Sebastianites have edge in 58th encounter against Cambrians

By Dilwin Mendis - Moratuwa Sports Corr.

CRICKET: The 58th annual cricket encounter between Prince of Wales College and St. Sebastian’s College will be played on April 25 and 26 at the Tyronne Fernando Stadium Moratuwa.

The limited-over game will be played on Sunday April 27 at the same venue.

Of the 57 encounters in the series played so far, Prince of Wales are ahead with six wins as against just two wins by St. Sebastian’s. No less than 49 encounters have ended without a result.

The last decision in the series came in 1977 when Pemlal Fernando led the Cambrians to victory. The last win by St. Sebastian’s came in 1966 under the captaincy of Sarath Perera.

This season, Prince of Wales have played 16 matches and won six and lost to Thurstan and the rest have ended in draws. The six wins is somewhat of a record for Cambrian cricket.

St. Sebastian’s have played 14 matches and they have won four and their victories included the ones against Royal and S. Thomas’.

The Sebastianites have not lost a single game. It looks very much that the Sebastianites have the edge in this year’s encounter.

This annual encounter comes up very late as the match was postponed due to a Ministry of Education circular to postpone all sports activities of the schools due to the prevailing situation in the country at a certain time and the relaying of the turf strip at the Tyronne Fernando Stadium.

Prince of Wales will be led by Shashan Silva - a fourth year coloursman. In 2005, he led the under 17 division one cricket team which won the All Island Championships.

In 132 years of Cambrian cricket, Shashan Silva was the first captain to lead the one and only overseas cricket tour of Prince of Wales to Australia in 2004. The Vice-Captain will be Sanka Peiris - a left-arm leg-spinner and a right-hand batsman.

St. Sebastian’s will be led by fourth year coloursman Janitha Jayawardena who is an allrounder. The vice-captain is opening batsman and third year colourman Trevin Fernando.

St. Sebastian’s Trevin Fernando is the leading batsman in the side, having scored three centuries and topped the 800-run mark in matches this season.

In the Cambrian team there is Nayana Priyanjana who also has topped the 800-run mark with an unbeaten double century against St. Peter’s, Negombo.

The Cambrians have in Rumesh Thirimanne - a fine allround cricketer who has represented Sri Lanka Schools and the Sebastianites will have to keep a close watch on him if they are to make any headway in this match.