Nugawela CC favoured to win fourth Battle

L.B. Dissanayake, Senkadagala Sports Corr.

CRICKET: Nugawela Central College will go out as the favourites against A. Rathnayake Central College, Walala in their fourth annual cricket encounter, which will be played at the Asgiriya International Cricket stadium on 4 and 5 May. As there were no outright winners in this series in the past, a keen tussle can be expected in this encounter.

Nugawela Central has enjoyed one of their best seasons this year and has scored six outright wins from 12 matches while remaining unbeaten.

They have scored outright wins over D. B. Wijetunga College. Hikkaduwa Sri Sumangala College, Christchurch College, Matale, Akuramboda Central College, Sri Sumangala College, Kandy and Mahanama College, Kandy.They have also scored first innings wins over Galagedara Central College and Vijaya College, Matale and the matches against Trinity College Kandy, and Aloysius College Rathnapura were drawn while the match against Ananda Maithree College, Balangoda ended in a no decision.

Fourth year player B. D. Rajapaksa is the skipper of the side. As an attacking left-hand batsman he has scored over 600 runs with two centuries and 5 half centuries. Others who are expected to contribute with the bat are Vice captain N. M. Premakumara (over 500 runs with two half centuries), D. S. Senarathna (550 runs with 5 half centuries), D. A. L. Ramanathan (over 500 runs with 5 half centuries), D.D. Gayashan (575 runs with 4 half centuries), R. S. Kumarasingha (550 runs with a century against Trinity College Kandy and 5 half centuries)

The new ball is shared by D.A. L. Ramanathan (45 wickets) ad R. S. Kumarasingha (38 wickets) with support coming from off spinners N. M. Premakumara (25 wickets), D.D. Gayashan (52 wickets ) and medium pacers S. P. S. Amunugama (18 wickets), D. S. Senarathna (24 wickets), Amila De Silva (18 wickets).

The wicket-keeper of the side is L. Somarathna who has accounted for 17 victims (12 catches and 5 stumping) during the season.

The team is coached by Ravindra Jaliya Wilathgamuwa with S. W. Tushan. Buddhika as the MIC, L. B. Dissanayake Prefect of Games.

Walala Central has played 10 matches during the current inter school season and have registered a win against Mahanama College, Kandy. They lost to Galagedara Central and other matches were drawn.

Their batting heavily depend on skipper R. S. Wijesekara (600 runs with 2 centuries and 3 half centuries), N. L. Ranthethgedara (425 runs with 4 half centuries), S. D. Mudalige (400 runs with 3 half centuries) and D. P. Abeysinghe (500 runs with 5 half centuries).

In the bowling department N. L. Ranthethgedara (41 wkts), S. D. Mudalige (27), K. M. A. Kodikara (30), S. Ranthethge (27) have shown good form during the season and expect to give a torrid time to the Nugawela Central batsmen at the middle.

Skipper R. S. Wijesekera is the wicket-keeper of the side and he has accounted for 33 victims during the season.

The Walala Central team is coached by Dinuka Wijayawardene with N. Nissanka as the MIC and Athula Jayasekara as the prefect of Games.