Old Anandians - Olcott Memorial Cricket Champs

by Upananda JAYASUNDERA - Kandy Sports Special Corr.

Henry Steele Olcott Memorial Cricket Winners ... Old Anandians - standing from left: Ajith Ekanayake, Prasanna Tissera, Thushara Jayasundera, Sanjeewa Ratnayake, Roshan Daluwatte. Seated from left: Upali Senaratne (Manager), Rohitha Perera, Oshadi Weerasinghe, Priyantha Udayaratne, Samitha de Silva, Manjula Kariyapperuma. Picture by Upananda Jayasundera - Kandy Sports Special Corr.

Two veterans of the tournament a former Air Force Commander - Old Dharmapalian Oliver Ranasinghe (left) and Old Rajan D. D. P. Alwis. Both players have a distinction of having played in the tourney for 10 years continuously.

CRICKET: Old Anandians emerged champions in the 11th Col. Henry Steele Olcott Memorial Cricket Tournament when they beat Maliyadeva College by 1 run in a thrilling final in the Old Boys Cricket Tournament at Dharmapala Vidyalaya grounds at Pannipitiya. Ananda Old Boys made 107 and Maliyadeva, Kurunegala Old Boys made 106. In the semi-finals, Maliyadeva 68 beat Dharmapala, Pannipitiya 72 and Ananda 92 beat Rahula, Matara 74. In the first round matches, Maliyadeva 74 for 8 wickets beat Mahinda, Galle 72, Dharmapala beat 101 for 6 wickets beat Nalanda 100 for 7 wickets, Rahula, Matara 93 for 2 wickets beat Dharmaraja College, Kandy 89 for 4 wickets and Ananda College 98 for 4 wickets beat Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda 94 for 7 wickets.

Special Awards: Best Fielder of tournament: Sudharshana Guruge - Maliyadeva Kurunegela, Best Bowler: Sunjaya Attanayake - Ananda; Best Batsman: W. A. Weerasinghe - Ananda; Man of the final: Oshadi Weerasinghe - Ananda; Plate Champions: Dharmasoka Ambalangoda, Plate runners-up: Mahinda, Galle; Schools six-a-side Champs: Nalanda College, Schools runners-up:Ananda College.