Nalanda has tough battle to wage against unbeaten Ananda in 86th encounter
Nalanda College is still to find their elusive victory formula since their last win in 1953 as another 'Battle of the Maroons' between the two leading Budhist Institutions in the country Ananda and Nalanda will gear up to meet in their 86th encounter at the SSC grounds on March 8 and 9.
Victory has denied Nalanda in this encounter for the past 61 years since their win under W.W. Silva in 1953. Ananda then was captained by Henry Seneviratne. Ananda last won in 2003 under Damindu Kularatne and the Nalanda captain on that occasion was Sanjaya Gangodawila.
Eleven years have gone since the Ananda last won in 2003 and it is high time that both teams make determined efforts to break the deadlock and make the series more interesting. After an inauspicious start this season, Nalanda losing three matches at the beginning, they came back fighting not to lose the remaining matches and were successive in beating Maliayadeva in their last game.
Ananda in their 15 matches played so far, have remained unbeaten and won against Dharmapala, Revatha Balapitiya, St.Benedict's and Wesley.
The Anandians will be led by coloursman Sammu Ashan who is shaping up to be a promising allrounder. Sammu Ashan with Sahan Arachchige have missed some matches during the season as they were members of the Sri Lanka under 19 team when they were playing against their Bangladesh counterparts in a youth Test and ODI series.
For Ananda, opener Lakkana Jayasinghe has been striking well to top the 750 run mark making a double century scored against Dharmapala Pannipitiya. Nisal Francisco is another top order batsman who has been among the runs this season. However, the Anandians have not done anything exceptional to be a strong force or to be favourites, but nevertheless with Nalanda possessing a side of equal strength, the 'battle' should produce some excitement for the spectators. Nalanda, although losing to Richmond, St.Peter's and Trinity at the early stage of the tournament, has settled down to form a strong unit with their skipper Malinga Amarasinghe guiding them with the bat and ball. Amarasinghe like his counterpart Sammu Ashan, is a promising allrounder who has held the team together. In batting, Openers Kasun Sandaruwan and Raveen Dassanayake with the deputy Isuru Samarasinghe, Dasun Seneviratne (Over 500 runs with three fifties) have done well in batting.
Left-arm spinner Kavindu Bandara, off-spinner Dilan Suraweera and medium-pacer Ayantha de Silva are capable players of playing a key role for Nalanda in their endeavour of upsetting the Anandians.
The highest individual score in the 'Big Match' series is by Shantha Kalavitigoda of Nalanda (149) in 1997. The earlier top score was by Roshan Mahanama (Nalanda) 146 n.o in 1984.
Thilina Kandamby's 144 in 1999 is the top score for an Anandian. The highest number of wickets in an innings by an individual was by left -arm spinner Yohan Gunasekera (Nalanda) 8 for 32 in 1976. He surpassed the 8 for 36 in 1940 by the late P.W. Perera (Ananda) by virtue of conceding a fewer number of runs
Ananda College Seated from left. RohanSoysa (Coach), Jagath Alwis (Prefet Of Games), Nisal Francisco,W.M.C.K. Mahamuthuwa (V.Principal), Sammu Ashan (Captain), KithsiriLiyanagamage (Principal), Lakkana Jayasinghe, F.Welage ( DeputyPrincipal Extra Curricular Activities), Sarath Priyankara (Master InCharge), Thisara DE Silva (Ass. Coach), Standing from left. Dinuka Jayaratne,Dushan Hettige, Rahal Avishka, Dileepa Jayalath, Kasun Perera, AselSigera, Supun Waragoda, Sahan Arachchige, Shenal Koralage, DilankaSandaken, Nipun Haggalle , Nipun DE Silva, Kavishka Anjula, LahiruAttanayake
St.Peter's - a strong outfit and Joes will find it tough to contain them
The 81st annual Big Match between St Joseph's College and St Peter's College, the 'Battle of Saints' will be held on March 6 and 7 at the P. Sara Oval.
The Big Match will commence with the participation of chief guest former Ceylon player fast bowler Tony Opatha, who captained the St Peter's College in the 1967 encounter.
In this year's clash, St Peter's College is captained by Chandula Jayamannne while Pethum Madushanka skippers the Darley Road, St.Joseph's School which has won 12 matches so far in their 80-year-old Big Match series.
The Peterites have won nine encounters, having won the two-day match last under the captaincy of Shehan Fernando in 2012. The Josephians' last victory came under Ruwantha Fernandopulle in 2008.
St Peter's College have won seven matches with nine games drawn out of the 16 matches this season. They recorded outright wins against Nalanda College Colombo, Maris Stella College Negombo, Wesley College, Royal College Colombo, Trinity College Kandy, Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda and St Anthony's College Katugastota.
St.Peter's strong outfit
The Peterites comprise strong outfit with their top order batsmen scoring heavily while their bowlers also performing well during the season, which has resulted seven outright wins.
Dineth Thimodya (767), Lakshina Rodrigo (704), Didulana Medis (655), Hashan Wanigasekera (564) and Sachin Dalpattado (505), have been in extraordinary form this season for the Bambalapitiya school.
Thaneesha Weerakoon (65 wickets), Vinu Mohotti (57 wickets), Ashanth Malka (51 wickets) have been combining well to prop the Peterites bowling.
On the other hand, the Josephians will have a difficult task in containing the powerful Peterite batting. Their star spinner Aravinda Akurugoda has taken 52 wickets and Harindra Perera who has taken 31 wickets are the two bowlers Joes will have to depend on to collect the Peterite wickets. Besides these two bowlers, Jehan Daniel (25 wickets), Harin Cooray (26 wickets) will have to assist Akurugoda and Perera.
Joes depend a lot in skipper Madushanka
The Joes batting will revolve around their skipper Pethum Madushanka who has scored 754 runs with a highest score of 152 and Sandaruwan Rodrigo (434), Aravinda Akurugoda (332) with a top score of 106. He has proved himself as an up and coming all-rounder and the Joes will heavily bank on these players.
On paper, unbeaten Peterites look a stronger side having gained seven outright wins in the season. To the Joes three outright wins and losing to Trinity College Kandy during the season.
Thurstan College captain Thimira Jayasinghe (86), Charana Nanayakkara (69 not out) and Imesh Viranga (61) made three cracking half centuries in their total of 291-6 at close in reply to Isipathana College's 257 all out in their 52nd annual Big Match which ended in a draw at the Sinhalese Sports Club grounds, Colombo 7 yesterday.
Skipper Jayasinghe, who was adjudged the best batsman, struck 86 off 105 balls being the top scorer of the match. Jayasinghe and one-down batsman Imesh Viranga put on an 84-run partnership for the third wicket. Viranga, the wicket-keeper batsman smashed 61 runs with five boundaries and a six.
Charana Nanayakkara made 69 runs off 85 balls. Nanayakkara hit six fours and a six when the match was stopped at 6 pm. Nanayakkara and captain Jayasinghe added 85 runs for the sixth wicket before the latter got out for 86.
Resuming at the overnight score of 172-3, Isipathana's Vishad Randika who was unbeaten on 58 overnight, got out without making any run in the morning. Right handed Randika, who played for Sri Lanka U19 against Bangladesh recently, was the top scorer for his side making his third fifty of the season.
After opener Davis Imesh made 41 runs off 98 balls including five fours and a six, Randika hit five boundaries during his 86-ball knock.
Following which Isipathana lost wickets at regular intervals off fine spin bowling of Rusiru Munasinghe and Naveen Gunawardene.
Right hand batsman Shenal Deelaka played a lone innings in the tail-end, making 35 runs with five fours. Deelaka was the last victim of Rusiri Munasinghe, who completed a five-wicket haul. It was right arm off spinner's first five-wicket haul in his career.
Naveen Gunawardene played a good supportive role claiming three wickets for 38 runs. Gunawardene, the first year coloursman of Thurstan College, conceded eight maiden overs during his marathon 24-over spell.
Best Batsman: Thimira Jayasinghe (Thurstan College)
Best Bowler: Rusiru Munasinghe (Isipathana College)
Best Fielder: Imesh Viranga (Thurstan College)
Best All-rounder: Imesh Viranga (Thurstan College)
Scoreboard
Isipathana College
1st innings (overnight 172-3)
Davis Imesh c Jayasinghe b Silva 41
Salinda Ushan c V Ratna b Munasinghe 12
Pramith Dias c Viranga b Munasinghe 27
Vishad Randika c Abeyratne b Nanayakkara 58
Pramod Maduwantha st Viranga b Gunawardene 34
Sanjula Abeywickrama c Gunawardene b Munasinghe 21
Ayana Siriwardene c V Ratna b Munasinghe 04
Chameera Dissanayake c Viranga b Gunawardene 00
Shenal Deelaka c Lakshan b Munasinghe 35
Shehan Sandaruwan c Fernando b Gunawardene 00
Sanjula Bandara not out 00
Extras (b 4, lb 5, nb 8, w 8) 25
TOTAL (all out; 91.4 overs) 257
Thurstan College
1st innings
Kasun Abeyratne c Randika b Sandaruwan 36
Isuru Fernando c Dissanayake b Deelaka 12
Imesh Viranga c & b Maduwantha 61
Thimira Jayasinghe c Dissanayake b Sandaruwan 86
Thilan Gunaratne run out 01
Rusiru Munasinghe c Siriwardene b Dissanayake 02
Charana Nanayakkara not out 69
Nipun Lakshan not out 10
Extras (b 5, lb 1, nb 8) 14
TOTAL (6 wts; 67 ov) 291
Fall of wickets: 1-32 (Fernando), 2-63 (Abeyratne), 3-147 (Viranga)
4-149 (Gunaratne), 5-157 (Munasinghe), 6-242 (Jayasinghe)
Bowling: Shehan Sandaruwan 16-0-78-2
Shenal Deelaka 6-1-14-1
Davis Imesha 1-0-1-0
Sanjula Bandara 13-2-49-0
Chameera Dissanayake 19-0-71-1
Salinda Ushan 3-0-15-0
Pramod Maduwantha 9-1-35-1
Praneeth Dias 2-0-22-0
Isnt it funny that the big matches are part of the league but the roy-tho is suddenly a 3 dayer when others are all 2 dayers including the league matches
how are other teams compensated for this ? it seems to be that this match has more of a chance for a result. affecting the league.