Nilanka Peiris (Jnr) appointed as S. Thomas’ cricket coach

Nilanka Peiris, a former Royal-Thomian winning captain and big match centurion, has assumed the mantle of Head Coach of the S. Thomas’ cricket team, commencing April 1.With an impressive track record that includes leading all age groups at S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia, Nilanka boasts a legacy steeped in excellence. His tenure from 1994 to 1998 saw

him don the college colours for an extraordinary five years, a feat seldom attained in cricketing circles. Ascending to the captaincy of the 1st XI team in 1997, Nilanka’s leadership culminated in a historic victory at the Big Match, wresting the D.S. Senanayake Challenge Shield from Royal College. His

sterling man-of-the-match performance, crowned by a magnificent century, etched his name in Thomian cricket folklore. Despite narrowly missing out on another century in the subsequent Royal-Thomian encounter, falling short at 99, Nilanka’s contributions remained legendary, including his contributions to the triumphant Thomian team in the Coca Cola Trophy Championship of 1998.

Nilanka was selected in the Sri Lanka Under 19 squad and also represented CCC and Sebastianites SC at Premier level. He was s member of the Sebastianites team that won the Under 23 championship. He also has experience playing cricket in Australia, where he gained his Level 2 Coaching certificate.

With his deep-rooted association with Thomian Cricket in recent years, Nilanka emerges as a natural choice for the role of Head Coach, having been meticulously groomed for this responsibility.

Meanwhile, Dinesh Kumarasinghe, the former Head Coach has finally relinquished his duties to focus on his responsibilities as the Director of Sports at STC. Although officially stepped down from the Head Coach position in 2019, Kumarasinghe temporarily resumed his duties amidst the challenges posed by external factors such as the Covid pandemic and to the unavailability of a suitable replacement.