Kingswood go out favourites

The 107th Kingswood vs Dharmaraja inter-school cricket match will be played on March 22 and 23 at the Asgiriya International Cricket Stadium. This encounter popular known as the “Battle of the Maroons” is the oldest cricket encounter in the Hill Capital and is played for the T.B. Tennekoon Memorial Trophy.

Dharmaraja College (Seated from left): Nuwan Karunarathna (Captain), Ananda Wijesekera (Coach), Sarath Abeygunasekera (Prefect of Games), S.M. Keerthirathne (Principal), Sarath Ekanayake (Master-in-Charge), Senaka Dissanayake (Coach), Aravinda Vithanarachchi (Vice Captain). Standing (Middle row from left): Lochana Wijesiri, Venuka Galahitiyawa, U.A. Deneth Lanka, Ramesh Ranasinghe, Lakshan Silva, Shasin Abeykoon, Chandimal de Silva, Jaya Padma Tennekoon, Deshan Gunasinghe, Kavinda Rathnayake. Standing (Back row): Dimuthu Liyanarachchi, Danuka Prabath, Kavindu Thimod, Tharusha Weragoda, Dulaj Dilshan, Rajitha Lahiru, Kavishka Dissanayake, Sapumal Tennekoon. Pic: Upananda Jayasundera – Kandy Sports Special Cor.

Kingswood College (Seated from left): Sunil Herath (Master-in-Charge), Kasun Bandara (Captain), Ananda Weerasooriya (Acting Principal), Kapila Priyantha (Prefect of Games), Saluka Walisundara (Vice Captain), Harshana Gamage (Coach). Standing (2nd row from left): Chameera Bandara, Tharindu Liyanage, Kasun Bandara, Tharaka Panabokka, Prabath Jayawickrama, Dilshan Edirisinghe, Ashen Jayakody, Randika Wijeratne, Menaka Lankathilaka, Tharaka Marasinghe. Standing (Back row from left): Upamal Heenkenda, Ruantha Hathurusingha, Dulanjana Themiya, Vimukthi Wijesiriwardana, Champika Aluvihare, Gihan Herath, Daminda Weerakoon, Ravindu Maduranga, Summiya Piyasena, Dulin Wijayanarayana. Pic: Upananda Jayasundera – Kandy Sports Special Cor.

Last year, Dharmaraja College won the annual encounter under the captaincy of U. Karaputugala and Kingswood last won this encounter under the captaincy of Maurice Fernando way back in 1958.

In the long history of this annual encounter Senaka Dissanayake of Dharmaraja College holds the record for the only double century scored in the annual encounter with his majestic knock of 200 runs in the 1983 encounter.

For Kingswood, the highest scorer has been Clifford Ratnavibushana who made 167 in 1959. The Kingswood team will be led by second-year player Kasun Bandara who is a talented allrounder. He is a capable batsman and a right-arm medium pace bowler. The vice-captain of the side is Saluka Walisundara. He is a left-handed batsman with a total of 480 runs with a best score of 66 against Vidyartha.

The other batsmen who have been among the runs this season are: Chameera Bandara who with the experience that he has gained in playing for three years, has scored 800 runs this season and he has thrown his weight in bowling too with his leg-spin claiming 3 for 12 against Vidyartha, 3 for 15 against St. John’s Panadura and 4 for 20 against Ibbagamuwa College. A up-and-coming allrounder in the side has been Champika Aluvihara who has taken 30 wickets with his left-arm pace bowling and has also contributed with the bat, scoring around 300 runs for the season.

An up-and-coming spinner in the side has been Daminda Weerakoon who has captured 28 wickets in the season with a best take of 8 for 35 against Ibbagamuwa Central. He is also a capable batsman with 48 not out as his best against Bandaranayake College, Gampaha. In the Dharmaraja side – the captain Nuwan Karunaratne has been an attacking batsman and scored over 350 runs in tournament cricket this season.

He is also a right-arm pace bowler and a fifth year ‘Dagoba’ holder. The vice-captain of the team is Aravinda Vithanaarachchi who has been their champion bowler for many seasons. He took over 100 wickets last season and has been among the wickets this season as well, getting around 50 wickets in the first few matches. He is a 4th year ‘Dagoba’ holder. A top left-arm leg-spinner in the team has been Lakshan de Silva with fifty scalps to his name this season. A talented batsman in the side is Rameesh Ranasinghe who has scored over 350 runs during the season. He is the wicket-keeper of the side and is playing for the third year.

Best bowling for Kingswood: The best bowler for Kingswood has been Senaka Abeygunaratne who had a match bag of 11 for 107 in 1966, getting 8 for 39 in the 1st innings and 3 for 68 in the 2nd innings.

The Best effort by Dharmaraja bowler: Heminda Ekanayake 12 for 66 in 1971, getting 5 for 10 in the 1st innings and 7 for 56 in the 2nd innings.