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by Upananda Jayasundera, Kandy Sports Special Corr

Nugawela Central College is fancied to register the first win in the series when they confront Walala A. Ratnayake Central College in their third annual cricket encounter to be played on Monday and Tuesday (April 3 and 4) at the Kandy Police grounds.

The two previous encounters played for the C. W. W. Kannangara Trophy have not produced a definite result and the eager to win is uppermost in the minds of the two schools.

Nugawela Central has fared well in this year's inter-school cricket season, getting three wins and they were in front on first innings in five other matches. They had outright wins in matches against Siddartha College Balapitiya, Anuruddha Kumara College Nawalapitiya and Al Ashar Central College Akurana. Then Nugawela Central had the better of exchanges on the first innings over Sri Sumangala, Kandy, Ananda Maithree Central College Balangoda, St. Aloysius College Ratnapura, Sri Sumangala Hikkaduwa, Akuramboda Central, Matale and D. B. Wijetunga College Kadugannawa. They, however, lost two matches on first innings - against Devapathiraja Vidyalaya, Ratgama and Kegalu M. V. Kegalle.

In the second round in the limited-overs matches conducted by the Schools Cricket Association, Nugawela Central had wins against St. Mary's College Kegalle and Buddha Jayanthi Central Balangoda and lost to St. Anne's College Kurunegala and St. Sylvester's College Kandy.

P. P. Jinawansa - a third year player captains the team and he has fared well with both bat and ball. Jinawansa has scored around 500 runs and has captured 42 wickets with his off-spinners. The vice-captain of the side is wicket-keeper B. L. Thilakaratne who is also a fine batsman.

The spearhead of the batting is Charith Madushanka Bandara who has amassed 743 runs inclusive of two centuries - 102 against Galagedera Central and 135 versus Balangoda Ananda Maithree.

In tournament matches, Bandara has scored a century against Buddha Jayanthi Central (154) and six half-centuries. He has turned out to be a fine allrounder and has captured 65 wickets with his left-arm pacies with 7 wickets for six runs against St. Aloysius as his best effort.

Walala Central College has played eight matches during the season and won three outright, four first innings wins and one defeat. They have played well in the inter-school tournament matches and made the highest total of the tournament - 415 for 5 wickets in 50 overs in the game against D. B. Wijetunge Maha Vidyalaya.

Third year player Dharshana Keerthisingha captains Walala Central and Keerthisingha has been among the runs this season scoring over 400 runs with 208 not out against D. B. Wijetunge Maha Vidyalaya as his highest.

The vice-captain of the side is wicket-keeper-batsman Roshan Suranga Wijesekera who has scored over 400 runs inclusive of a century and a half-century in the match against Galagedera Central.

The most experience player in the side is last year's skipper Sanjeewa Seelaratne who has scored 600 runs inclusive of two centuries and three half-centuries. Seelaratne opens the attack for his team and has captured 41 wickets this season.

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