Sri Lanka’s fastest bowler, Dilhara Fernando, has fully recovered from aserious back injury and is raring to have a go at the Englishmen

Sa'adi Thawfeeq07-Dec-2003Sri Lanka’s fastest bowler, Dilhara Fernando, has fully recovered from aserious back injury and is raring to have a go at the Englishmen. He couldplay in Kandy if conditions favour an extra pace bowler.©CricInfoFernando went six months without international cricket after suffering astress fracture of his spine. He last played for Sri Lanka at Sharjah inApril, before the pain became so unbearable that he had to undergotreatment.Sri Lanka Cricket fast bowling coach, Champaka Ramanayke, reveals thatFernando first complained about his back during the 2003 World Cup. Theinjury apparently contributed to him bowling so many no balls.Ramanayake, with whom Fernando has been working with for the past fivemonths, helped identify a technical fault in his action, which is coined`counter rotation’ by bio-mechanic analysts."He was twisting his spine and putting too much pressure on it. The endresult was a fracture. We have identified the fault and changed hisalignment so that he’s bowling more upright now," said Ramanayake.During Dilhara’s absence the likes of Prabath Nissanka (now recuperatingafter knee surgery), Dinush Fernando and Nuwan Kulasekera have all pushedtheir claims for a regular berth. Nuwan Zoysa is also fighting his way backinto contention, bowling with greater zip and purpose.But despite the growing competition for places, Dilhara is confident that hewill soon regain his berth and unafraid of competition."When I first joined SSC, there were about five Sri Lankan bowlers in theside. Quite a number of people advised me to change club, arguing that Iwould not get a chance. But I stuck it out. There presence gave me anincentive to bowl better and improve my performances. I finally managed toconvince SSC to pick me," said Fernando."I am facing a similar situation today in making a comeback into thenational team and I am confident I can do it. As they [the other pacebowlers] keep on improving their performances it offers me a challenge toperform better to regain my place," said Fernando.The 24-year-old said he obtains the majority of his wickets with the slowball and the bouncer. "In the one-day game I bowl the yorker at tailenders.But I know I need to pitch the ball up further for success at the Testlevel."Fernando has been timed at 91.9 mph against South Africa at Durban where hereturned his best figures of five for 42 in 2000. He has natural pace buthas paid for and inconsistent line and often for bowling too short.Fernando said the best ball he bowled was to England opener Michael Vaughanin the Manchester Test in 2002."I did not play a single practice match and came straight into the Testmatch. I bowled a slow ball to Vaughan, which he failed to read and put upan easy catch. That has been the best ball I’ve bowled at internationallevel," said Fernando, who has 33 wickets from 13 Tests and 73 wickets from55 one-day internationals.There was a time Fernando was plagued with no balls, but since changing hisaction the problem as eased. "I bowled no balls whenever I tried to bowlfast and when I had problems with my run up," said Fernando. "There has beena considerable improvement in the number of no-balls I bowl after I changedmy run up. It has been very evident during the current season."Fernando said that he had not modelled his bowling action on anyone inparticular, but has been a keen follower of South African fast bowler AllanDonald. Sri Lanka hope he will have and equally distinguished career, no onedoubts that he has the raw ingredients.