Kegalu Vidyalaya field a strong team

Kegalu Vidyalaya one of the oldest cricket playing schools in the Sabaragamuwa Province should enjoy another good season as they are fielding a good side, capable of giving their opponents a good run.

One of their drawbacks for better performances is a playground of their own as they will, have to share the public grounds at Kegalle with many other schools including girls schools for their sports activities. Their master- in-charge Kamal Indrajith said that soon this will be overcome once their playground is completed.

This playground is in close proximity to the school and other schools too could make use of it once it is completed. At present Kegalu Vidyalaya at times play their home matches at the Army grounds at Ambepussa which is about 35 kilometres away and will have to be travelled by both bus and train. The school do not get a chance of witnessing the cricket matches when it is played at Ambepussa.

Leading Kegalu Vidyalaya this season will be fourth year player Samadhi Dassanayake, a top all-rounder.

A steady right hand bat with 500 runs to his credit and has also captured 40 wickets so far with his left arm spinners.

Third year player Vimantha Ratnayake is the vice captain of the side. A good left hand bat with over 500 runs to his credit including a century against Wayamba Royal College.

Samadhi Dassanayake (captain)	Vimantha Ratnayake (vice captain)

But the most improved player in the side is Shan Chathuranga, playing in his first year has been going great guns with the bat. He has been very consistent and has scored over 900 runs including a century against Ananda Sastralaya College, Kotte.

He has been going for the bowling from the start and this has often prevented him from making a bigger score.

Tharaka Somatillake playing in his second year too has done well with the bat scoring 750 runs including 118 against Ananda Sastralaya College, Kotte. His right arm off spinners has brought him 45 wickets.

The other batsmen in the side are Bimshendra Ranaweera, Tharindu Somaratne, Thusitha Prematillake, Chathuranga Prematillake, Lahiru Perera and Krishan Narammala.

Chinthana Bandara will open the attack with Chathuranga Prematillake and both pacies have captured 35 wickets each. Dhammika Jayaratne is the third pacie in the side.

In leg spinner Bimshendra Ranaweera (50 wickets) and off spinner Tharaka Somatillake (45 wickets), Kegalu have a good spin attack and they will have left arm spinner Samadhi Dassanayake too. Off spinner Thusitha Prematillake and leg spinner Lahiru Perera have shown a lot of promise in the nets.

The others in the pool are Asanka Wijesinghe, Danuka Dassanayake, and Hashan Thillakaratne.

Team is being coached by old boy of the school Shukri Wahid with Kamal Indrajith as the master-in-charge.