Wayamba cricket team

Sri Lanka Cricket fearing that Club cricket alone would not be enough to keep Sri Lankan cricket competitive, the Inter-Provincial Cricket Tournament was created as a domestic first-class cricket tournament in Sri Lanka in 1990.[4] From the inauguration of the tournament, in 1990, participating teams varied from year to year. The tournament started with four provincial teams. They were Western Province, Central Province, Southern Province and Wayamba.

In the first first-class Inter-provincial tournament, which was called the 1990 Singer Inter-Provincial Trophy, Wayamba, then called North Central Province, captained by Ranjith Madurasinghe, had come last out of the four provinces, losing all their matches and finishing the tournament with only five points. Western Province went on to win the tournament, not losing a game.[5]

With the establishment of Twenty20 cricket in 2003, it came to Sri Lanka in 2004 as the Twenty20 Tournament, however this was replaced with the Inter-Provincial Twenty20 in 2008. Wayamba won the 2007–08 Inter-Provincial Twenty20, which was the first edition of the tournament. They had won four out of five matches in the group stage and eventually won their way into the finals with Ruhuna. Wayamba won by 31 runs.[6]

The end of 2007 and the start of 2008 was host to the first Inter-Provincial Limited Over Tournament. Wayamba came second on the points table winning two matches and losing two matches and eventually gaining a place in the finals with Kandurata. In the final, captained by Sanjeewa de Silva, Wayamba won the toss and decided to field. Playing a rain reduced game kandurata posted a score of 131 for 5 wickets in 29.3 overs. Wayamba had a revised target of 143 runs in 25 overs, however the match ended up as a no result after 6 overs into the Wayamba innings with a score of 37. The trophy was shared between the two teams.[7][8]

The 2008–09 Inter-Provincial Twenty20 was the second edition of the Inter-Provincial Twenty20, where the Wayamba elevens won. Losing only their first match to Basnahira South and making it into the knockout stage. Facing Ruhuna, they drew with 88 runs each. Wayamba won bowl-out 3–2. In the final they met Basnahira South, winning with an over to spare getting the 145 runs needed, and qualifying for the 2009 Champions League Twenty20.

In the 2009 Inter-provincial tournament, Wayamba became runners-up after their defeat by 10 wickets in the finals in the hands of Basnahira North team.[9] Though the Wayamba team won the title of Inter-Provincial Twenty20 tournament of 2009 season defeating Basnahira South team.[10] Wayamba took Basnahira South's last nine wickets for just eleven runs,[10] and went on to win the match by 5 wickets. 21 years old Isuru Udana was adjudged man of the match and series.[10]

The Wayamba cricket team featured in the 2009 Champions League Twenty20 as the Wayamba elevens.

In the second edition of the Inter-Provincial Limited Over Tournament, which had skipped 2009. Wayamba won three and only lost to the two Basnahiras coming third in the points table, behind Ruhuna and Kandurata.

In 2010 the Wayamba cricket team won their third Inter-Provincial Twenty20 tournament, winning in style not losing a game, and the discovery of Mahela Jayawardene as Twenty20 opener. This was the third time in a row Wayamba had won the tournament and the second time they have qualified for the Champions League Twenty20.[11] The Wayamba elevens won every game including the knockout stage. In the final they met Ruhuna, were Wayamba was put into bat, they scored 208 for 8 wickets in the full twenty overs and the opposition replied only being able to score 113 runs in 13.2 overs.[12]

There were high hopes for Wayamba for the 2010 Champions League Twenty20, sending a team with 11 players with international caps.[13]

Players with international caps are listed in bold.

No.	Name	Nat	Birth date	Batting Style	Bowling Style	Notes
Batsmen
19	Michael Vandort		(1980-01-19) 19 January 1980	Left-handed	Right arm medium pace	Not Included in CLT20 15-man Squad
24	Jeevantha Kulatunga		(1973-11-02) 2 November 1973	Right-handed	Right arm medium pace
27	Mahela Jayawardene		(1977-05-27) 27 May 1977	Right-handed	Right arm medium pace	Captain
All-rounders
1	Thisara Perera		(1989-04-03) 3 April 1989	Left-handed	Right arm medium-fast
23	Kaushal Lokuarachchi		(1982-05-20) 20 May 1982	Right-handed	Right arm leg break
28	Farveez Maharoof		(1985-01-04) 4 January 1985	Right-handed	Right arm fast-medium
69	Shalika Karunanayake		(1987-02-14) 14 February 1987	Right-handed	Right arm fast-medium
Wicket-keepers
44	Sameera de Zoysa		(1987-01-31) 31 January 1987	Left-hand bat	–
??	Damitha Hunukumbura		(1977-11-07) 7 November 1977	Left-hand bat	–
Bowlers
12	Chanaka Welegedara		(1981-03-20) 20 March 1981	Right-handed	Left arm fast-medium
14	Rangana Herath		(1978-03-19) 19 March 1978	Left-handed	Slow left-arm orthodox
17	Isuru Udana		(1988-02-17) 17 February 1988	Right-handed	Left arm medium-fast
40	Ajantha Mendis		(1985-03-11) 11 March 1985	Right-handed	Right arm off break, leg break
54	Ishara Amerasinghe		(1978-03-05) 5 March 1978	Right-handed	Right arm fast-medium	Not Included in CLT20 15-man Squad

Source: Wayamba Elevens, CLT20 15-man Squad

The following is a list of notable players who have represented both Wayamba and Sri Lanka.[17]

• Inter-Provincial First Class Tournament: 0

• Inter-Provincial Limited Over Tournament: 1

2007–08

• Inter-Provincial Twenty20: 3

2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10

• Champions League Twenty20: 0