Nalandians going great guns this season

Thushan JAYASURIYA

Nalanda College, is in the limelight this season with two outright wins and five first innings wins in 13 matches Last season they collected 300 runs against Dharmapala College, Pannipitiya. They hope to perform more this season.

Koshan Dhanushka captain Nalanda under 19 team

The team is steered up with the captaincy of Koshan Dhanushka, third year coloursman and all rounder. He has helped his team by collecting a tally of 450 runs with a highest individual score of 88 runs against Royal College, Colombo.

This year he has collected 700 runs with his highest individual score of 114 runs against De Mazenod College, Kandana.In bowling, he possesses 55 wickets with a matchbag of 12 wickets (First Innings five for 35,Second Innings seven for 19) against Lumbini last season.

This season, he has come up with a total of 35 wickets including two five wicket hauls against Trinity College,Kandy(five for 41) and St.Servatius College, Galle(five for 22).

This Right hander represented Sri Lanka in the under 17 International School Premier League Championship held in India. Third year coloursman and all rounder Ishan Rangana has made a valuable contribution to his Alma Mater with 450 runs in 13 matches including his best performance against Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda (58) last season. This season , he hammered 750 runs.

His highest individual score is 113 runs against Isipatana College. He didn't bowled in both seasons due to injuries. But he expects to show his colours in bowling as soon as he recovers.

Second year player and right hand batsman Lahiru Jayakody has done his best with a total of 550 runs with a highest individual score of 86 runs against Royal this season including six half centuries against Zahira, D.S., Isipatana, De Mazenod, Sri Sumangala Panadura and Royal.

Last season he made a total of 56 runs with his best performance against Mahanama College(35).

Nalanda under 19 team (Standing from left) Udara Akalanka, Vihan Wickramarachchi, Kushal Dias, Lahiru Jayakody, Tharanga Dhammika (coach), Ranjith Malawaraarachchi (Prefect of Games), Koshan Dhanushka (Captain), Ishan Rangana(Vice Captain), Malinda Vimukthi, Woshantha Silva, Nikila Weerasinghe. Seated (from left): Hasitha Wickramasinghe, Ruchitha Perera, Avishka De Silva, Rasitha Kanchana, Senura Amarasinghe, Manula Jayasekara, Pramud Hettiwatte, Lahiru Wijeratne. (Pictures by Nissanka Wijeratne)

Kushal Dias, second year coloursman and right arm fast bowler has added a plenty of variety to the bowling department having collected a match bag of 11 wickets against Sri Sumangala Panadura (six for 23) and Thurstan (five for 18). Last season he bagged a total of 20 wickets in six matches with his best performance against Royal( four for 35).

Right arm leg spinner Nikila Weerasinghe also another star player in the Nalanda under 19 squad.But he is unable to show more colours due to injuries. Despite the difficulty, this season he captured a total of 12 wickets in six matches with a best performance of two three wicket hauls against De Mazenod, Kandana ( three for 30) and Prince of Wales (three for 21). Apart from that he has made his valuable contributions for the battle of the maroons with his superb bowling. He hopes to do more after recovery. This is his second year being in the team.

"Actually the team is in a Good Position. We have good all rounders in our side. And the team is also a well balanced team. There are good players who can play for another two to three years. We hope to perform better in the big match" says Tharanga Dhammika, the coach of the Nalanda College under 19 team.

The team gets the well support from the Principal Ranjith Jayasundara, Nalanda Sports Club, Nalanda College Junior Old Boys Association, Teachers, Prefect of Games Ranjith Malawaraarachchi and Coach Tharanga Dhammika. The rest of the players in the Nalanda under 19 first eleven Squad are Udara Akalanka, Vihan Wickramarachchi, Malinda Vimukthi, Woshantha Silva, Hasitha Wickramasinghe, Ruchitha Perera, Avishka de Silva, Rasitha Kanchana, Senura Amarasinghe, Manula Jayasekara, Pramud Hettiwatte, Lahiru Wijeratne.