Joes on two weeks tour of Australia

By Lal Gunesekera

CRICKET: St. Joseph’s has been rewarded for winning their ‘Battle of the Saints’ schools cricket match over St. Peter’s by an innings and 42 runs after 36 years. The Josephiens are to undertake a tour of Australia for two weeks from May 13 to 27 and play three 50-over games - one in Sydney and two in Melbourne.

This tour is organised by the St. Joseph’s OBA in Victoria and New South Wales. The total cost of the tour which includes 19 players and five officials will be about Rs 2.5 million.

The Joes figured in 15 games this season (2007-08) led by Ruwantha Fernandopulle, who heads the Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest so far. They won four games outright.

They will be accompanied by five officials who comprise Fr Sylvester Ranasinghe (Rector), Fr Chaminda Wanigasena (Prefect-of-Games), Prasantha Ranaweera (Master-in-Charge), Marsha de Silva (Coach) and Kapila Manoharan (Assistant Coach).

The 19 players are as follows:- Ruwantha Fernandopulle (Captain), Dinuk Karunaratne, Roshane Silva, Anton Livera, Shameera Weerasinghe, Thusara Perera, Sahan Wijesiri, Prashan Rajasuriya, Prabodh Sankalpa, Nirmal Rajapakse, Harin Silva, Nishika de Silva, Anushka Shakthi, Dinal Dhambarage, Nilshia Perera, Jaan Jayasuriya, Graham Vincent, Chathuranga Kumara and Bosco Thatill.