Today and tomorrow at SSC Grounds:

Who will be Marooned? in the 84th Battle

Thushan Jayasuriya

Both Ananda and Nalanda will have to strive hard for victory as both schools posses evenly balanced teams in the 84th Battle of the Maroons, which will be played at SSC Grounds today and tomorrow. The match is being organized by a joint Committee comprising past students from Ananda and Nalanda.

However, both schools have shown a marked improvement in the last few matches and a close game is on the cards.

The two schools have a proud cricketing history where they have produced a number of national and international cricketers.

Among them are Sri Lanka's one and only world cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga, first test centurion Sidath Wettamuny, Brendon Kuruppu, who made an unbeaten double century against New Zealand in 1987, former Sri Lanka Test captain Marvan Atapattu, Sanjeewa Ranatunga, Dhammika Ranatunga, Charith Senanayake, who also served as the Sri Lanka team manager, Sri Lanka test and ODI Vice Captain Dinesh Chandimal, Dinuk Hettiarachchi, Thilan Samaraweera who too has scored heavily in the Test cricket, Mithra Wettimuny and elder brother Sunil in addition to several former Sri Lanka players.

Nalanda also produced some star cricketers of the calibre of Sri Lanka's first Test captain, Bandula Warnapura and several other Test players, Anura Ranasinghe, Sanath Kaluperuma, Lalith Kaluperuma, Gamini Wickremasinghe, Chamara Dunusinghe, Roshan Mahanama, who had the honour of being an ICC match referee, Kumar Dharmasena, who was adjudged ICC best umpire in the world, Asanka Gurusinghe , who made a fine knock of 62 in the 1996 World Cup final, Mahela Jayawardene, who not only captained Sri Lanka, but became the first Sri Lankan batsman to score over 10,000 runs in Test cricket.

The Big match history of both schools goes back to year 1925 Ananda was captained by Dr N.M. Perera while Nalanda was led by B.S. Perera.

But the match was interrupted in 1942 and 1943 due to second world war.

Ananda will depend heavily on their solid batsman and skipper Thushara Samarakoon who has made some sparkling knocks with a total around 600 with a best score of 67 runs against St.Servatius Matara in the current season. They remain winless in14 matches with an outright win against Revatha MV Balapitiya. This is a tremendous boost for the Ananda lads who were in a long wait for a win.

ANANDA COLLEGE :Back row (from left): Kushil Perera, Thamalaka Abeygunasekara, Dushmantha, Tiran Wijesuriya, Thushara Samarakoon (Captain) , Venuka Ashan, Thamalaka Athulathmudali, Sammu Ashan, Ishan Bandaranayake. Front row (from left): Isuru Gunasekara, Pasindu Thirimadura, Thaveen Dananjaya, Dhanuka Madushan, Lakkana Jayasekara, Dasun Wijesinghe. Picture by Nissanka Wijeratne

NALANDA COLLEGE: Back row (from left): Sampath Hettiarachchi (coach), Avishka de Silva, Pramud Hettiwatte, Kushal Dias (vice captain), Lahiru Jayakody (captain), Woshantha Silva, Malinga de Silva, Lahiru Wijeratne, Senura Amarasinghe. Front row (from left):Rashmika Wijayanga, Supun Daham, Dilan Vinura, Eranga Soysa, Malinga Amarasinghe, Shahan Wijayasekara and Ravin Dassanayake. Picture by Ranjith Asanka

He will be well supported by Deputy skipper Danuka Pathirana and Pasindu Isira who gathered 540 runs apiece with three and five half centuries respectively. Both have scored their respective best knocks against Prince of Wales' which are 93 and 99. Thamalaka Athulathmudali will be an added advantage to the batting line up as well as bowling where he scored 450 runs with the best of 98 against Maliyadeva and accumulated 26 wickets as an off-spinner.

The bowlers who can make an impact are spinners Isuru Gunasekara and Sammu Ashan who have collected 33 and 31 wickets.

Nalandians, led by dynamic skipper Lahiru Jayakody are also remaining winless out of 11 games this season.The morale shattering defeat at the the hands of Lumbini MV, spoiled their average mode of play. Jayakody, who has scored 475 with three half centuries will be the mainstay for Nalandian batting department while he will be well supported by Woshantha Silva and Avishka de Silva who have reached 288 and 260 runs respectively. Spinners Malinga de Silva, Pramud Hettiwatte and Yohan Rangika have a big responsibility in their hands as they have a key role to play to over turn Ananda and make the game even.The new ball will be shared by Kusal Dias (18 wickets), Malinga Amarasinghe and Lahiru Wijeratne.

Anandians last won in 2003 under D.Kularatne beating the Nalanda side led by Sanjaya Gangodawila after a long wait of 21 years.

If Nalanda fail to impress in this encounter it will be their 60th year in a row without win.