Ananda favourites against Nalanda
Chinthana WASALA
Ananda and Nalanda,two of Sri Lanka's most prestigious Buddhist
schools will meet at the SSC ground Colombo in the 80th 'Battle of the
Maroons' today.
Ananda College will go out hot favourites considering the current
form.
|
ANANDA COLLEGE (seated from left): Aravinda Lanerolle
(Assistant Coach), Saman Hettiarachchi (Master-in-Charge -
Junior), Kumara Rodrigo (Prefect of Games), D.A.D.
Dissanayake (Deputy Principal), Matheesha Perera
(Vice-Captain), Lal Dissanayake Act.Principal), Dinesh
Chandimal (Captain), Kulasiri Zoysa (Deputy Principal),
Major Jagath Alwis (Prefect of Games), Mr. Priyankara
Nandasena (Master-in-Charge), Lucky Rogers Fernando (Head
Coach). Standing 1st row (from left): Ruwinda Shamen, Minura
Janadi, Sachithra Perera, Geshan Wimaladharma, Sanjeewa
Udawatte, Sameera Wijesuriya, Madumal Jayaratne, Prabodha
Seneviratne, Ruchira Herath, Sachin Sampath, Naveen
Samaraweera Udesh Nadeeranga. Standing 2nd row (from left):
Thisara Godahewa, Pasindu Madhushan, Mayuka Perera, Thushara
Samarakoon, Sisuru Samarakoon. |
Ananda team led by wicketkeeper batsman Dinesh Chandimal have won 12
matches out of 17 this season while losting only one.
The most outstanding Anandians this season are, the skipper Dinesh
Chandimal and his deputy Matheesha Perera who are are determined to do
their best in an effort for an outright win this year.
The skipper has an outstanding record this season with over 1300 runs
with the bat and 44 catches behind the wickets and seven stumpings.
Chandimal will have the services of left-hand opener Udesh Nadeeranga,
Matheesha Perera, right hand opener Prabodha Seneviratne, Sachin Dewage
and geshan Wimalaratne to strengthen the Anandian batting.
In bowling, the let-arm leg spinner who led them to victory in many
games, Matheesha Perera, the deputy skipper will be under the spotlight.
Perera has over 120 wickets in his account this season and will have all
eyes focused on him.
The pace attack will be led by the left armers Ravindu Sheman and
Sachinthra Perera who both have captured overs 50 wickets during the
current season.
Nalanda College will have to face stiff opposition from Anandian
attack comprising of all those lethel weapons.
Captained by middle-order batsman Nipun Karunanayake, the Nalandians
have recorded outright wins against Isipathana MV, Richmond, St.
Sylvester's, Kandy and Rahula.
|
NALANDA COLLEGE: (seated from left): S.M. Wickramasinghe
(Master-in-Charge), Sarath Gunathilaka (Deputy
Principal/Sports Co-ordinator), Dinuk Jayasinghe (Vice
Captain), H.U. Premathilaka (Principal), Nipun Karunanayake
(Captain), Pramuditha Wickremasinghe (Deputy Principal),
Susila Gunawardena (Coach). Standing 1st row (from left):
Chanthan de Silva, Chandimanthu Rodrigo, Tharindu
Wickramasinghe, Adeesha Nanayakkara, Tharindu
Vidanapathirana, Vimukthi Perera, Naveen Subasinghe, Sayuru
de Silva, Primesh Dissanayake. Standing 2nd row (from left):
Dilshan Peiris, Gayan Medawaththa, Sineth Gunawardena,
Charith Dissanayake and Preshan Wickremasinghe |
The vice captain Dinuk Jayasinghe is the leading scorer for Nalanda
with over 600 runs. He is followed by the right-hand opener Prashan
Wickremasinghe (584 runs), skipper and left-hand middle-order batsman
Nipun Karunanayake (520 runs), left-hand bat Chethan de Silva (430
runs), Adeesha Nanayakkara (450) and number three batsman Chandimantha
Rodrigo (410 runs).
Nalandian skipper and his deputy have accounted for most of the
wickets Karunanayake and Jayasinghe with the former a right-arm
leg-spinner having claimed over 65 wickets and the latter a right-arm
off-spinner having over 60 wickets respectively.
Of the 79 previous encounters played, Ananda lead the series with 14
wins to the 5 of Nalanda. 55 encounters have ended without a result and
five matches were not played.
The last Ananda win was in 2003 under Duminda Kularathne while
Nalanda won the last match 56 years ago under the captaincy of W. W.
Silva. |
