47th Big Match for Blackham Wijewardena Trophy:

Thurstan-Isipatana clash on February 26 and 27

Sampath Bandara

The Thurstan-Isipatana 47th (annual Big Match) for the Blackham Wijewardena Memorial Trophy will be held on February 26 and 27 at SSC grounds Colombo 7.

The Thurstan-Isipatana 30th limited over cricket encounter will be held on March 7 at the P. Sara Stadium for the W.A. De Silva Memorial Trophy. The third Twenty20 Encounter will be on March 14 at Thurstan grounds.

This year Thurstan College team is captained by Fourth year Coloursman Shihan Kamileen who has scored over 1025 runs with three Centuries. He is the first school boy cricketer to reach 1000 runs this season. Third year player Thiwanaka Ranasinghe is leading the Isipathana College team. He is a hard hitting right hand middle order batsman and right arm off spin bowler.

Captain Shihan Kamaleen is an accomplished batsman having scored 1116 runs in 18 matches (27 innings). His highest score is 120, he is also an orthodox right arm off spin bowler who has bagged 46 wickets (average 19.24) this season.

Udara Munasinghe has scored over 1000 runs in 18 matches. His highest score is 123 runs against S. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia. Sachith Dias has captured 46 wickets at an average of 18.09 (best bowling 8 for 68 runs).

Supun Nawarathna keeps wickets having taken 28 catches and four stumpings this season.

Right hand opening batsman Sasanka Nilusha (485 runs), Right hand hard hitting middle order batsman Dimitri Perera (538 runs) and Vidarshana Shenuka (326 runs) are the most prominent batsmen in the Isipatana team.

Left arm spinner Anushka Samaratunge is one of the best blowers in the schools. He has bagged 121 wickets in 15 matches (average 11.66). He got 9 for 22 vs Mahanama, 8 for 39 Vs. S. Thomas College Mount Lavinia and 6 for 17 against Lumbini College.

Right arm off spin bowler Sumitha Sulochana has taken 70 wickets (average 13.08).

In the last 47 encounters Thurstan College has won five matches. Isipatana four and 36 matches have been drawn. Thurstan College last won the Big Match in 1992 under Mackenzie Perera. Isipatana last win was in 1999 under Krishantha Jayawardena.

Thurstan Shihan Kamileen (Captain) Thisura Madurapperamua, Javed Siyambalapitiya, Udara Munasinghe, Prabodha Arthavidu, Harith Dias, Prabath Wijesinghe, Minhaj Jalil, Luvina Lochana, Lilan Fernando, Sajeewa Salgado, Kareen Tharindu and Ranga Wijewickrema.

Isipatana (from) Thiwanka Ranasinghe (Captain), Chamara Waduge, Dimuth Warapitiya, Anushka Samaratunge, Dimitri Perera, Sasanka Nilusha, Chanaka Jayanethi, Dinusha Fernando, Harith Wanigarachchi, Samitha Sulochana, Vikum de Costa, Ifran Rahim, and Vidarshana Shenuka.