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Ruwantha Kellepotha

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Ruwantha Kellepotha
Personal information
Born(1991-07-13)13 July 1991
Kandy, Central Province, Sri Lanka
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm leg-break
RoleBowler
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
Moors Sports Club
Sri Lanka Police Sports Club
Kurunegala Youth Cricket Club
2022-presentVictoria cricket team
2022/23-presentMelbourne Renegades
Career statistics
Competition FC List A T20
Matches 22 13 2
Runs scored 622 38 2
Batting average 38.87 4.75 -
100s/50s 1/1 0/0 0/0
Top score 100* 15 1*
Balls bowled 1,828 512 48
Wickets 58 19 3
Bowling average 31.51 22.31 21.66
5 wickets in innings 2 1 0
10 wickets in match 0 0 0
Best bowling 5/66 5/40 2/32
Catches/stumpings 21/- 6/- 0/-
Source: Cricinfo, 14 February 2023

Ruwantha Prasad Kellepotha[1] also known as Ruwantha Kellapotha (born 13 July 1991) is a Sri Lankan first-class cricketer who currently resides in Australia.[2][3] He has played in 21 first-class matches with 20 of them coming in Sri Lankan soil between 2011 and 2013 while a solitary first-class appearance came in Australian soil.

Early career

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He pursued his primary and secondary education at St. Thomas' College, Matale. He played school cricket for St. Thomas' College, Matale in various age groups including under-12 (2003), under-13 (2004), under-15 (2005), under-17 (2006-2007) and under-18 (2005-2010).[4] He has also captained his school team in under-15, under-17 and under-19 age categories. He made rapid strides through school cricket with his all-round prowess and was a consistent performer at school level matches representing his school.

He had a stellar 2009-2010 Sri Lankan schools cricket season with the ball by grabbing 108 wickets and was adjudged the Best Bowler Outstation during the 32nd edition of the Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year awards in 2010.[4] He also became the first player from St. Thomas' College, Matale to take 100 wickets in a single schools cricket season.[5] He was also the first player from a Central Province school as well as from outstation school to complete a haul of 100 wickets for the 2009–2010 season.[6]

He was also adjudged as runner-up for Best Allrounder category and runner-up in Outstation Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year during the 2010 Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year awards.[7] He also ensured success during the 2008-2009 schools cricket season capturing 87 wickets.

He has also played for Ragama Cricket Club in the SLC under-23 cricket tournament.[4]

He made his List A debut in the Sri Lankan domestic circuit playing for Moors Sports Club against Sri Lanka Air Force Sports Club on 31 December 2010 at the Moors Sports Club Ground during the 2010 Premier Limited Overs Tournament Tier B.[8] He made his first-class debut in the Sri Lankan domestic circuit for Moors Sports Club against Seeduwa Raddoluwa Cricket Club on 4 March 2011 at the Moors Sports Club Ground during the 2011 Premier League Tournament Tier B.[9]

Domestic career in Australia

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He moved to Melbourne, Australia in 2013 in pursuit of better career opportunities. Since his arrival to Australia, he has played in lower level competitions including a stint of eight seasons with Dandenong District Cricket Association in Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs where he plied his trade for four different clubs.[10] He later began playing in Victorian Premier Cricket for Casey-South Melbourne Cricket Club in 2022 season and he soon emerged as the club's main to go-man with the ball after becoming the leading wicket-taker of the competition with a record 46 wickets across the First XI and Super Slam matches during the season and he also played an important role in helping Casey-South to reach the final of the competition in March 2022. In March 2022, he won the prestigious Alan Wookey medal after being adjudged as the best player in the turf 1 season [11] In August 2022, he also played for Melbourne Renegades Academy in the Top End T20 Series in Darwin featuring in three games.[12][13] In November 2021, he received call-up to join Victoria Second XI team despite having played only one Premier Cricket match.[14][15]

In September 2022, he was signed as an overseas replacement player by Melbourne Renegades for both Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Akeal Hosein as both of them later withdrew from the 2022–23 Big Bash League season in order to make themselves available for United Arab Emirates's new T20 franchise competition International League T20.[10][16][17] His signing created shockwaves as he had never played in a T20 match before being drafted to the Big Bash League, which is Australia's top domestic T20 League.[18][19] His impressive performances in the 2022 Premier Cricket and the Top End T20 Series were also instrumental in gaining Big Bash League contract with Melbourne Renegades.[20][21][22] He also became the first Sri Lankan professional cricketer in nearly seven years to be contracted with a Big Bash League club since Kumar Sangakkara.[23] He made his T20 debut for the Melbourne Renegades, on 10 January 2023 against the Adelaide Strikers in the 2023 BBL.[24]

He made his comeback return to first-class cricket after a gap of nine years during the 2022–23 Sheffield Shield season which is a top-tier domestic first-class competition in Australia.[25] It also marked his first stint with Sheffield Shield and his selection into the Victorian squad as an overseas player was a surprise package and also raised eyebrows due to the fact that he had not played in any form of a competitive cricket match since 22 March 2013 as he last turned up for Kurunegala Youth Cricket Club in a first-class match against Chilaw Marians Cricket Club.[26][27] He subsequently made his Sheffield Shield debut representing Victoria against South Australia on 17 October 2022 at the age of 31 albeit of an injury concern to Jon Holland and it also marked his debut in Australian top-tier state cricket. He also became the first international player to be recruited by Victoria men's cricket team since Fawad Ahmed's signing in February 2013. On his Sheffield Shield debut match, he returned with figures of 2 for 122 runs in a long marathon spell of 26.2 overs in the first innings which also included the priced scalps of Cameron Bancroft and D'Arcy Short.[28][29] Meanwhile, he followed it up with a spell of conceding 47 runs in 12 overs without claiming a wicket in the second innings as the match ended in a high scoring draw. He also became the fifth Sri Lankan to play for an Australian state team in Sheffield Shield history after Pat McCarthy, Gamini Goonesena, Malcolm Francke and Dav Whatmore.[30]

References

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  1. ^ "Prasad Kellepotha". Wisden. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Ruwantha Kellepotha profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Ruwantha Kellepotha Profile - ICC Ranking, Age, Career Info & Stats". Cricbuzz. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "Ruwantha Kellapotha captured 108 wickets this season". archives.sundayobserver.lk. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  5. ^ "Kellepatha of St. Thomas' Matale reaches milestone with 100 scalps". www.sundaytimes.lk. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Ruwantha joins 100 Club". archives.sundayobserver.lk. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Rumesh, Malith and Amila take away the honours". www.sundaytimes.lk. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Full Scorecard of Moors vs SL Air SC Group A 2010/11 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  9. ^ "Full Scorecard of Moors vs Seeduwa 2010/11 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Melbourne Renegades sign uncapped Sri Lankan spinner Ruwantha Kellapotha". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  11. ^ "Ruwantha Kellepotha of Berwick wins DDCA Wookey Medal". Herald Sun. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  12. ^ "Kellapotha taking opportunities in the Top End". Melbourne Renegades. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  13. ^ "Academy squad named for Top End Series". Melbourne Renegades. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  14. ^ Hui, Jin (28 July 2022). "Ruwantha reaps Victorian reward". Dandenong Star Journal. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  15. ^ "Premier Cricket: Ruwantha Kellepotha called up to Vic seconds". Herald Sun. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  16. ^ "Ruwantha becomes a Renegade". Melbourne Renegades. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  17. ^ Sanjeewa, Kanishka (29 September 2022). "Sri Lankan leg-spinner Ruwantha Kellapotha to play in Big Bash League". ThePapare.com. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  18. ^ "BBL overseas draft: Livingstone to Renegades, Boult to Stars, du Plessis and Russell unpicked". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  19. ^ "Kellopotha's journey to big BBL deal". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  20. ^ "Sri Lankan club cricket star earns BBL deal". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  21. ^ "Melbourne Renegades sign uncapped Sri Lankan Ruwantha Kellapotha for BBL12 | The Cricketer". www.thecricketer.com. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  22. ^ 2022 - 6:00am (28 September 2022). "Renegades find Sri Lankan gem in Premier cricket". codesports. Retrieved 26 November 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ Rishad, Mohammed (29 September 2022). "சங்கக்காரவுக்குப் பிறகு பிக் பேஷ் லீக்கில் ஆடும் முதல் இலங்கையர்". ThePapare.com. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  24. ^ "Full Scorecard of Strikers vs Renegades 36th Match 2022/23 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  25. ^ Hui, Jin (20 October 2022). "Kellapotha jumps to Shield stage". Berwick Star News. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  26. ^ "Full Scorecard of Chilaw vs Kurunegala Y Group B 2012/13 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  27. ^ "Sri Lankan journeyman in line for shock Shield debut". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  28. ^ "Full Scorecard of West Aust vs Victoria 5th Match 2022/23 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  29. ^ "Bancroft shines with hundred before Victoria's spinners fight back". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  30. ^ "Ruwantha - fifth Lankan to play in Sheffield Shield". Daily News. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
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