Sri Lanka unearth new pace sensation

In Durban last December fast bowler Randi Dilhara Fernando announced his raw potential to the cricketing world with a five-wicket haul against South Africa. Today, in Galle, he confirmed his exciting talent with one of the most lethal new ball bursts by a Sri Lankan fast bowler in modern times.

It started late last evening as a golden sun hugged the horizon. India's batsmen had played doggedly throughout the day, scoring at less than two runs per over. Nevertheless, with the score on 155, India had lost only three wickets all day having been put into bat on a green wicket and they looked certain to end the day on top.

Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jaysuriya decided to make one final assault before the eminent close. It worked. Fernando, pounding in to bowl with the crumbling ramparts of the Old Dutch Fort as a dramatic backdrop, burst through the defenses of Mohammad Kaif, who had been batting solidly for almost three hours. Hemang Bandani sparred at a wide delivery in Fernando's next over and India were 161 for five.

In the morning he continued where he had left off the night before, cutting through the Indian lower order with sheer pace, disconcerting bounce and aggression. He took three further wickets in a five over burst and even had the gall to rap the oppositions main strike bowler on the gloves, forcing Javagal Srinath to retire hurt. In all, he had taken five for 18 in a devastating seven over spell with the new ball that had changed the course of the game.

Fernando, a shy, friendly man and a strong catholic, was delighted with his performance, but does not rate it as his best: "I think my best bowling was against South Africa because the wickets I got there were against better players of fast bowling."

"I had no pressure because Chaminda (Vaas), Ruchira (Perera) and Suresh (Perera) all bowled well," he said. Before adding modestly: "I concentrated on bowling a good line and waited for the wickets to come."

Fernando played for Sri Lanka Under 19 in 1997 and Sri Lanka A against Zimbabwe last year before making his international debut against Pakistan at the Sinhalese Sports Club last year, when he was far from the finished article and often speared the ball down the leg side.

However, he had natural pace, a rare commodity in Sri Lanka's recent past. The selectors picked him for the South Africa tour, where he was impressive, but expensive, and against England, when he rarely bowled because of the dustbowl pitches. His rate of improvement has been nothing short of remarkable and in the recent tri-series he commanded a regular place after an injury to Nuwan Zoysa.

He was given a chance with the new ball: "I was asked whether I can bowl with the new ball in place Nuwan Zoysa, who was injured. I told them I had not previously bowled with the new ball because I did not have enough confidence in myself, but I would love to open bowling."

The rapid progress was undoubtedly aided by the confidence shown in him by the team management, the selectors and Chaminda Vaas, who he is full of praise for, but owes a great deal to Sri Lankan fast bowling coach Rumesh Ratnayake, who has been working hard with him during the past 12 months.

Ratnayake is confident that we have not yet seen him at his best: "We first saw Dilhara (Fernando) hit it off in South Africa. He only had firepower then, but he has now improved his accuracy, has a superb slower one and can reverse swing the ball. I also believe that he can bowl a yard faster than he is at the moment and should average about 93-4 mph in two years time."

"After the England tour we have been fine tuning his action," he revealed. "Speed is a rare natural talent, so we did not want to make drastic changes, but we felt that he could improve his performance levels by 40 per cent if we straightened his lines - he was losing pace and accuracy by falling over at the point of delivery."

"He has done tremendously well since then, but I feel that a 20 per cent improvement can still be made through further fine tuning to his front arm and run-up and that he will then be a fully fledged fast bowler in the class of McGrath and Gillespie," he said.

Ratnayake, currently working with an impressive squad of young bowlers in the Fast Bowling Academy, is now getting excited. He realises the knock on influence that the unassuming Fernando could have on Sri Lankan cricket: "Chaminda Vaas was our first fast bowling icon and now Dilhara can be a role model for our youngsters to emulate."

Fernando, a genuine all rounder at De Mazenod College, has set simple goals for the future: "I want to contribute more with the bat and take as many wickets at possible." If he carries on bowling with the pace and verve that he displayed here, then that is a forgone conclusion.