Zahira ready to create major upsets

Chris DHAMBARAGE

Zahira College Maradana with four coloursmen and several other senior players in their ranks are hoping to produce a couple of surprises in the current inter school under 19 cricket tournament.

Last year they had a very successful season where the team emerged unbeaten champions in the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association organized division two tournament.

They had the credit of overcoming Royal Panadura, Sri Devananda College Ambalangoda and S. Thomas' College Kotte outright while registering first innings wins over Taxila MMV Horana, Sri Jayawardenapura MMV, Sri Sumangala College Panadura, Bandaranaike MMV Gampaha, President's College, Kegalle MV and Dharmaloka MV Kelaniya.

They were rewarded for all their hard work with a promotion to the division one tournament in the 2009/10 season and will be vying for honours in group 'A' along with Ananda, Royal, Thurstan, Maliyadeva College Kurunegala, Wesley, Mahinda College Galle, Dharmaraja College Kandy and St. Anthony's College.

Zahira College have been able to keep to their promise as an up and coming side while recording two outright victories this season against Kegalle MV and St. Anne's College Kurunegala. But more importantly they have enjoyed the tough situations and have gained a lot of experience while performing against some of the top opposition.

They of course started the season at the backdrop some uncertainly after having lost the services of a couple of key players from last year's line-up.

But they have settled to form a good combination in their own style as they look to make an impact during the rest of the season.

They had the bitter experience of going down to the more fancied teams like Ananda, Isipatana, Maliyadeva and Lumbini MV. However they have been able to gain valuable experience from these outings as they look to put them into practice in the up-coming matches.

They are scheduled to take on Wesley College this weekend on their home grounds at Maradana and will also play against Moratu MV, Presidents College, Mahinda College Galle and Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda.

Zahira College are privileged to have a fourth year coloursman Ishan Ibunu as their captain this season with fifth year coloursman Mohamed Hayazim as his deputy.

These two players carried most of the burden on their shoulders last year too and are expected to put up a repeat performance.

However left arm opening bowler Hayazim is yet to deliver the goods for his team having struggled to regain his form and rhythm after a successful season last year.

In contrast skipper Ibunu has continued from where he left last year with a fine all round performance once again.

The right hand middle order batsman has already accumulated over 650 runs including one century against Mahanama MV and four other half centuries.

He has also been quite consistent with the ball having captured over 30 wickets as a medium pace bowler.

Third year coloursman Imran Rafi is another centurion in the side having hit a career best 142 runs this season in addition to three other half centuries. Last year he piled up 847 runs inclusive of three centuries and this time he is set to perform even better having already crossed the 600 run mark.

The right arm off spinner is also one of their key bowlers in the side and has done a tremendous task in claiming over 30 wickets. But their main strike bowler this season has turned out to be M. I. Mohamed a second year coloursman.

The right arm leg spinner played a dominant role in their success last year capturing 57 wickets and this time he has snapped up over 25 wickets while taking up the responsibilities as a match winning bowler.

Fresher and wicket keeper batsman Arshad Bohoran is a promising player having notched up two superb fifties against Royal and Isipatana respectively. In addition second year players Mohamed Shadir, Shameer Ahmed and M. Shian have all been regular members of the present side with reasonable success on the field.

Fourteen year old leg spinner Irshad Umar, opening bower Mohamed Dilshad, middle order batsman Mohamed Nifaz, left hander M. Nilam, middle order batsman M. Fawaz and wicket keeper opening batsman Shabir Shibley are the rest of the members of the First Eleven squad.