Charith Senanayake

Charith Panduka Senanayake (born 19 December 1962) is a former Sri Lankan cricketer and businessman. He played in three Test matches and seven One Day Internationals from 1990 to 1991. He also served as manager of Sri Lanka national cricket team for a considerable period of time. He also played professional cricket in Kenya representing Mombasa Sports Club. He has also worked as an expertise in marketing in several positions including marketing manager of Macwoods Ltd in Sri Lanka, marketing consultant of Tea Tang Ltd in Sri Lanka, general manager of LAB International Ltd in Kenya and CEO of Afri Bridge Trade Exporters in Kenya. Career He pursued his primary and secondary education at the Ananda College where he also played school cricket and also featured in popular school Big Match Ananda–Nalanda (involving arch-rivals Ananda College and Nalanda College). He played in domestic cricket competitions representing Colombo Cricket Club and his first-class playing career spanned for about a decade between 1982 and 1983 season to the 1993–94 season. Charith made his ODI debut on 21 December 1990 against Pakistan at the 1990–91 Sharjah Cup. He received his maiden test call up for the tour of New Zealand in 1990 and subsequently made his test debut on 31 January 1991 against New Zealand at Wellington where he scored duck on debut while opening the batting. He then went onto score his maiden test half-century in his second test during the second test match of the series against New Zealand. He scored 64 opening the batting alongside debutant Chandika Hathurusingha and the duo added 95 runs for the opening wicket. He was then dropped from the Sri Lankan test team after the third test of the series as he only scored 97 runs during the three match test cricket in the tour of New Zealand and it also marked his only test series of his career. Roshan Mahanama and Chandika Hathurusingha subsequently secured their positions as openers in test team which left no room for Charith to regain his place in the side.