Player Profile : Stéphane Samarakoon

Full Name: Stéphane Samarakoon

Age : 20 years old

Playing role: Opening Batsman

Batting Style: Right-hand bat

Bowling Style: Right-arm offbreak

Clubs: Thoiry C.C(2000 to 2003) ,

Paris University Club(2004 to 2007) ,USCA(2008 to now)

National Team: France U17

Highest Score: 72* vs Hampshire Hogs in 2003

Best Bowling Figures: 4 for 15 runs vs British Embassy of Paris in 2003

Relations:

Yannick Samarakoon(brother)http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/303972.html,

Sanjaya Attanayake(cousin)http://www.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/player/48148.html,

U.S.C. Perera(uncle)http://www.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/player/50033.html

In 2000,Stéphane started to play leather ball cricket when he was 8 years old for

Thoiry Cricket Club,he learnt the basics over there and he played for the U13 and U15 team and also for the Senior Second XI.

In the summer of 2002, he played with the

U15 Royal College(Colombo,Sri Lanka)

In 2004 he joined Paris University Club(PUC) and was named as the U13 captain and he was the same year nomined to be the captain of the Paris District U13 and he became

U13 France Districts Champions.

In 2005, Stéphane took part of the ICC European Development Programm Center of Excellence at Bradfield College(Berkshire,UK) amongs the 24 best young rising players and with coaches such as Richard O'Sullivan and the former Holland captain Roland Lefebvre who said"Stéphane is a talented batsmen for his young age and he is a strong front foot player".
Here's the ICC link:
http://www.icc-europe.org/events/coe.php?year=2005
Here's the BBC article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/4429611.stm

In 2006 , he was selected to tour Germany with U17 France squad.

In the summer of 2007 he played with the

U23 Police Sports Club and the mercatile cricket team of
Union Assurance (Colombo,Sri Lanka)

In 2008 he joined USCA and was named as the U19 captain and he managed to lead his team to the victory and became for the first edition of the tournament the

U19 France Championship Champions.