St. Anthony’s, Wattala - a vastly improved side

Anushka Withanage

St. Anthony’s College, Wattala is a leading school in the Gampaha district rapidly improving in cricket. In the recent past St. Anthony’s cricket has made an upward swing producing Sri Lanka’s national cricket team left arm fast bowler Chaminda Vaas, middle order batsman and paceman Thisara Perera who were the first Antonians to play Test and One Day International cricket for the country.

St Anthony’s College has been playing cricket from 1960. Now the school has been playing in Division Two but cricket really begins at St Anthony’s College from the level of Under-13. Looking at the past performances of St. Anthony’s College, the cricket team has every reason to smile about in their endeavour to climb the ladder.

They have performed reasonably well at all age levels in the past which augurs well for the future.

They were Under-19 team champions of the Division Three in 2004, Under-15 team champions of the Division Two in 2008, Under-17 team qualified to the Division One quarter-finals in 2009 and Under-13 team qualified to the Division One pre-quarter finals in 2009. Leading batsmen for the St. Anthony’s College are right hand batsman Chandima Lakmal who has scored 835 runs including one double century, one century and four half centuries ( versus Kularathana College, Ambalangoda-241 and Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte,-165) in this season, left hand batsman Tharindu Rukshan has scored 400 runs in the current season, right hand batsman Sameera Sandamal scored 445 and right hand batsman Purna Ranasinghe (Captain) scored 475 runs in this season.

Right arm leg spinner Chandima Lakmal strengthens the bowling department. He has claimed 44 wickets including (7 for 86 vs Kularatne College, Ambalangoda, 7 for 49 vs Asoka College, Colombo and 5 for 48 vs Sri Jayawardenapura MV) in this season, right arm off spinner Tharindu Rukshan took 30 wickets and captain Purna Ranasinghe took 36 wickets this season.

The Old Boys Association and also another organization called Parents Cricketers Association are looking into the welfare of the Cricketers and thereby improve on the quality of cricket at the school.

They have played eight matches this season - Carey College, Colombo, Dharmaloka College, Kelaniya, Asoka College, Colombo, Sri Jayawardenapura MV, Tissa Central College, Kalutara, Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte, Kularatne College, Ambalangoda, Raddoluwa MV. Meanwhile the Under-19 team is scheduled to play Gurukula College, Kelaniya, Royal College, Panadura, Holly Cross College, Kaluthara, Ananda Sastralaya, Matugama later this year.

The captain of the Prince of Wales college at their first big match, Dileep Prasanna is the current Antonian Under-19 Coach. He is a level two coach.

Father Krushan Perera is the Master-in-charge and Asanga Nanayakkara is the assistant coach in the school. The former master in-charge Father Lukshman Peris is giving maximum support to develop school cricket.

According to Dileep Prasanna, the coach, the team has performed creditably well and gained much experience. The Principal of St. Anthony’s College, Father Marl Fernando said that he would extend his maximum support to improve the standard of the school team.