Homers' Mohan Bandara primed for 2020-21 Horsham Cricket Association season

MB: It's been a bit hard, actually, with COVID and everything going on. After last season I'd hoped to go back to Sri Lanka, but because of COVID I couldn't go back.

It's really been hard, because I miss my family. The thing was that I hoped to get engaged in May, once I got back to Sri Lanka. My girlfriend of five years has graduated from pyschology there, so we hoped to get married in May.

Eventually, I planned to go back to Sri Lanka in December, in the summer break, but it won't happen because the COVID situation in Sri Lanka is a bit bad at the moment.

It's really, really tough because I'm at the best time in my life to get married and settle down. My girlfriend is up there waiting for me to come back and get married. It's really hard for her and all my family. I don't know when I will go. I miss my family and my girlfriend so much, that's the hardest part. Being alone here, without family, it's hard.

How is your family doing? Are they saying well?

Yeah they're alright, they're pretty well. At the beginning Sri Lanka was pretty good with the COVID situation. But, one outbreak came up so it turned pretty bad. The borders are closed up there.

How did you manage during the lockdown we had here?

It was really hard at the beginning because we couldn't go anywhere. We had to be stuck at home. It's a bit of an awkward time. I like to travel, normally, but I couldn't go anywhere because of this situation.

I would like to explore more of Australia than I have done. That's my target now, and what I'm looking forward to.

Getting back on to cricket, how did you find your first season in Horsham?

At the beginning it was a bit hard, but I got through that, and I was fortunate to get 33 wickets for the whole season. It was good to become the second-highest. My partner from the same club (Craig Britten) got the bowling award, and I'm really lucky to back him up as an opening bowler.

What is it that like you about bowling with Craig?

The thing is if he is bowling at the other end and builds the pressure on the batsmen, I can get away wickets. And when things are going alright, and I can put pressure on, then he will get wickets. That's what we have done as a bowling combination. We put pressure on the batsmen from both ends.

After every over we used to talk to each other, about how we should bowl the next over. It helped us to get 73 wickets together, which is a good achievement I reckon.

How are you feeling about this season?

It's going to be interesting. We're missing out on the two-dayers, which I love the most because I get bowl a bit longer. I'm just really glad to be back playing cricket, after everything that has gone on. It's good to be back for everyone, I reckon.

Did you manage to get much training in with COVID and everything that's gone on?

Yeah, I went to the store and bought all those little things so I could do weight training at home. The thing is once I've started cricket, I won't get my focus off it. I worked really hard in the offseason.

You have a big game this weekend against Noradjuha-Toolondo. How are you feeling about that?

They have a good side, with Tony (Caccaviello) coming in. He's a gun player as well and a good fast bowler. We're prepared for the game. It's going to be a tough game, so I'm really looking forward to it.