Dharmaraja determined to keep winning streak going against Kingswood

by Upananda Jayasundera - Kandy Sports Special Cor.

The Battle of the Maroons in the Big Match in the hill capital between Kingswood College and Dharmaraja College for the 108th year will be played on March 21 and 22 at the Asgiriya Cricket Stadium.

The T.B. Tennekoon Shield is presented by Janaka Bandara Tennekoon - a former Rajans All-Round Sportsman who is the Minister of Lands, his father was the former Minister of Social Services of the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Cabinet.

Of the 107 encounters played so far, Dharmaraja College has won 34 encounters while Kingswood has won 19 matches and 55 encouters have ended in draws. Last year, Dharmaraja College won the match under the captaincy of Nuwan Karunaratne.

Many stars have figured

In the long history of this much looked forward to cricket encounter, Senaka Dissanayake of Dharmaraja College holds the record for the only double century scored with that knock of 200 runs in the 1983 match. Senaka created another record to become the first batsman to score a double century at Asgiriya.

For Kingswood, the highest scorer has been Clifford Ratnabuvishana who made 167 in 1959.

There have been many veterans in the game who have figured in the 'Big Match' in past years with centuries .. for Dharmaraja there has been P.L. Arthur Alwis 121 in 1942, T.B. Talwatte 104 in 1942, A.L. De Alwis 109 not out in 1945, P.B. Munasinghe 108 in 1951, Chandra de Silva 158 in 1952, R.J.K. Gunasekera 105 in 1954, Siri Ranasinghe 112 in 1966, N. Yatigammana 121 not out in 1970, D. Vithanage 100 in 1970, Ajith Naranpanawa 127 not out in 1975 and 120 in 1976 Dananjaya Nawaratne 109 in 1979 Senaka Dissanayake 200 in 1983, Prasanna Walalawala 103 not out in 1983, Prasanna Dissanayake 103 not out in 1983 Chanakya Kulatunge 112 in 1987, R.Y. Sooriyarachchi 113 in 2006 and he became the 100th encounter centurion.

Owen Mottau - the star

Speaking about this cricket encounter where Kingswood was involved with Dharmaraja, one cannot forget the performances of Kingswoodian Owen Mottau who was one of the finest schoolboy cricketers during his day.

He was one of the finest batsman that Kingswood produced and he led Kingswood in 1962.

There was also S.B. Elikawela and the two of them - that Owen Mottau and Elikawela were involved in a marathon partnership, both scoring 153 runs and helped Kings to make 403 for 6 wickets with a partnership of 234 for the third wicket.

Then Kingswood also had the famous Freddie White of hockey fame who played cricket in 1949, followed by Mahinda Silva who made 132 in 1951, Asoka Perera made 148 in 1952, Maurice Fernando made 101 in 1957, Clifford Ratnavibhushana 167 in 1959, Tissa Jayatilleke 100 in 1966, Priyantha Wickremasuirya 127 in 1976 and 116 in 1977 and B.H. Sheriffdeen 100 in 1981 and Mangala Dharmapprema 120 in 1984. In bowling for Kingswood, there was Senaka Abeygunaratne who had a match haul of 11 for 107 in 1966, getting 8 for 39 in the first innings and 3 for 68 in the second innings.

For Dharmaraja, there was Hemendra Ekanayake who had a match-bag of 12 for 66 in 1971 getting 5 for 10 in the first innings and 7 for 56 in the second innings.

This season Kingswood College played 17 matches and won against St. Annes, Maliyadeva and St. Patricks. Kingswood drew with St. Thomas', Matara, Kegalu Vidyalaya, D.S. Senanayake College, Taxila Horana, Devananda, Ambalangoda Sri Sumangala, Panadura, Wesley College, St. Thomas', Matale.

Kingswood lost to St. Sylvester's, Anuradhapura Central, Trinity and Thurstan.

Dharmaraja College too played 17 matches this season and won against S. de S.Jayasinghe in Dehiwela, Revatha Balapitiya and D.S. Senanayake College.

Dharmaraja drew with Vidyartha, St. Sylvester's, Zahira, Royal, Rahula, St. Benedict's, St. Anthony's Katugastota, Mahinda, Maliyadeva, Nalanda and Ananda. Dharmaraja lost to Dharmasoka and Dharmapala.

[Teams ]

Dharmaraja (from): Deneth Lanka (Captain), Rameesh Ranasinghe, Chandimal de Silva, Kavinda Ratnayake, Tharusha Waragoda, Rajitha Lahiru, Dehan Gunasinghe, Wenuka Galahitiyawa, Jayapathma Tennekoon, Kaviska Disanayake, Isantha Supumal, Ruchira Pupulewatte, Dimuthu Isuru Liyanaarachchi, Niwantha Herath, Nipun Herath, Sachith Weerasekera, Upulitha Rajapakse, Gihan Witharana, Promod Kodikara, Dhanuska Bandara, Chanuka Ratnayake.

Kingswood College: Supun Bandara (Capt), Prabath Jayawickrema, Chamara Bandara, Menaka Lankatilleke, Shanika Weerasinghe, Tharidu Liyanage, Revantha Hathurusinghe, Champika Aluvihare, Daminda Weerakoon, D. Edirisinghe, Lakmal Monarawila, G. Herath, R. Madurawanse, U. Heenkenda, S. Ratnayake, U. Wijesiriwardena, S. Piyasena.