Positive approach needed if result is to be got

By Leslie Fernando

CRICKET: A evenly-contested game is on the card when Ananda clash with Nalanda in their 79th 'Battle of the Maroons' which will be played on Saturday and Sunday (March 8 and 9) at the SSC grounds, with play commencing at 9.45 a.m. on each day.

This is the eleventh occasion that one of the outstanding fixtures in the school cricket season is to be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club grounds. From 1986 this big match was played at the R. Premadasa Stadium prior to this, the match was played at the Saravanamuttu Stadium (the Oval).

A total of 79 games have been played so far. Ananda are ahead with 14 wins, while Nalanda has won seven. Fifty eight matches have not produced any result.

For Nalanda, the 55-year wait for a win is undoubtedly far too long. They won in 1953 under the captaincy of W. W. Silva. Ananda won 5 years back in 2003 under the leadership of Damitha Kularatne.

If there is to be a decision, both Ananda and Nalanda should adopt a positive approach. Both captains Ranganath Wijetunge (Ananda) and Madawa Warnapura of Nalanda have led their respective sides with authority, should remember that this game should be played in the right spirit.

A positive approach should bring forth a result.

Ananda led by fourth year coloursman Ranganath Wijetunge, has worked together as a team to be unbeaten this season. Ten matches (due to late restriction from the Education Department) were played and Ananda recorded two outright victories against Dharmapala and Piliyandala Central.

The other eight games ended in 'no-decisions.' But Ananda gained first innings lead in six matches.

Skipper Wijeratne has performed well with the bat, scoring 596 runs including a century and five half centuries. In addition to Wijeratne, the Ananda batting will depend on Probodha Seneviratne with the season's highest runs of 605 with a superb 173 against Wesley, Udara Peiris third centurion with aggregate of 602 runs, opener Udara Jayasundara (400 runs), Chandimal Lokuge co-opener who set a smart record for Sri Lanka in the under-19 Youth World Cup. Championships held in Malaysia with seven victims which included five stumpings and two run-outs is also a dependable bat and has scored 375 runs.

He is an agile 'stumper' and lot could be depended from him.

In the bowling department, Ananda will purely depend on their main spinners Udara Peiris (right arm off-spin) who has captured 60 wickets and left-arm 'leggie' Matheesha Perera 28 wickets.

Ishara Wickremasinghe and Rajeeva Balasuriya, the two pacies have also bowled well and will support the two main spinners. Sashendra Gunatileke and Udara Jayasundara, both leg-spinners can be expected to get wickets.

Ananda (from): Ranganath Wijetunge (Capt.), Sameera Wijesuriya, Namal Gurusinghe, Sachin Devage, Deshanda Perera, Dinuk Jayasinghe, Maneesha Perera, Sashendra Gunatileke, Probodha Seneviratne, Udara Jayasundara, Udara Peiris, Ishara Wickremasinghe, Chamith Kularatne, Rajeev Balasuriya. Chandimal Lokuge.

Nalanda (from): Madawa Warnapura (Capt.), Ashan Priyanjan, Dilshan Munaweera, Chilan de Silva, Chethan de Silva, Chathuranga Wickremasinghe, Amal Attapattu Primesh Perera, Adeesha Nanayakkara, Tharindu Wickremasinghe, Nipun Karunaratnem, Tharindu Vidanapathirana, Supun Narangoda, Dinuk Jayasinghe, Vimukthi Rameesh, Gayan Madushanka.