Marians favoured to win 33rd Battle

S M Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Correspondent

St Mary’s College go out as firm favourites to win the 33rd “Battle of the Golds” against Kegalu Vidyalaya which will be played at the Public Ground, Kegalle today and tomorrow.

This prediction of a Marians win comes from the fact that they are enjoying one of their best seasons and have posted 9 outright wins this season and are in the quarter finals of the schools Munchee limited over cricket having beaten Wesley College and provided the biggest upset of the tournament. Kegalu Vidyalaya on the other hand have just one win to boast.

This series started in the early sixties and has had many breaks due to many reasons. Of the 32 matches played to date, the Marians are in the lead with 3 wins and Kegalu Vidyalaya have still to open their account.

They came close to achieving this, about four years ago but were thwarted by the over enthusiastic spectators who disrupted play when Kegalu Vidyalaya were short of victory by 10 runs with six wickets in hand.

St Mary’s College will be led by all-rounder Malinda Gunaratne, one of the best all-rounders in schools today. He has scored over 700 runs and taken 91 wickets with his off spinners, thus playing a key role in Marians top performance this season.

Deputy skipper of the side is Christopher Denepitiya, another good all-rounder. He has taken 60 wickets with his medium pacers and also scored over 600 runs.

The other reliable batsmen in the side are Eraj Jayamanne (500 runs), Kevin Galdeniya (650 runs), Madhawa Herath (300 runs), Prince Jayakumar (400 runs), Jude Perera (250 runs), Sahan Opatha (300 runs), Chathuranga Ranaweera (350 runs), M Malik (300 runs).

Their pace attack will comprise of Christopher Denepitiya (60 wkts) and Kevin Galdeniya (30 wkts) and for extra pace there is Jude Perera. It is the spin attack which is the forte of the Marians. Off spinner Malinda Gunaratne has produced several match winning spells and has a haul of 91 wickets and has teamed up with leg spinner Prince Jayakumar (60 wickets) to form a deadly combination. The third spinner in the side is Chamika Karunaratne who has captured 20 wickets. Sahan Opatha is the stumper of the side.

St Mary’s College has this season played 14 matches, winning 9 and drawing the rest. Their wins have been over St Thomas College, Matale, Ibbagamuwa Central, Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte, St Patrick’s College, Jaffna, St Xavier’s, Marawila, Carey College, Sri Rahula College, Katugastota, Sri Dharmaloka Kelaniya, Sri Sumangala Kandy. This has been the best season in their history.

The team is coached by S Ekanayake with Prabath Sundarapperuma as Master in Charge.

Kegalu Vidyalaya by all-rounder Chaluka Weerasinghe, an attacking batsman who has scored over 650 runs and captured 15 wickets with his pacers.

Fifth year player and all-rounder Udara Thillakasiri is the vice captain of the side. A top off spinner with a haul of 60 wickets and has also scored 675 runs.

Kegalu Vidyalaya have played 11 matches, winning 1, losing 2 and drawing the rest. Their win has been over Raddoluwa Vidyalaya and their losses has been to St Sylvester’s College and Gurukula Vidyalaya, Kelaniya. Apart from the skipper and his deputy the other capable batsmen in the side are Kalpa Bandaranayake (700 runs), K C Ranasinghe (300 runs), A K Balasuriya (300 runs), I N D Somathillake (600 runs), M S M Dassanayake (300 runs), Wimantha Ratnayake (350 runs), T L Somaratne (250 runs).

Kegalu Vidyalaya’s speed attack will be spearheaded by skipper Chaluka Weerasinghe and Kalpa Bandaranayake (20 wkts) and A K Balasuriya (20 wkts) who may be also called upon to open the attack.

Their spin attack will comprise off spinner Udara Thillakasiri (60 wkts), off spinner I N B Somathillake (25 wkts), left arm spinner M S M Dassanayake (40 wkts) left arm spinner R A T L Somaratne (20 wkts) and off spinner Wimantha Ratnayake. P V V Withanage is the stumper of the side.

The team is coached by M Shukri with S Indrajith as the Master in Charge.