scholarship were:
1. Shenal Dangalle                 - Wesley College. Colombo / 17 yrs /SL U19 Development
2. Navod Paranavithana         - Mahinda College, Galle / 16 yrs / SL U19 National Squad – (Debut vs India U19/ 2018)
3. Navindu Pehesara              - Revata College, Balapitiya / 16 yrs / Galle District & Provincial Squads
4. Jeewaka Shashen              - Devapathiraja College, Rathgama / 15 yrs / Galle District & Provincial Squads
5. Pawan Sandesh                 - Devapathiraja College, Rathgama / 15 yrs / Galle District & Provincial Squads
6. Kavindu Nadeeshan           - Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda / 16 yrs / Galle District & Provincial Squads
7. Janeth Kaushal                   - Karandeniya Central College, Karandeniya / 15 yrs / Galle District & Provincial Squads
8. Sudeera Weeraratne          - Devapathiraja College, Rathgama / 16 yrs / Galle District & Provincial Squads
9. Chihan Kalindu                   - Monaragala Royal College & St Servatius College, Matara / 17 yrs / SL U19 National Squad
10. Selvarasa Mathushan      - Jaffna Central College, Jaffna / 18 yrs / SL U19 National Squad (Debut vs India u 19/ 2018)
11. Viyakanth Viyaskanth       - Jaffna Central College, Jaffna / 17 yrs / SL u 19 National Squad (Debut vs India u 19/ 2018)
12. Sanju Lakshan                 - Vidyaloka College, Galle / 18 yrs / Galle District & Provincial squads

13. Sulesha Sathsarani       - Devapathiraja Ladies College, Rathgama / 18 yrs / SL Emerging Ladies Squad

14. Telishiya Chaturangani - Devapathiraja Ladies College, Rathgama / 16 yrs / SL Emerging Ladies Squad
15. Imesha Dulani                - Devapathiraja Ladies College, Rathgama / 16 yrs / SL Emerging Ladies Squad

Following the presentation of the scholarships the MCC group split in to two mixed team, one being the MCC/ Scholarship Recipients combines and the other being MCC/ FoG and Scholarship Recipients  Combined and enjoyed a great game of cricket before departing.

A few days later, we were delighted to be honoured by former MCC President Mr. Mike Gatting along with 10 former staff members from MCC. This group too visited the MCC Centre of Excellence, Sports Academy and the Sri Sumangala MCC Lords Cricket Grounds before departing.

“Thank you so much for the time you afforded us at the Foundation of Goodness. 

It was wonderful to be able to see the Centre and the feedback I have had from Members is absolutely amazing.  You are doing a quite incredible job.  The scale of your operation is quite incredible.  As you were quick to explain it is the result of a tragedy on an unimaginable scale, but you really have achieved something so special on the back of the pain that must have caused everyone.”

Jamie Clifford - Assistant Secretary (Membership & Operations), MCC
Our heartfelt thanks goes out to the MCC Centre of Excellence who’s support has helped us to touch the lives of countless rural sportsmen, kids, youth and women to develop their skills and make better progress in life.

6th December 2018