I remember growing up watching Samare and Avishka play for Ananda in my school days, we have this school assembly thing every morning so those days in Monday morning we eagerly await to hear what happened in the U19 match over the last week end. If they were playing in the school ground we used to go and watch matches Friday afternoon skipping some classes , we had some specific areas where we can watch the match without getting caught.
I remember the battles between Mahela vs Avishka /Samare those days since those three played in a similar years in school cricket
This one match I remember, I think it was around 1995/1996 , it was the 50 over Coca cola trophy final between Ananda vs Nalanda , those of who don't knwo about coca cola trophy it was an island wide 50 over tournament which Ananda used to win the trophy most of the years for fun those days, yes we were that good.
Match played in SSC , Ananda scored a decent amount of runs batting first and while chasing Mahela scored a lovely 60 odd to get Nalanda close to the total, then he got out, somehow Nalanda came close to the score but lost wickets, at one point they needed 3 runs in 12 balls with one wicket in hand. Penultimate over bowled by a player called Prasad Padmasanka, an all rounder who used to bowl spin , he was playing his last season for the school and the last match for the school , be bowled a maiden to make the equation 3 runs needed in 6 balls with one wicket in hand. Last over was bowled by Thilan Samaraweera , who bowled 3 dot balls first up, it was so tensed , then the fourth ball their last man came down the wicket and lofted the ball over bolwer's head for a six, Nalanda won by one wicket we were devastated.
Also this one match around 1993 , again Coca cola cup final, played in Tyrone Fernando stadium in Moratuwa between Ananda vs DS, Both Thilan Samare and Avishka played , Naveed Nawaz played for DS , Ananda batted first and got out for 153 IIRC, while chasing the score DS lost wickets but their wicket keeper came to bat with one glove in the hand IIRC due to an injury he occured during the match I don't remember his name now, it was such a distinct name I used to remember it very well , he scored a 50 to get DS close to the score but we won the match by few runs, it was such a close game, we were over the moon.
Another year , again Coca cola cup semi final played in Nomads ground ( this ground is no longer there ) between Ananda vs Nalanda which ended up in a tie with the exact amount of wickets fallen from both sides , So they had to do a coin toss to decide which team goes to the final to play either St Peters or St Josephs( I don't remember which one), Nalanda won the coin toss and went on to play the final , I think they won the trophy in the end, not sure.
I remember the battles between Mahela vs Avishka /Samare those days since those three played in a similar years in school cricket
This one match I remember, I think it was around 1995/1996 , it was the 50 over Coca cola trophy final between Ananda vs Nalanda , those of who don't knwo about coca cola trophy it was an island wide 50 over tournament which Ananda used to win the trophy most of the years for fun those days, yes we were that good.
Match played in SSC , Ananda scored a decent amount of runs batting first and while chasing Mahela scored a lovely 60 odd to get Nalanda close to the total, then he got out, somehow Nalanda came close to the score but lost wickets, at one point they needed 3 runs in 12 balls with one wicket in hand. Penultimate over bowled by a player called Prasad Padmasanka, an all rounder who used to bowl spin , he was playing his last season for the school and the last match for the school , be bowled a maiden to make the equation 3 runs needed in 6 balls with one wicket in hand. Last over was bowled by Thilan Samaraweera , who bowled 3 dot balls first up, it was so tensed , then the fourth ball their last man came down the wicket and lofted the ball over bolwer's head for a six, Nalanda won by one wicket we were devastated.
Also this one match around 1993 , again Coca cola cup final, played in Tyrone Fernando stadium in Moratuwa between Ananda vs DS, Both Thilan Samare and Avishka played , Naveed Nawaz played for DS , Ananda batted first and got out for 153 IIRC, while chasing the score DS lost wickets but their wicket keeper came to bat with one glove in the hand IIRC due to an injury he occured during the match I don't remember his name now, it was such a distinct name I used to remember it very well , he scored a 50 to get DS close to the score but we won the match by few runs, it was such a close game, we were over the moon.
Another year , again Coca cola cup semi final played in Nomads ground ( this ground is no longer there ) between Ananda vs Nalanda which ended up in a tie with the exact amount of wickets fallen from both sides , So they had to do a coin toss to decide which team goes to the final to play either St Peters or St Josephs( I don't remember which one), Nalanda won the coin toss and went on to play the final , I think they won the trophy in the end, not sure.