Unknown to many cricket followers, 17-year old batsman Pawan Ratnayake created history by becoming the first batsman at his age to crack a century in club cricket and follow it up by smashing 200 and 100 in a school match the following week.
Mahanama College schoolboy Ratnayake who also plays for the Colombo Cricket Club (CCC) hit 164 against Moors SC last week in a First Class inter club match and this week made what must easily be a unique and sensational record by scoring 200 and 100 in an inter-school match against Prince of Wales College.
Ratnayake was unbeaten in both innings and in the process went past the 1000-run mark the current schools season.
In the process Ratnayake beat the previous youngest First Class centurion Sudat Pasqual who stroked a hundred at the age of 17 years and 265 days for Sri Lanka against Ireland in a three-day match in 1979.
Ratnayake was 17 years and 189 days old and entered the crease as a Number Eight batsman.
Charith Asalanka also scored a century for Galle CC against Air Force at the age of 17 years and 285 days.
“I wanted to give a chance to the youngsters and Ratnayake made full use of the opportunity,” said his coach Tharanga Dhammika.