Royal and S. Thomas’ opt out of school cricket tournament

By Ranjan Anandappa

Royal College, Colombo and S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, two of the oldest cricket playing schools in the country will not participate in the on going SLSCA conducted school cricket tournament due to various restrictions laid by the school cricket governing body (SLSCA) this year.

The Sri Lanka School Cricket Association has informed the cricket playing schools to restrict the number of matches to 15 games per season and play matches only during the week-end. There are various other restrictions which most of the schools are not in a position to adhere, especially the Royalists and the Thomians due to their traditional matches which have been played for a number of years. The traditional rivals S. Thomas’ and Royal are not in a position to forego their longstanding matches which have been played from one generation to the another.

According to Royal’s Assistant Principal for Co-Curricular Activities M.T.A. Rauff, Royal has been engaged in 16 traditional matches and in addition they have renewed their two matches against the Jaffna schools with the conclusion of the war. With the restrictions, both schools will be deprived of their traditional matches and Royal and S. Thomas’ have decided to play their Inter-School Cricket matches on a friendly basis as in the past.

New format for Observer/Mobitel contest

Meanwhile, Under a new format introduced for the 35th Sunday Observer/Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year contest, the awards will be presented in three different divisions, namely Platinum (Division I), Gold (Division II) and Silver (Division III).

Only cricketers playing in the division one SLSCA tournament will be eligible to be voted for the Sunday Observer/Mobitel Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2013 Platinum Category.

Likewise cricketers of the school teams playing in Division II and Division III of the SLSCA Under-19 Tournaments are entitled to be voted for the Sunday Observer/Mobitel Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Gold and Silver Divisions respectively.

The identity of the contest will be maintained at the highest level by retaining The Observer/Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2013 National Awards which will be strictly on merit. All schoolboys playing in Division I, II and III will be considered for these awards under Best Batsman, Best Bowler, Best All-Rounder and Best Fielder. The Observer/Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year will be picked by a special panel, comprising SLSCA officials, Schools National selectors and umpires from the ACUSL. In addition there will be Platinum, Gold and Silver division winners for all those awards.

Division I Platinum:

SLSCA Under 19 teams for the 2012/13’ school cricket season.

Division I teams - For the PLATINUM DIVISION

St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa, Wesley College, Colombo, Moratu Vidyalaya, Holy Cross College, Kalutara, St. Benedict’s College, Kotahena, Thurstan College, Colombo, St. Joseph’s College, Colombo, St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota, Richmond College, Galle, Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda, Royal College, Panadura, St. Servatius’ College, Matara.

Dhamaraja College, Kandy, Ananda College, Colombo, Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala, Revatha College, Balapitiya, Dehiwela MMV, Dehiwela. Trinity College, Kandy, Dharmapala College, Pannipitiya, Maris Stella College, Negombo, Mahanama College, Colombo, Sri Sumangala College, Panadura, Mahinda College, Galle, Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa, Gurukula MV, Kelaniya, Zahira College, Colombo, St. Peter’s College, Colombo, Lumbini College, Colombo, St. Aloysius’ College, Galle, D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo, St. Sylvester’s College, Kandy, Isipathana College, Colombo, De Mazenod College, Kandana, Nalanda College, Colombo, Joseph Vaz College, Wennappuwa.

Divsion II Gold:
Division II teams - For the Gold division

Sri Devananda MV, Ambalangoda, Rahula College, Matara, St. Mary’s College, Kegalle, St. Anne’s College, Kurunegala, Asoka Vidyalaya, Colombo, Sri Dharmaloka MV, Kelaniya, St. Xavier’s College, Marawila, St. Thomas’ College, Kotte, Karandeniya MMV, St. Thomas’ College, Matara, Piliyandala MMV, Piliyandala, President’s College, Kotte, Veluwana MV, Colombo, St. John’s College, Nugegoda.

St. Anthony’s College, Wattala, Tissa MV, Kalutara, St. Thomas’ College, Matale, Ibbagamuwa MV, Kegalu Vidyalaya, Carey College, Colombo, St. John’s College, Panadura, St. Patrick’s College, Jaffna, Kingswood College, Kandy.

Bandaranayake MV, Gampaha, P.de.S. Kularatne MV, Ambalangoda, Kalutara MV, Vidyartha College, Kandy, St. Sebastian’s College, Katuneriya, Taxila MV, Horana, Sri Pangnananda MV, Raddolugama, Sri Jayewardenepura MV, Kotte.

Division III Silver:
Division III teams - For the Silver division

Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte, CWW Kannangara, Borella, Mahabodhi MV, Colombo 10, Mampe Dharmaraja MV, Piliyandala, Mahamathya MV, Athurugiriya, Ananda MV, Kottawa, President’s College, Maharagama, Seevali MV, Borella. Hindu College, Bambalapitiya, Prince College, Kotahena. St. John’s College, Dematagoda, Kotahena MMV, Kotahena. De La Salle College, Colombo 15. Lalith Athulathmudali MV, Mount Lavinia, Ananda Sastralaya, Mathugama. Miriswatte MV, Dodangoda, Royal College, Horana, Vidyalankara University College, Horana. Welapura MV, Kalutara. Thaksala MV, Keselwatte. Herman G. Miner, Piliyandala, St. John’s College, Jaffna, Kokuvil Hindu College, Kokuvil, Union College, Thellippalai, Neliyadi MMV, Koraweddy, Mahajana College, Thellippalai, Sidhartha MV, Weligama (Matara), Sri Sumangala MV, Hikkaduwa, Saralankara MV, Hikkaduwa, Vidyaloka MV, Galle. Ginthota MV, Ginthota, Kathaluwa MV, Ahangama, Podiwela MV, Mattaka, Siri Piyaratana MV, Padukka, President’s College, Homagama, Homagama MV, Rajasinha MV, Hanwella, Science College, Mount Lavinia, Sastrananda MV, Dehiwela, Siridewananda Vidyarathne Pirivena, Sri Palee MV, Horana. St. Mary’s College, Matugama. St. Anthony’s College, Panadura, Mahanama MV, Panadura, Wadduwe CC, Wadduwa, Sidhartha MV, Balapitiya, Gamani MV, Bentota.

Al Noor MV, Valachchenai, Hindu College, Batticaloa, Methodist College, Batticaloa, St. Michael’s College, Batticaloa, Oddamavadi NS, Oddamavadi, Jaffna College, Jaffna, Jaffan Hindu College, Skandhavarodhaya College, Jaffna, Canagaratnam MV, Naval Road, Manipai Hindu College, Vadducodai, Jaffna College, Vadducodai, Devapathiraja MV, Ratgama. All Saints College, Galle, Wanduramba CC Galle, Batemulla NS, Imaduwa, Aluthwela MV, Aluthwela, Madampagama MV, Kulegoda, Meepawela Amarasuriya MV, Sithivinayagar MV, Mannar, Tamil MV, Vavuniya, Pu-Varasamsam Kulam MV, Vavuniya, Nelumkulam MV, Vavuniya, Vidyananda CC, Mulathive, Sri Rahula College, Katugastota, Sandalanka MV, Wayamba Royal, Kurunegala, Al Azar College, Akurana, Mayurapada MV, Narammala, Anuradhapura CC, Anuradhapura, Ananda MV, Puttalam, Malwattawa MV, D.S. Senanayake MV, Ampara, Gamini MV, Ampara, Mahanama MV, Moneragala, Uhana MV, Ampara.

Thalathuoya CC, Hewaheta, Madina CC, Madawala Bazaar, Wickremabahu NS, Gampola, Jinaraja MV, Gampola, Kadireshan MV, Nawalapitiya, Anurdha Kumara MV, Nawalapitiya, Ginigathhena MV, Ginigathhena, Badulla CC, Dharmadutha MV, Badulla, Dharmapala MV, Bandarawela, St. Joseph’s College, Bandarawela, Central College, Bandarawela, Uva College, Badulla, St. Thomas’ College, Bandarawela, Ananda Maithri MV, Balangoda, St. Aloysius’ College, Ratnapura, Gankanda CC, Pelmadulla, Theraputhra NS, Ambalanthota, Debarawewa MV, Tissamaharama, Rajapaksa MV, Weeraketiya, U.B. Wanninayake MV, Galgamuwa.

Ibbagamuwa Model School, Wellawa MV, Wellawa, D.S. Senanayake MV, Uhumeeya, Maliyadeva Model School, Kurunegala, Sri Sumangala MV, Wariyapola, Sir John Kotalawela MV, Kurunegala, St. Mary’s College, Chilaw, Ananda MV, Chilaw, Loyala College, Negombo, Harischandra MV, Negombo, Christ The King College, Tudella (Ja-Ela), St. Peter’s College, Negombo, Karunaratne Budhist School (Welisara, Ragama), Duddley Senanayake MV, Tholangamuwa, Sri Rahula NS, Allawwa, Wickremashila NS, Giriulla, Gokarella CC, Gokarella, Lakdas de Mel MV, Kurunegala, Pannala NS, Kuliyapitiya, Saranath MV, Kuliyapitiya, Nagalankanda MV, Minneriya. Rajarata MV, Hingurakgoda, Royal College, Polonnaruwa. Girandurukotte MV, Kantale CC, Kekirawa MV, Siddartha MV, Eppawela. Christ Church College, Matale, Matale Hindu Vidyalaya, Weerakeppetipola MV Akuramboda. Vijaya College, Matale, Nugawela Central, Nugawela, Sri Sumangala MV, Kandy. Theldeniya MV, Theldeniya, Sangabodhi MV, Nittambuwa, Bandarnaike CC, Veyangoda, Al-Ahzar College, Thihariya, Henegama CC, Henegama, Anura MV, Yakkala, Bomiriya MV, Kaduwela, Galahitiyawa CC, Ganemulla, Basilica College, Ragama, Chandrajothi MV, Yakkala, Kirillawela MV, Kadawatha, Jayakody MV, Genemulla, Susumayawardene MV, Borella, Kotahena MV, Kotahena, Ovitigama MV, Pugoda.