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| Sunday, 19 March 2006 |
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St. Sylvester's poised to win 48th battle against Vidyartha by S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen, Kandy Sports Corr. If there is no interference by the weather gods, St. Sylvesters College can look forward to notching up a win in their 48th Kandy's 'Battle of the Bebes' against Vidyartha College which will be played at the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy today and tomorrow (March 19th and 20th) with play commencing at 9.45 a. m. each day. The Sylvestrians' not only have a clear lead in the series but also performed better this season and could boast of one of the strongest combinations in schools this year. A peep into the past reveals that the Sylvestrians have won 11 matches against 3 by Vidyartha. The last Sylvestrian victory was in 1998 under Hemantha Wimalawickrema when Roland Perera coached them and they won four matches in the nineties. But a victory by Vidyartha is long overdue as they achieved this in 1967 under R. M. Lafir who is the present SSP Traffic in Colombo and later went on to represent Sri Lanka at rugby. Thus they have a 37 year old 'jinx' to break. The Sylvestrians will be led by fifth year coloursman Ravi Karunaratne who is one of the best allrounders in schools, having captured 60 wickets with his medium pacers and also scored over 700 runs including a century. Another allrounder Chanaka Ranaweera, also a fifth year coloursman, is the vice-captain of the side. He has taken over 40 wickets and scored 450 runs. Sharnaz Najurdeen another fine allrounder playing in his sixth year has played only in five matches and scored 350 runs and captured 35 wickets with his off spinners. The Sylvestrian batting line up goes right down the line and will include Skippor Ravi Karunaratne, Chanaka Ranaweera, Shanaz Najurdeen, Rajitha Wickremarachchi, Denanjaya Karunaratne, Mohamed Feshal, Roshan Jayatissa, Chanaka Silva and Chanaka Colombage. The pace attack will be spearheaded by skipper Ravi Karunaratne and Chanaka Ranaweera with more pace from Maithri Wijesekera. The spin attack will comprise leg spinner Nuski Mohammed (40 wickets), off spinner Shanez Najurdeen, off spinner Mohammed Feshal, off spinner Yasiru Chanaka, left arm spinner Chanaka Silva and two off spinners Chanaka Colombage and Roshan Jayatissa. Rajitha Wickremarachchi with 35 victims will stand behind the stumpe. St. Sylvester's have played 11 matches, won two outright against St. Sebastians College, Moratuwa and Isipathana College. Rest of the matches have ended in draws. Vidyartha College will be led by allrounder Dilan Senanayake who is an attractive batsman, having scored over 400 runs this and also has represented Kandy Youths CC in the Division I cricket tournament and was adjudged the 'Best Batsman' in the Champions Trophy cricket tournament having an average of 76.3 per innings. He is also an off-spinner. His deputy is Madhuka Weerasekara, another good bat who is a third year coloursman who has hit a bed patch with runs not coming from his bat. But the most successful player in the side is last year's captain Eranga Gangoda who has scored over 600 runs end his off spinners have brought him a harvest of over 40 wickets. Apart from this trio, others who could swell the total are Sandakelum Chandrasena, Janaka Weerasekera, Asiri Karunaratne, Nadun Basnayake, Theekshana Wadagedera, Udara Wijeratne and Pathum Aluthge. The speed attack will be in the hands of Dilina Kaushalya, Asiri Karunarathne and Sandakelum Chandrasena, Eranga Gangoda will be their main spinner and he will have the support of left arm spinner Nadun Basnayake off spinner Kasun Ekanayake and off spinner Dilan Senanayake, Theakshana Wadagedera who is the 'baby ' of the side will keep wickets. They have played 10 matches and all have been drawn. St. Sylvester's (from) Ravi Karunaratne (Captain), Chanaka Ranaweera, (Vice Captain), Shanaz Najurdeen, Dananjaya Karunaratne, Rajitha Wickramarachchi, Mohammed Feshal, Chanaka Silva, Roshan Jayatissa, Shemika Alehakoon, Chanaka Colombage, Maithri Wijesekara, Nuski Mohammed, Issira Chanuka, Kasum Saneviratne, Eranga Alwis, Maneka Nanayakkara, Nuwan Dhanuska, Nuwan Nilantha, (Caoch Tuder Gunaratne, MIC lt. C. J. Kalugampitiya POG end Deputy Principal A. K. B. Dodeawela) Vidyartha College (from) Dilan Senanayake (Captain) Badhuka Weerasekera (Vice-captain), Asiri Karunaratne, Eranga Gangoda, Janaka Weerasekera, Sandakelum Chandrasena, Nadun Basnayake, Pathum Aluthge, Theekshana Wedagedara, Kasun Ekanayake, Dilina Kaushalya, Udara Wijeratne, Kasun Srimahal, Lalinda Alahakoon, Shawantha Aluwihara, Sachitra Wijekoon, Ravinath Thalagahagoda, Sameera Lakmal (Joint coaches: B. F. Ranasinghe, and Chaminda Kodikara, MIC Ananda Upatissa. Prefect of Games and Assistant Principal W. D. G. Wijewansa.
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