Moratu Vidyalaya fields a strong team

From time to time Moratu Vidyalaya's contribution towards all forms of Sri Lankan competitive cricket is praiseworthy. They commenced playing inter-school cricket in 1934 and the first cricket captain was S N Samarasinghe and to date they have produced cricketers in various categories who have performed well in numerous competitions. They could boast of Sri Lankan Spin Wizard Ajantha Mendis who is one of their products and presently participating in limited over matches in Australia.

Moratu Vidyalaya Cricket Pool – 2012/2013
Squatting (from left) – Shanka Roshan, Sachin Umayangana Fernando Seated (from left) Prasanna Dissanayake (coach), Ishan Nilaksha (Captain), Udaya Geeganage (MIC), Mrs K G Jayalath Menike, Mrs K A D E Ruchini Tharanga (Prefect of Games), Harsha Devinda Fernando (Vice Captain), Thilan Kavishka. Standing (from left) Dushan Sulakshana, Nipun Randika, Lahiru Chamara, Ushen Tharuka, Pathum Madura, Ujitha Harshana, Harshika Navodha, Sanesh Champaka, Saminda Maduranga, Nipun Vishvantha, Hasitha Chaturanga, Ashan Sheranga, Rasindu Kalpana, Kanishka Prabath and (absent) Nishan Madusha. (Picture by Dilwin Mendis, Moratuwa Sports Correspondent)

During the last two years their last year's skipper Sanka Ramesh came into the limelight. He won the best outstation cricketer's award for two consecutive years and both these years they carried away the best outstation runner-up award. Undoubtedly he was the best all round cricketer who was produced from Vidyalaya during their 79-year-old cricket history.

In the year 2011 he scored 1,137 and captured 103 wickets and last year playing in 14 matches claimed 103 wickets and scored 960 runs. Two successive 100 wickets was earlier recorded only by Moratuwite and Sebastanite Nimesh Perera. Sanka is presently representing Sinhalese Sports Club in the under 23 tournament and it was a pity he was not selected to the under 19 World Cup held in South Africa.

Daya Saman, Lucky Rogers, Lakruwan Fernando and Chatura Kumara have notched up double centuries during their cricket careers while Ranjith Fernando, Chandana Mahesh (twice), Lucky Rogers, Dammika Wickramanayake, Sampath Perera, Amal Peiris and Chatura Hemakumara is in the thousand run brigade and Sanka Ramesh has the rare achievement of being in both these categories with his rare double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets. The only other Vidyalian bowler to claim this achievement is Rohan Jayaweera.

Some of their top past cricketers are Mohanlal Fernando (later Ananda), Gamini Perera, Bernard Perera, Sarath Fernando (later Prince of Wales), Asoka Perera and Athula Wickramathileke.

This year the first eleven team is captained by a fifth year coloursman and wicket keeper Ishan Nilaksha who bats at number three and his deputy is allrounder second year coloursman and off Spinner Harsha Devinda Fernando. So far he has claimed 44 wickets in five matches including two ten wicket hauls. All together there are nine players who have played for the last big match against Sri Sumangala.

Thilan Kavishka and Chaminda Maduranga opens batting while the new ball will be shared among Pathum Madura and Dushan Sulakshana. In addition to Harsha Devinda the spin department is strengthened by Charaka Roshan who bowls left arm leg spin, Lasindu Kalpana right arm leg spin and Sachin Umayangana Fernando off Spin.

During this season they will be playing 16 matches excluding the Big Match, one dayer and twenty20. So far they have played Zahira, Gurukula, St Mary's Kegalle, Wesley, Ananda Sashtralaya and St Anthony's match was washed off. Alltogether there are eight tournament matches and they are St Anthony's, Wesley, Thurstan, St Benedict's, St Sebastian's, Holy Cross, St Joseph's and Royal College Colombo. They beat Gurukula, Ananda Sashtralaya and Asoka Vidyalaya on first innings and lost the St Mary's outright and went down to Zahira on first innings.

Prasanna Dissanayake who captained Vidyalaya for two years in 85/86, 86/87 is coaching them for the last 15 years and during this period he has produced several good cricketers amongst them is Ajantha Mendis.

He could be seen in the grounds throughout the day maintaining the grounds and carrying out all sorts of work for the sake of his Alma-Mater.

He is a strict disciplinarian who is not asking a penny from anyone. According to him the team is well balanced and he has more players to shuffle around and he talks highly of Sachin Umayangana Fernando under 14 lad, all rounder who scored 324 runs in the just concluded Prima Zonal and Provincial Tournament. He organizes cricket tours to India at least two tours which includes a day night match and according to him it is a fine exposure for the budding players.

Mrs K G Jayalath Menike assumed duties as the Principal recently and she too is a strict disciplinarian and extending her fullest cooperation to cricket and also Neil Udayanga Geeganage who was a past master-in-charge of cricket is back on the saddle and it will be a great boon to Dissanayake. In addition Prefect of Games Mrs K A E D Ruchini Tharanga too is giving her support and assistance all the time.