Ananda vs Nalanda - beyond the big match

The traditional 'big match' of the premier Buddhist Colleges - the Ananda versus Nalanda cricket encounter is a much looked forward event by students, parents, old boys as well as cricket lovers.

There are so many reasons for that. One of the most important reasons is these two schools have produced and is producing the most number of Test players to the nation. (This has been underestimated by certain elements of groups so far. Basically these two schools are not coming from so-called 'gentlemen's' in cricket in Sri Lanka).

Key-role

Since obtaining Test status, players produced by both Ananda and Nalanda played a key-role in the progress of Sri Lanka cricket. Majority of the cricketers in the national teams have been from these two institutions which have produced talented and well disciplined cricketers. Furthermore, it is no exaggeration to say that these two schools are capable of raising two teams of Test cricketers from their schools.

So far, Ananda and Nalanda have the honour of producing 25 cricketers to the national teams. Among the cricketers produced by Ananda are Arjuna Ranatunga, Anuruddha Polonnowita, Bonnie Wije-singhe, Sarath Wijesinghe, Sonny Yatawara, Sidath Wettimuni and Marvan Atapattu, Aviska Gunawardena, Thilan Samaraweera and Thilina Kandambi. Nalanda also produced players like Bandula Warnapura, Anura Ranasinghe, Jayantha Senevirathne, Lalith Kaluperuma, Kumar Dharmasena, Roshan Mahanama, Asanka Gurusinghe, Gamini Wickramasinghe and Mahela Jayewardena.

Short span

Sri Lankan cricket peaked in a short span of 25 years since gaining test status in 1981. Sri Lankan first Test captain was a Nalandian Bandula Warnapura and world champion team in 1996 was led by Anandian Arjuna Ranatunga.

They entered the finals in 2007 and were led by Nalandian Mahela Jayawardena. Further, old Anandians and Nalandians such as Ana Punchihewa, Upali Darmadasa, Danasiri Weerasinghe, Prasanna Ranatunga, Kushil Gunasekara, Thilanga Sumathipala, Karuna-rathne Abesekara, Premasara Epasinghe, Palitha Perera, Kamal Deshapriya and Prasanna Hennayake have contributed immensely to popularize the game amongst the Sri Lankan rural population. This clearly shows the contribution made by Ananda & Nalanda towards Sri Lankan cricket.

Underdogs

The Sri Lankan national teams were considered perpetual underdogs but this image changed completely during the 1996 Cricket World Cup, when Sri Lanka defeated tournament favourites Australia to win it under the captaincy of Ranatunga.

This victory, for which Ranatunga was a pivotal part both as batsman and captain, has ensured that Sri Lanka are no longer underestimated on the world cricket stage.

And with a fine temperament and an excellent technique, Mahela Jayawardena is capable of playing long innings. He gave an example of that when he became the first Sri Lankan captain to score a Test triple-century which came against the Proteas at the SSC in Colombo.

He has displayed great leadership skills by guiding his side to the final of 2007 World Cup in Caribbean. Mahela was honoured by the ICC as the best international captain in 2006.

The inaugural Big Match between Ananda and Nalanda was played in 1924 with K.A.P. Rajakaruna, (later Barrister-at-Law) as captain of Ananda College and B.S. Perera as captain of Nalanda College. B.S. Perera later played for All Ceylon. But the first encounter between Ananda and Nalanda played at Campbell Place the playground of Nalanda was practically washed off by heavy rain. In 1925 Dr. N.M. Perera and B.S. Perera did captain Ananda and Nalanda respectively and Ananda was defeated in the same year in the Big Match against Nalanda.

This year (2009) will be the first time that 'The Big Match' will be organised by a joint committee from the two schools with the support of the students, staff and distinguished old boys of the two schools who include the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka, captain of the Sri Lanka cricket team Mahela Jayawardena and former captains of Sri Lanka Cricket Marvan Attapattu, Bandula Warnapura, Arjuna Ranatunga, Roshan Mahanama and many others.

Nalin Abeysekera Lectuer, Open University of Sri Lanka, Nawala