Ananda and Nalanda longing for outright win

Both Ananda College and Nalanda College have failed to live up to expectations in the lead up to the 84th Battle of the Maroons, which will be worked off at the SSC grounds on March 2nd and 3rd.

Both schools have not won a single match outright and they have had to be satisfied with only first innings wins.

Ananda College : Back row (from left): Kushil Perera, Thamalaka Abeygunasekara, Dushmantha, Tiran Wijesuriya, Thushara Samarakoon, Venuka Ashan, Thamalaka Athulathmudali, Sammu Ashan, Ishan Bandaranayake. Front row (from left): Isuru Gunasekara, Pasindu Thirimadura, Thaveen Dananjaya, Dhanuka Madushan, Lakkana Jayasekara, Dasun Wijesinghe. Pic: Nissanka Wijeratne

Nalanda College : Back row (from left): Sampath Hettiarachchi (coach), Avishka de Silva, Pramud Hettiwatte, Kushal Dias (vice captain), Lahiru Jayakody (captain), Woshantha Silva, Malinga de Silva, Lahiru Wijeratne, Senura Amarasinghe. Front row (from left): Rashmika Wijayanga, Supun Daham, Dilan Vinura, Eranga Soysa, Malinga Amarasinghe, Shahan Wijayasekara and Ravin Dassanayake. Pic:Ranjith Asanka

The Anandians were beaten by Richmond and Dharmasoka while the Nalandians went down to Lumbini Maha Vidyalaya and had a narrow escape against D.S. Senanayake College a fortnight ago.

However, both schools have shown marked improvement in the last few matches and close game is on the cards.

The Battle of the Maroons between these two leading Buddhist schools began in 1925 where Ananda was captained by Dr N.M. Perera while Nalanda was led by B.S. Perera. This match was not played during the war years (1942 and 43).

The two schools have produced several national players who have represented Sri Lanka with distinction.

Nalanda has produced Sri Lanka’s first Test captain, Bandula Warnapura and several other Test players, Anura Ranasinghe, Sanath Kaluperuma, Lalith Kaluperuma, Gamini Wickremasinghe, Chamara Dunusinghe, Roshan Mahanama, who had the honour of being an ICC match referee, Kumar Dharmasena, who was adjudged ICC best umpire in the world, Asanka Gurusinha, who made a fine knock of 62 in the 1996 World Cup final, Mahela Jayawardene, who not only captained Sri Lanka, but became the first Sri Lankan batsman to score over 10,000 runs in Test cricket.

Ananda College produced Sri Lanka’s only World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga, first Test centurion Sidath Wettimuny, Brendon Kuruppu, who made an unbeaten double century against New Zealand in 1987, former Sri Lanka Test captain Marvan Atapattu, Sanjeewa Ranatunga, Dhammika Ranatunga, Charith Senanayake, who also served as the Sri Lanka team manager, Dinuk Hettiarachchi, Thilan Samaraweera who too has scored heavily in the Test cricket, Mithra Wettimuny and elder brother Sunil in addition to several former Sri Lanka players.

This year, Ananda College will be led by right hand batsman Thushara Samarakoon , who has scored over 600 runs in the season. Another fine right-hander Dhanuka Pathirana and wicket-keeper batsman Pasindu Isira scored over 600 runs during the season. Openers Thamala Athulathmudali and Dasun Wijesinghe have given solid starts to the Anandians.

Left handed Athulathmudali scored over 400 runs and right handed Wijesinghe has contributed with over 300 runs. Left handed Kushil Perera, a fine middle order batsman collected over 400 runs.

Ananda will be strengthened by all-rounder Shammu Ashan. Ashan has picked 20 wickets from his right-arm off spin and collected over 250 runs.

Ananda’s bowling will have a champion spinner in left-armer Isuru Gunasekara, who has already taken 35 wickets. Dushantha Dissanayake and Thilan Wijesuriya will share the new ball with left armer Venuka Ashan, who has picked up 20 wickets. Dushantha Dissanayake had 20 scalps, Wijesuriya bagged over 20 wickets with his right arm fast bowling.

Ananda College’s former skipper Dinesh Chandimal, who led them in the Battle of Maroons four years ago, has been appointed as the Sri Lanka national Test and ODI vice captain and Twenty20 skipper recently.

Anandians played 14 matches in this season and they have not been able to win outright even one game. There were on first innings wins against Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala, Dharmaraja College, Kandy, Prince of Wales, Moratuwa and Mahinda College, Galle and St Joseph’s College, Colombo.

Lahiru Jayakody has been a mainstay of the Nalanda batting this season. He has already scored 475 runs this season with several fifties. Opener Woshantha Silva is another key batsman in the Nalanda side, having made 288 runs. Avishka de Silva (260), Lahiru Wijeratne (179), Pramud Hettiwatte (160) are the others who could be relied upon to make useful contributions for Nalanda in the Big Match.

Spinner Malinga de Silva is the leading wicket taker for Nalanda with 39 wickets. He will be supported by right arm off spinner Pramud Hettiwatte (37 wickets) and leg spinner Yohan Rangika. The new ball will be shared by Kusal Dias (18 wickets), Malinga Amarasinghe and Lahiru Wijeratne.

The lads from Campbell Place are coached by Sampath Hettiarachchi, who is making a great effort to build up a strong team.