St. Peter's College, Negombo has come a long way in cricket

By Anushka WITHANAGE

CRICKET: St. Peter's College, Negombo started cricket in 1985, when John Fernando was the Principal. Stanley Fernando was the master-in-charge and cricket came to this rural school.

Thereafter, H. M. S. Bandara became the Principal and Kingsley Gunawardene was appointed cricket coach of the school. During Gunawardene's tenure as coach cricket standard improved.

After his exit, the game came to an abrupt end. It was stopped in 1999. However, in 2000, cricket started again with H. M. S. Bandara as Principal, S. A. Z. D. Nilantha became the master in charge of sports.

Cricket at St. Peter's took a different turn from then onwards. Under 13 and under 15 teams were formed and later the under 17 team was formed. There was much interest in the game and some cricketers emerged. Among them was Dasun Gamage who went on to score five centuries in the under 19 age group matches against Henry Olcott Kolonnawa, Bascilica College, Parakrama College Gampaha and Pangnananda College, Seeduwa.

Then there was Niroshan Fernando also under 19 who scored four centuries against Bandaranayake College Gampaha, Henagama Central College, Henagama, St. Sebastian, Kandana, Vidyalankara College Negombo and Uhumeya College Kurunegala. The duo - Dasun Gamage and Niroshan Fernando played in the team in 2003. Then Lakshman Samaranayake was the master-in-charge of cricket.

It was possible to form the under 19 cricket team through the patronage of the old boys of the school. Pradeep Nishantha, an old boy of St. Peter's College was very helpful and gave good support to carry the game forward.

Lakshitha Fernando was the captain of the under 19 team in 2006.

The under 15 and under 17 teams managed to secure a place in the final eight teams in the Astra School Cricket Competition in 2007.

In the year 2007, the under 13 cricket team of St. Peter's College, Negombo beat Veyangoda Vidyaloka College team scoring 556 runs for 2 wickets. Chathuranga Rajapaksha and Praveen Fernando scored double centuries in that match.

They opened batting and were involved partnership of 470 runs. Vidayaloka College Veyangoda first innings 107 and in their second innings got 147 for 6 wickets in that match.

Madushanka Fonseka was the captain of the under 19 team in 2007 and 2008. In 2007, Principal H. M. S. Bandara left and Sunil Silva became the principal. His interest in cricket was an incentive.

In 2008, the under 15 and under 17 teams were upgraded from grade III to the second grade. During this year the under 13 team played exceptionally well to win four matches against St. Mary's College Negombo Pamunugama, Loyala, Pamunugama MV, St. Anthony's Wattala in the first round, one match in the second round played with Carey College Borella, and entered third round of the Ran Kekulu Cricket Tournament.

In those matches, Chathuranga Rajapaksha managed to score 300 runs against Loyala team of Pamunugama and another 125 runs against Pamunugama Vidyalaya with 109 runs against St. Mary's Negombo. Rajapaksha had a total of 581 runs. He has performed well in bowling too and has taken 17 wickets in five matches.

Dasun Gamage, is a valuable player of St. Peters College and was selected to play in the Sirasa 20/20 tournament in 2008.