Mahamaya Girls School softball champs

Upananda Jayasundera Kandy Sports Special Corr

Mahamaya Girls School, Kandy is famous for its sports activities-netball, athletics, hockey, basketball and swimming being high up on the list of priorities.

The school is still very active in the five fields mentioned and the school authorities have added one more sport that is cricket to the list, thus giving the young and energetic girls a wonderful opportunity to widen their sports capabilities.

Mahamaya was the only girls school in Kandy to play softball and hard ball and the only girls school team that participated in the 2006 Cricket Tournament organized by the Women’s Cricket Association when Gwen Herath was its President and they emerged 3rd in this tournament after Anuradhapura and Kegalle District teams.

When the Sri Lanka Cricket took over the women’s cricket, Mahamaya did not get an opportunity to participate in the tournament.

Now Mahamaya is concentrating on Softball cricket and they emerged champions in both Kandy District Schools as well as Central Province Schools softball Cricket Tournaments.

Presently they are preparing for the All Island Schools Softball Cricket Tournament organized by the Dept. of Education to be held in Panadura.

For any sport to thrive, specially at school level, the sport must have the backing of the school authorities. The sports loving Principal of Mahamaya, Indra Vithanachchi together with the Deputy Principals, Asoka Dissanayake and Vishaka Herath, Prefect of Games, Dammika Mahawattage and Teacher-in-Charge Padmini Ranasinghe are giving all the assistance and guidance to the cricketers.

Picture shows: Champion Mahamaya Softball Cricket team front row from left-Nadeeshani Kodituwakku, Ms Padmini Ranasinghe (Teacher-in-charge) Ms Indra Vithanachchi (Principal) Niluka Mortimor (Captain) Danushika Muhandiram (V Captain) 2nd row (from left) - Raveena Liyanage, Iresha Himbutugoda, Medhani Dissanayake, Deema Wattegedara, Dulanjali Vithanage, Damsara Kularatne, 3rd row (from left) - Madusha Ratnayake, Hansanie Tennakoon, Budhini Samarasinghe, Samadhi Ratnayake and Thilini Wanigasekara.