Antonians at the mercy of Trinity roar

Kandy's 'Battle of the Blues' big match cricket encounter played for the 99th time where Trinity College take on St. Anthony's College will be worked off at the Asgiriya stadium on March 11 and 12.

The series holds two unique feats in Trinity's off-spinner Sudharga Fernando taking all 10 wickets in the Antonian second innings in 1999 after another spinner C Dharmalingham grabbed hat-tricks in both innings in 1939.

Trinity will be led by the country's leading batting terminator Raveen Sayer while Kanishka Uggalpaya leads St. Anthony's.

This season Trinity played 20 matches and posted 10 outright wins while the Antonians had four outright wins from 17 games.The Antonians also lost to Royal, S. Thomas', St. Joseph's and Kalutara Vidyalaya. Trinity's Dilan Jayalath passed a 1000 runs while Shanogeeth Shanmuganathan and Nushan Weerasinghe scored more than 800 runs. Raveen Sayer was Trinity's main scalp hunter with more than 80 wickets.

For the Antonians their skipper Kanishka Uggalpaya and Mohammed Alfar scored more than 750 runs while Kavindu Yapa Bandara accumulated more than 600 runs and took 36 wickets. Deon Stouter scored more than 450 runs and took 28 wickets while Sandaruwan Dharmarathne is their leading wicket taker with 76.

Trinity squad: Raveen Sayer (Captian), Nushan Weerasinghe, Shavindu Amarasinghe, Naveen Ekanayake, Sachira Gaminda, Lahiru Kumara, Tashila Dodanwala, Hasitha Boyagoda, Shanogeeth Shanmuganathan, Duvindu Tillekeratne, Dilan Jayalath, Yasaran Pitawala, Sanka Chandraratne, Thisaru Dilshan, Hasintha Jayasooriya, Thyagarajah Bhanugoban. Coach: Kavinda Jayasooriya.

St. Anthony's squad: Kanishka Uggalpaya (Captain), Mohammed Alfar, KavinduYapa Bandara, Lakjeewa Wijebandara, Prasad Premaratne, Sandaruwan Dharmaratne, Deon Stouter, Sunera Jayasinghe, Janindu Himsara, Theeksha Gunasinghe, Virajitha Jayasinghe, Mokshana Wickramanayake, Satheesh Wickramarachchi, Thamashana Abeykoon, Dilanka Wijeratne. Coach: Prasad Ranawake.

-YK