Kandy's schoolboy cricketers battle the setbacks to stay afloat

by Hafiz Marikar

As the inter school rugby season draws to a close and the last few tries wait to be scored, there are those who are looking forward to what some people may call the gentleman's game - cricket.

Many pundits over the years have warned about the decline of school cricket in Kandy but the game has fortunately out-lived the prophets of doom. Whatever the secret, all Kandy schools have produced good cricketers who have made their respective schools, their parents, Kandy, Sri Lanka and themselves proud. Looking at the season ahead, Trinity who have been on top in the last four years and St. Anthony's who were at one time dominating in the central hills should do well.

Kingswood are sure to excel together with Dharmaraja.

Today the biggest problem in Kandy for schools, like Vidyartha, St. Sylvester's, Kingswood and Sri Sumangala is the absence of proper grounds for practices as well as for matches. These schools go right round and outside Kandy to play their matches.

The Pallekelle Stadium was built to promote cricket, but sad to say, it is only used for international games. At one time Peradeniya University ground helped the schools but it is now not like in the good old days. The only venue which has given a hand to many schools is the Police ground.

But they have only a matting wicket and most of the schools today go for turf wickets. It is the Trinity ground at Asgiriya which has given a big hand to help schools play their big matches to ensure that talent does not go waste.

Trinity College this season will have three senior players in Raveen Sayer, Nushan Weerasinghe and Lahiru Kumara.

St. Anthony's College, a school which has been a major force have not only produced several champion teams but have also produced some of the finest cricketers who have done Sri Lanka proud with their achievements.

They will be fielding a formidable side which includes most of last season's players.

Viidyartha took to cricket in 1952 and has produced several top class cricketers who have done their Alma Mater proud by excelling in school and club cricket, but in the last few years failed to do any good at cricket due to poor guidance. This time they have brought in a new coach Sanjeewa Silva.

Kingswood is all out to present an all-round side in the coming season. This time they will be coached by Indika Fernando and ten members of last season's team are hard at practices. Avisha Chandrasiri or Ruwantha Hathurusinghe could take the reins of the captaincy.

St. Sylvester's have produced some well known cricketers and they will move out under an experienced coach in Roland Perera while Malith Prematilake will lead the side.

Dharmaraja have lost most of their last year's players and coach Senaka Dissanayake is trying his best to put things in order. This season they will be led by all-rounder Wenaka Galahetiyawa.

Sri Sumangala, earlier known as St. Paul's College, was founded in 1880 and started to play cricket in 1894. They too have produced many top cricketers with limited facilities. They are coached by Tudor Gunaratne.

Sri Rahula took up cricket in the 1900s and later gave it up. They regrouped in the late 1980s. In the last decade they have been doing well under their coach Aubrey Kuruppu.