Mahinda blessed with a great amount of talent

Chris Dhambarage

The presence of two crack Sri Lanka youth players and several other seniors will be the biggest advantage for Mahinda College Galle in the current inter-school under 19 cricket tournament.

The team is blessed with a great amount of talent and potential with skipper Denuwan Rajakaruna and last year captain Rumesh Buddhika leading the way. Both players have been associated with the Sri Lanka Under-19 team in the recent past and have toured Bangladesh, South Africa and New Zealand.

Fifth year coloursman Rajakaruna a right hand opening batsman who is also their regular wicket keeper of the side hit a sparkling 94 in the match against the West Indies in the Play Off final of the Under 19 World Cup in New Zealand.

He of course missed a good number of First Eleven matches this year due to his national commitments and is determined to make amends during the latter stages of the current season. Rajakaruna hit a splendid 94 against St. Joseph’s College and 48 against Prince of Wales College before leaving to New Zealand.

Mahinda College have maintained an unbeaten record so far and their prime goal is the annual Big Match the 105th Lovers Quarrel against their traditional rivals Richmond College which will be worked off on March 19 and 20 at the Galle Stadium.

Last year too they completed the season with an unbeaten record having registered four outright victories against Wesley College, Rahula MV, S. Thomas’ Matara and Lumbini MV. Fourth year coloursman and dynamic all rounder Kaushalya Wedasinghe is the vice captain of the team. The left hand middle order batsman has scored over 400 runs this season including one hundred against Royal College. In addition he has notched up three good half centuries against Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda (67), Rahula MV Matara (59) and Dharmaraja College Kandy (58 n.o).

Wedasinghe has also been among the wickets this year having captured over 40 scalps as a right arm off spinner. He returned career best figures of five wickets for 21 against Prince of Wales College Moratuwa and had four wickets for 18 runs against Rahula MV Matara.

Sixth year coloursman Rumesh Buddhika is probably their most experienced player in the team having represented the Sri Lanka Under-19 team on many occasions both at home and overseas.

The left hand aggressive batsman came into the limelight by stroking a magnificent 139 from 137 balls with 18 boundaries in a one day international against South Africa Under-19 at Johannesburg that also earned him the Man of the Match award.

Buddhika had an excellent average of 44.50 in that Youth Tri Nation tournament that also featured India and worked off last year. He then hit a crucial 57 in the second one day match against Australia at Darwin.

Before that Buddhika played a major role in helping Sri Lanka to clinch a Tri Series limited overs tournament at home that featured Bangladesh and Pakistan. He also had the distinction of representing the SLC Combined XI in the Bank of Ceylon Inter Provincial limited overs tournament and hit a run a ball 94 against the Basnahira South to help his team register their only victory of the competition.

This season of course he had limited opportunities due to his commitments with the Sri Lanka Under-19 team but made a superb 72 in the game against Prince of Wales College Moratuwa. Last year he was their leading run getter where he accumulated over 950 runs.

Second year coloursman Nisala Tharaka is another brilliant all rounder having made his presence felt with both bat and ball. The right hand middle order batsman struck two fifties against S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia (67), and Dharmaraja College Kandy (63) respectively.

The right arm opening bowler has been equally good with the ball and took a career best eight wickets for 36 against Ananda College which was followed by a five wicket haul (5 for 35) against prince of Wales College Moratuwa.

Third year coloursman Tharaka Nimesh is another senior player in the side having made useful contributions as a right hand middle order batsman and having impressed as a right arm leg spinner.

Second year player and right hand batsman Udara Jayasanka is another consistent run getter having already notched up three good half centuries against Maliyadeva College Kurunegala (67), St. Joseph’s College (50) and Royal College (60 n.o) respectively.

Left hand middle order batsman Nirvantha Theekshila is a second year coloursman having hit a solid half century in the game against Rahula MV, Matara. Leg spinner Chalana de Silva and right hand opening batsman Sajith Lakmal are the other two coloursman in the side.

Among the newcomers Sohan Kariyawasam has been able to make an impact having captured two four wicket hauls against Maliyadeva College Kurunegala (4 for 43) and Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda (4 for 20).

The rest of the members of the First Eleven squad are right hand batsman Chandu Piripun, left hander Hashan Kumuditha, right arm paceman Indeera Gallage, right hand batsman Dilan Buddhika and left hander Supun Chanaka.