Nothing to discourage Vidyartha cricketers

by Hafiz Marikar

Vidyartha College Kandy, which started cricket in 1952 has been able to stay afloat with limited facilities and have produced some top cricketers who have done their Alma mater proud by excelling in school, club and district level.

This year the side is coached by one of their products, Sanjaya de Silva. He played for Vidyartha from junior level and was in the senior side from 1999 to 2002. During his playing days he was a top class right arm off spinner and pocketed many wickets. He played for Rio Cricket Club Ambalangoda, Kandy Cricket Club and Kandy Youth Sports Club.

It was at Vidyartha that he started his coaching, first at junior level and later at Dharmaraja College. From there he joined Trinity College and gave his best for the juniors.

Silva told the Sunday Observer that he has some high calibre players at Vidyartha who have shown plenty of promise.

This season they have played two games against Debarawewa National School Tissamaharama and Carey College with both ending in draws and games against Kingswood College and St. Anne's College rained off.

Matches in 2016 will be against Dharmaloka, Pangnananda MV Raddoluwa, Kegalu Vidyalaya, Sri Sumangala College Panadura, St. Thomas' College Matale, Royal College Panadura, St. John's College Jaffna, Kalutara Vidyalaya, Dharmaraja College, St. Anthony's College Katugastota, Maliyadeva College, Isipathana College, Thurstan College, Nalanda College and the last game of the season the big match against St. Sylvester's College.

Leading the team this season is Namal Perera who is a third year player. He is a right hand batsman who bowls right arm medium pace. He scored heavily last season.

The vice captain of the side is Tharindu Dissanayake who too is a third year player, left hand batsman who bowls right arm medium pace. The other senior players in the side are Bawantha Bandara, a third year right hand hard hitting batsman who bowls right arm leg spin, Bimsara Samarathunge a right arm off spinner and a good right hand batsman, Ravishka Upananda a right hand batsman and right arm paceman in his fourth year, batsman Nimesh Senanayake who also bowls right arm off spin, stumper of the side Dushan Jayatilleke, Pulina Gunatilleke, a right hand batsman and a right arm spinner, Sahan Danwatta a left hand batsman, Dulanga Nanayakkara a left hand batsman, Thilina Kavinda a right arm leg spinner and Hiran Pramodya who is an allrounder.

The squad: Namal Perera (captain), Tharindu Dissanayake, Bawantha Bandara, Bimsara Samarathunge, Ravishka Upananda, Nimesh Senanayake, Dushan Jayatilleke, Pulina Gunatilleke, Hiran Pramodya, Sahan Danwatta, Dulanga Nanayakkara, Thilina Kavinda, Isuru Prabodha, Kasun Karunatilleke, S. Dilan and D.Gihan with Jayantha Kumara as MIC.