St. Thomas' have margin of 5 wins over St. Servatius in Matara's 'Big Battle'

by Priyan de Silva - Matara Sports Corr.

The 114th Big Battle of Matara ....St. Servatius College take on St Thomas' Matara for the 114th of March at the Uyanwatta Stadium. This 'Big' encounter has been played continuously since 1900. The match will be played on March 21, 22 and 23.

St. Thomas' lead in the series with 32 wins with Tharaka Dushantha leading the Thomians to victory in 2007.

St. Servatius' have won 27 games in this big encounter and it was Nimal Munaweera that led St. Servatius to their last win in 1971. St Servatius would be keen to end the 43 year-old in this year.

Deputy Minister Sanath Jayasuriya, who led the national team and is presently the chairman of SLC's selection committee, is the most illustrious cricketer to have played in the series.

International Cricket Umpire Ruchira Palliyaguru is another Servatian cricketer who has reached the zenith in international cricket while Prabath Nissanka is the most illustrious cricketer produced by St. Thomas' College Matara.

St. Servatius College

St. Servatius College play in the elite division one of the all island schools cricket tournament. Of the sixteen matches played in the tournament, they registered outright wins against Maristella

and S de S Jayasinghe Colleges. Seven first innings wins were registered against Mahanama, Thurstan, Bandaranayke (Gampaha), Dharmasoka, Sri Devananda, St. Aloysius and Rahula College, Matara.

First innings losses were conceded to Isipathana, St. Benedicts, Zahira, St. Sylvesters and Mahinda College. Outright losses conceded to Lumbini and division one champs Richmond College.

The Servatian's rank 18th in the division one points table with 185.48

Fifth year Sanjika Ridma leads the St. Servatius team and was a member coloursman of the Sri Lanka under 19 team which toured Bangladesh and played the touring Indian under 19 team in Sri Lanka. Being a member of the Sri Lanka under 19 team, it prevented Sanjika from representing his college in most of the school fixtures. An all round player, Sanjika who is a left-hand batsman, has scored 696 runs which includes tons against Maristella and Thurstan while he captured 52 wickets with his left-arm leg-spin.Fifth year colours man Ruchira Jayathunge is the vice-captain of the team. Ruchira is a hard hitting left-hand batsman and bowls left-arm fast. He opens the bowling and has captured 20 wickets this season and has scored more than 300 runs.

Dilshan Madusanka 'keeps' wickets for the team. He is a third-year colours man and a right hand batsman. All round players Lochana Mohotti, Ashen Deemantha, Ramesh Nimantha, Mayantha Abeydeera, Thushan Eranga, Randika de Silva, Kavindu Umesh, Chanuka Dilshan are third year colours men while Rajantha Chandula is a second year coloursman. Thilan Prashan Kumara is a first year colours man.Lasith Saluka Suwandarathne who captained the St Servatius College first XI at the centenary encounter, has taken on the duties of head coach from Pradeep Nishantha who groomed the team last season. He has the able assistance of Chanaka Komasaru who led the Thomian first XI in 2003. Nayananda de Silva continues as the master in charge of the Servatian first XI for the third consecutive year.

St. Thomas' College, Matara

St. Thomas College play in division two of the schools cricket tournament and were placed fourteenth with 200.88 points. Of the sixteen encounters, they registered outright wins against Taxila, St Xaviers, St. Johns Panadura, Sri Devananda and Asoka College Colombo.

St. Thomas' registered two first innings wins and conceded five first innings losses. No decision was reached in two games while they conceded outright losses to Vidyartha and division one champs Richmond College.

Allround player Hashan Vimarshana who was member of the Sri Lanka team for the recently concluded under 19 World Cup, leads the Thomian eleven to this years encounter.

He was only able to lead his team in five of the sixteen encounters this season. Hashan bowls right-arm fast and has captured 23 wickets with three five wicket hauls.

A right hand batsman, he has scored 201 runs. Hashan is a third year coloursman.

Nevindu Udesh led the Thomian team in eleven inter-school games and is the vice-captain of the side Laith Lakshan is the most senior player in the team.

A hard-hitting right hand batsman, Lasith has scored more than 1,000 runs this season includes four centuries and six fifties. Lasith has captured more than fifty wickets and has captured five wickets in an innings on four occasions.

Lasith was a member of the Sri Lanka under 17 team which toured England. All rounder Vidath Jayanidu is a third year coloursman. Rusiru Akshaya is the wicket-keeper and is a second year coloursman. Osanda Chanupathi, Mohomed Sasni, Prince Dalugoda, Nimantha Kavishwara, Dilum Krishan, Dilip Tharaka, Heshan Hasanka, Sasindu Nishanka, Tharusha Kavinda, Akila thiwanka, Nipun Akalanka are first year coloursmen.

Sanun Pramuditha, Ishan Jayawardena, Hasitha Suneth, Hasheen Dilmal and Kavindu Gimhana are freshers.

Charith Sanjeewa Palliyaguru is head coach of the St. Thomas' College team and has Dumindu Hewapathirana as his deputy. K.H.C. Pradeep is the Master-in-Charge of the team.