Moratu Vidyalaya fancied against Sri Sumangala in 60th encounter

by Dilwin Mendis Moratuwa Sports Corr.

BATTLE OF THE GOLDS: The 60th ‘Battle of the Golds’ between Moratu Vidyalaya and Sri Sumangala College will be played on March 16 and 17 at the Tyronne Fernando Stadium, Moratuwa and the 19th limited-overs match will be played at the same venue on March 18 and the Twenty/20 encounter on March 25 also at the Tyronne Fernando Stadium,Moratuwa.

Having started playing inter-school cricket in 1934, Moratu Vidyalaya has won seven matches while Sri Sumangala has won nine matches in the 59 matches played and the rest have been drawn.

The last victory for Sri Sumangala in this encounter was in 2007 under the captaincy of Iresh Pushpakumara and Anuruddha Kalhara Peiris was captain of the Moratu Vidyalaya when they last won in 2010. The highest total in the series for Moratu Vidyalaya was in 1957 when Hector Perera led the team and they got 357 for 9 wickets while Sri Sumangala’s highest score was 354 for 7 wickets when Iresh Pushpakumara was the skipper.

The highest individual score for Moratu Vidyalaya is 129 runs by Ranjith Fernando and the highest for Sri Sumangala has been 154 by Roshan Wimalasena. Moratu Vidyalaya will be captained by third year coloursman Sanka Ramesh who has been in fine form with the bat scoring three successive centuries – 146 against Ananda Sastralaya, 126 against Vidyartha and the third was against Old Anandians in a division two match organised by Sri Lanka Cricket Board, Sanka Ramesh has been carrying on the good work from last year when he captured 103 wickets and scored 1,067 runs. So far this season, Sanka has passed the 850-run mark and has captured 88 wickets in 12 matches. The vice-captain of the team is Madava Sakuranga – an all rounder who is playing in his fourth year. Moratu Vidyalaya has played 13 matches and have recorded seven outright wins.

This season, Sri Sumangala has Aruna Dharmasena as captain and he has all the experience as he is playing in his fifth year. He has passed 1,100 runs and his deputy will be Madava Sakuranga – a fourth year coloursman.Sri Sumangala, however are short of victories this season and have recorded only two first innings victories in their games played this season. So, they are terribly short of wins and the team will have to buckle down to some hard work.

Moratu Vidyalaya – Seated (from left): Prasanna Dissanayake (Coach), Ishan Nilaksha, Sanka Ramesh (Captain), Lakshman de Silva (Principal), Janitha Nimesh (Vice-Captain), Iresh Chamara, Ajith Paranage (MIC). Centre Row (Standing from left): Shanaka Roshan, Saminda Maduranga, Lasindu Kalpana, Ushen Tharaka, Sanesh Champaka, Amila Vimukthi, Harsha Devinda, Dushan Sulakshana, Nipun Madushan, Shanuka Madushan.Standing (Back Row from left): Ujitha Harshana, Kavishka Prabath, Madava Madushanka, Zaffran Preena, Thilina Kavishka. Pix: Dilwin Mendis – Moratuwa Sports Corr.

Sri Sumangala College – Seated (from left): Asanka Chamara, Madava Sakuranga (Vice-Captain), Aravinda Reynold (Coach), Ranjith Ilapperuma (Vice-Principal), L.W. Somathilake (Principal), Sumith Chandrasiri (MIC), Aruna Dharmasena (Captain), Taruka Nadeeshan. Standing (from left): Yeshan Madushanka, Kushan Akalanka, Vishva Yasas, Meven Devanjith, Subeetha Fernando, Dilen Manusith, Chamika Amarasekera, Sanjaya Aruna , Anju Tharaka, Sudesh Sandamal, Lahiru Vimukthi, Kaveen Navodya, Charuka Mirushan, Ishara Thenuwara, Vishad Randika, Geeth Sanjaya.