Veteran leg spin bowler Malinda Pushpakumara reached a milestone of taking 800 wickets in first class cricket when he claimed the wicket of Lasith Croosepulle during his team’s match against Kandy which began last Thursday (17) at the Pallekele Stadium.
Playing for Dambulla, Pushpakumara captured 7 for 120 in the first innings which is also the best bowling figures in the current National Super League four-day cricket tournament.
Pushpakumara started his first class career in 2006 playing for Kurunegala YCC. Later he played for Saracens, Singha SC, Moors SC, Ports Authority, Chilaw Marians and is presently at the Colombo Cricket Club (CCC).
Pushpakumara the 34-year-old leggie has played 142 first class matches to become the sixth bowler to cross the 800 wicket mark in the 82-year history of first-class cricket in Sri Lanka. He was able to pick five-wicket hauls on 66 occasions while grabbing a match bag of 10 wickets 22 times during his career.
Before him the highest first class wicket-takers in the country were Muttiah Muralidaran (1374), Rangana Herath (1001), Dinuk Hettiarachchi (929), Sajeeva Weerakoon (802) and Dilruwan Perera (808).
Pushpakumara has been Sri Lanka’s most prolific wicket-taker in domestic cricket in recent years. He booked a place in the Sri Lanka Test squad at the age of 29 and has represented the country in four Tests and two ODIs.
During his career Pushpakumara’s 10 wickets for 37 runs in a first class match was considered to be the best bowling figures in club cricket. In 1992 the former Sri Lanka paceman Promodya Wickramsinghe who played for SSC, captured all ten wickets in an inning, (10 for 41) against Kalutara YCC.
Pushpakumara began his school cricket career at Lumbini College, Colombo and played in the Sri Lanka’s under-19 side in 2005.
Later he was selected to the Sri Lanka A team before being selected to the senior National side. However, he was also unlucky as the team selectors preferred to persist with leading spinner Rangana Herath as their first choice to the national team.