'Battle of Golds'

Text and pix. S. M. Jiffrey ABDEEN Kandy Sports Corr.

SRI SUMANGALA COLLEGE (seated from left): Hemantha Bandara (Coach), Madusha Premawardena, Kasun Dharshana, Isuru de Silva, Shashika Bandara (Captain), Randika Ekanayake (Vice Captain), Lakshitha Maduhshan, Yasas Jayantha, Sameera Marasinghe. (Standing from left): A.G. Chaminda, Hashan Pethiyagoda, Akila Herath, Jayanath Pahalakumbura, Sanath Nalaka, Chathuranga Herath, Mohammed Lukman, Lahiru Chathuranga, Madhusanka Perera, Menuka Dilshan, Chinthaka Seneviratne, Vinodh Dananjaya.

SRI RAHULA COLLEGE (Seated from left): Gihan Viduranga, Sadun Dilhan, Chaturanga Dikkumbura (Captain), Sanath Seneviratne (Master-in-Charge), Amith Tilakaratne (Vice Captain), Nimesha Wanasundera, Sunimal Dissanayake.(Standing from left): Srimal Madushanka, Viraj Maduranga, Chethiya Amarasuriya, Denuka Jayatunga, Pradeep Aruna Sampath, Roshan Subasinghe, Rajitha Ranatunga. - Pic: S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Corr.

CRICKET: A tense struggle is in store when Sri Sumangala College, Kandy, takes on Sri Rahula College, Katugastota in their 17th "Battle of the Golds" which will be played at the Asgiriya Cricket Stadium in Kandy tomorrow and on Tuesday (April 6th and 7th) with play commencing at 9.30 a.m. each day.

Of the 16 matches played so far, Sri Sumangala College are ahead with two wins while Sri Rahula College have still to score their maiden win. Fourteen matches have ended in draws. Sri Sumangala's two wins came in the first two matches of the series. Since then it has been a stalemate of draws with no side getting closer to victory.

Sri Rahula College will be led by Chathuranga Dikkumbura, a fine allrounder who has scored 520 runs and captured 22 wickets. Vice captain of the side is Amith Tillakaratne with 460 runs and has taken 56 wickets.

Sri Rahula College has played 11 matches this season won 1, lost 2 and drawn the rest.

Sri Sumangala College will be led by allrounder W. Shashika Bandara, a very aggressive bat who has scored over 400 runs and captured 23 wickets. His deputy will be Randika Ekanayake who has scored over 400 runs including a century.

Sri Sumangala College are unbeaten this season. They have played 7 matches, won 2, lost 0 and drawn 5.

Teams

Sri Sumangala College: (from) W. Shashika Bandara (Captain), Randika Ekanayake (Vice Captain), Sameera Marasinghe, Madhusha Premawardena, Lakshitha Madhushan, Kasun Dharshana, Isuru de Silva, Chinthaka Senaviratne, Yasas Jayantha, Lahiru Chathuranga, Akila Herath, Madusanka Perera, Vinodh Dananjaya, Chathuranga Herath, Menuka Dilshan, Mohammed Lukman, Jayantha Pahalakumura, Sanath Nalaka (Coach), Hemantha Bandara. Master-in-charge: Upali Wijesinghe.

Sri Rahula College:

(from) Chathuranga Dikkumbura (Captain), Amith Tillakaratne (Vice Captain), Sunimal Dissanayake, Gihan Viduranga, NImesha Wanasundera, Sandun Dilhan, Aruna Sampath, Ruwan Ratnayake, Roshan Subhasinghe, Chethiya Amarasuriya, Hasitha Medushan, Rajitha Ranatunga, Viraj Maduranga, Sajith Hemantha, Srimal Madusanka, Nuwan Perera, Akalanka Bandara, Sameera Madushan (Coach-Aubrey Kuruppu, Master-in-charge - Sanath Senaviratne)