Nalanda's top batsman Lahiru Wickremasinghe out...

Something special needed to get result in 'Battle of the Maroons'

By Ranjan Anandappa

CRICKET - Nalanda will take the field sans their top scorer and star batsman Lahiru Wickremasinghe when they take on traditional rivals Ananda in the 78th 'Battle of the Maroons' encounter that will take place on March 24 and 25 at the Sinhalese Sports Club grounds, Maitlan Place.

One drop bat Wickremasinghe has qualified to enter the University and his absence will be felt as he is the player who has been among the runs-scoring over 650 with two centuries against his name. He has been the backbone of the Nalanda batting.

Both teams seem to be on even keel, and unless someone from either side produces something spectacular, a chance of obtaining a result looks remote. Both teams have some promising allrounders.

The two captains Malith Gunatilleke (Ananda) and Milinda Weerasinghe (Nalanda) head the list as they have performed extremely well with bat and ball. Gunatilleke, a fourth year coloursman, bats at number four and has scored over 600 runs with a century against Richmond and has a rich harvest of 91 wickets. His bowling alone has helped Ananda to beat Royal after 47 years this season. On the other hand, Weerasinghe too, has performed well scoring over 300 runs and taking over 40 wickets for the season.

Besides the openers, Udara Jayasundera (over 815 runs with two hundreds) and Dinesh Chandimal (Over 500 runs), Vishva Wijesuriya (over 300 runs), Ranganath Wijesuriya (Over 400 runs and 30 wickets) and Udara Pieris (Over 500 runs and 58 wickets) have provided the strength of the Ananda middle order which makes batting their forte.

Ishara Wickremasinghe and Madumal Jayaratne will share the new ball and with the spinning allrounders Ananda should look forward for a good performance.

Ananda has played 16 matches so far for the season and has beaten Royal, St. Sebastian's, St. Benedict's and Dharmasoka and lost to St. Peter's.

Nalanda has remained unbeaten with wins against S. Thomas' and Sri Sumangala in their 14 matches played so far

For Nalanda, beside their skipper Milinda Weerasinghe, the rest have been performing somewhat moderately though not upto expectations. The Nalandians will not have star batsman Lahiru Wickremasinghe.

However, Madhawa Warnapura (548 runs) with two centuries and a fifty, Ashan Priyanjana a school's under 19 representative 418 with four 50's, Pramosh Perera 518 with a century and a fifty have kept the batting together.

In the big match series Ananda has won 12 matches to Nalanda's 6 with the rest ending in draws. Ananda last won in 2003 under Damindu Kularatne while Nalanda has not won since 1953.

The highest individual score has been by Nalandian Shantha Kalavitigoda (149 n.o) in 1997 when he surpassed the 146 N.O. by Roshan Mahanama (Nalanda) in 1984.

Thilina Kandamby struck 144 runs in 1999 to be the highest individual scorer for Ananda.

Yohan Gunasekera (Nalanda) had the best bowling analysis taking 8 for 32 in 1974 while the late P. W. Perera has the best bowling figures for Ananda (8 for 51) in 1940.

The two schools Ananda (26) and Nalanda (24) boast of a unique feat of producing the most number of Test cricketers.

A joint communique issued by the two schools say that no analogy can be found anywhere in the world where two schools who share a common heritage and an amicable rivalry, joining to produce 50 national players during the past 78 years

Teams

Ananda (from): Udara Jayasundera, Dinesh Chandimal, Prabodha Seneviratne, Malith Gunatilleke (captain), Vishwa Wijesuriya, Ranganath Wijetunga, Udara Pieris, Dilshan Silva, Ishara Wickremasinghe, Madumal Jayaratne, Matheesha Perera, Chamith Kularatne, Sameera Wijesuriya, Ruchira Herath.

Nalanda (from): Milinda Weerasinghe (captain), Madhawa Warnapura, Ashan Priyanjana, Lahiru Aponso, Amal Atapattu, Premosh Perera, Mirko de Silva, Uthpala Bagya Kumara, Dilshan Munaweera, Namal Gunawardena, Nipun Karunaratne.