103rd Kandy's Battle of the Maroons:

Rajans have the edge over Kingswood

S. M. Jiffrey ABDEEN Kandy Sports correspondent

Dharmaraja College cricket team: Seated (from left): Bhuvaneka Ekanayake, K.M. Senaviratne (Master In Charge), Ramesh Yapa Bandara (Vice Captain), S.M. Keerthiratne (Principal), Pratap de Silva (captain), Sarath Matharaarachchi (Prefect of Games), Senaka Dissanayake (Coach). Middle row (from left): Theekshana Wedagedera, Rahula Ekanayake, Kavinda Wijekoon, Tharaka Silva, Sanjaya Kalubowila, Abeyratne Bandara, Hemal Munaweera, Ruchirange Dandeniya, Mayura Ratnayake. Back row (from left): Ruchira Rupasinghe, Sandun Weerakoddy, Lochana Ekanayake, Kaveendra Jayasinghe, R.M.S. Sandaruwan, Thilina Ranasinghe, Imran Marikkar, Nuwan Karunaratne.

Kingswood College cricket team: Seated (from left): Chathura Kumarasiri, Madhawa Maduranga, Chalitha Dharmaprema (captain), Ashan Senaviratne (vice captain), Udara Hettige, Lahiru Gannoruwa. Standing (from left): Dashitha Kandanarachchi, Dinesh Rabel, Yasindu Athukorale, Subodha Premaratne, Rashminda Sandaruwan, Hasitha Dharmaprema, Chamara Weeratunga and Tilina Karunaratne. Pix. by S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen, Kandy sports correspondent

Dharmaraja College, Kandy should have the edge over Kingswood College in their 103rd hill capital's "Battle of the Maroons" which will be played at the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy on Friday and Saturday (March 13th and 14th) with play commencing at 9.45 a.m. on the first day and 9.30 a.m. on the second day.

This match will be also played for the T. B. Tennakoon Challenge Shield which has been in the custody of the Rajans since 1980 when they scored an outright win over their rivals under Janaka Mendis. The Rajans lead the series with 31 wins against 19 by the Kignswoodians and 52 matches have ended in draws.

The highest score in the series stands to the credit of the present cricket coach of Dharmaraja and old Rajans Senaka Dissanayake who made 201 in 1983 at the Asgiriya Stadium. For the Kingswoodians the record is held by Clifford Ratnavibhushana who made 167 in 1959. The last win by Kingswood was under C. Maurice Fernando in 1958 and he was also adjudged the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year in 1958 in a contest organised by the Daily News.

The Rajans led by allrounder Pratap Silva have been enjoying a season of mixed fortunes. They have played 18 matches, won 7 and lost 6 and drawn the rest. Their wins have been over St. Thomas College, Matale. Rahula College, Matara, President's College, Rajagiriya, Sri Sumangala College, Panadura, Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya, Vidyartha College and Zahira College. Their losses have been to Trinity College, S. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia, Ananda College, Royal college, Maliyadewa College and D. S. Senanayake College.

Pratap de Silva is a good right arm off spinner who has taken 47 wickets this season and has also scored 450 runs. Another good allrounder Ramesh Yapa Bandara is the vice captain of the side. He is an aggressive bat who has scored 580 runs with a top score of 105 and his left arm spinners has brought him 49 wickets.

Though there is plenty of depth in Rajans batting but they have been not consistent and their main run getters have been last year's skipper Buwaneka Ekanayake (1020 runs), Theekshana Wedagedera (600 runs), Rahula Ekanayake (560 runs), Tharindu Dandeniya (520 runs), Hemal Munaweera (300 runs), Sandun Weerakkody (650 runs) and Sanjay Kalubowila (200 runs)

The pace attack is spearheaded by Tharindu Dandeniya and Nuwan Karunaratne with Hemal Munaweera and Tharaka Silva completing the pace quartet. The side is loaded with spinners in off spinner Pratap de Silva (41 wickets), left arm spinner Yapa Bandara (49 wickets), and off spinner Rahula Ekanayake (62 wickets). Buwaneka Ekanayake is the stumper of the side with 40 victims.

Kingswood College will be led by fourth year player and allrounder Chalitha Dharmaprema who is a fine middle order bat and an off spinner. He has captured 74 wickets and scored 371 runs this season.