Nalin's rise from Division Two cricket in California to international status began just a few weeks ago when his coach video taped him bowling and emailed it to Duleep Mendis.

By Peter Simunovich

Two weeks ago Nalin Priyadarshana, an all-rounder, was playing with the Victoria Cricket Club against Orange County in a 20/20 match in Division Two of the Southern California Cricket Association.

The 24-year-old fast bowler and middle order batsman scored 51 and captured three wickets for just 19 runs off seven overs in a busy afternoon’s work.

This weekend (July 10-11) Nalin was back in his native Sri Lanka meeting with cricket administrators about the possibility of representing his country in Test cricket.

Sunil Ramineni, the President of the Victoria Cricket Club, told DreamCricket.com that Nalin could play in a match against the touring Pakistan team if everything works out as planned.

In what can best be described as a rags to riches story, Nalin’s rise from Division Two cricket in California to international status began just a few weeks ago when his coach video taped him bowling and emailed it to Duleep Mendis, a former Test player and now an administrator with Sri Lanka cricket.

The Sri Lankan administrators liked what they saw and Nalin was invited to work out and meet them. He left the United States last Friday and he is expected to return in mid August after meeting with officials, get first class coaching and practice with the Sri Lankan squad.

“This is such a wonderful story for cricket in the United States. Nobody knew anything about him. He just showed up,” said Ramineni. “Nalin is an amazing player. He is a natural athlete. He is a down to earth guy and a very good guy.”

Nalin’s sudden rise is even more dramatic because he did not begin playing cricket until only six months ago. His preferred sport was high jumping and he won a gold medal at the 2001 Southeast Asian Games when he rolled over the bar at 7ft. 3in. (see page 18 of this link to read about his athletic prowess).

Sunil said he was playing tennis-ball cricket with friends at a park in Arcadia, which is about 10 miles from Los Angeles, and they asked Nalin to play. “I remember that he picked up the game really quickly. He is just a natural athlete.”

A few weeks later after some coaching and advice, Nalin scored 75 off 35 balls in a 20/20 game, said Sunil.

Nalin is a high jump coach at East Los Angeles Community College where he is also studying physical education. He came to the US about two years ago.

David Sentance, a long time player and administrator in southern California cricket and a founder of the Victoria Cricket Club, described Nalin as “a skinny kid like a whippet who is incredibly well coordinated and is just brilliant in the field.”

Nalin has not yet been officially timed, but Ramineni said he could bowl around the 80 miles per hour mark.

“He is 5ft. 9in. tall with a high bowling action, is very fast and can move the ball both ways. He has extremely good reflexes. As for his batting, he can hit the ball very hard and his timing is good,” said Ramineni.

Sentance said: “I am extremely impressed with his dedication, he has a very good temperament and he has a low fuse.”

He said that this was a great moment in US cricket and if Nalin is chosen to represent Sri Lanka in international cricket it would give the game in the US a major boost and would make cricket playing countries around the world sit up and take notice of the talent available in the US.

Sentance compared it with the early stages of soccer in the US where top players are now playing at the highest level in Europe and England and represent the US in international games and the World Cup. “This can only help the game,” he said.

Asked if he gave Nalin any advice in his bid to play Test cricket, Ramineni said: “I told him to improve his pace.”

So far this season Nalin has taken 10 wickets at an average of 12 and is averaging 35 with the bat.