THURSTAN HAS THE EDGE OVER RIVALS ISIPATHANA
It’s big match fever again as the clash between traditional rivals Thurstan College and Isipathana College will usher the 2019 version of the big match clashes with their 56th Battle of Brothers encounter scheduled to be worked off today and tomorrow at the SSC ground from 9.30am on each day.
The encounters have so far seen only nine outright wins with Thurstan leading the series with five wins to the four recorded by Isipathana. However, there has not been an outright result for the last 19 years, since 1999, which was won by Isipathana under the leadership of Krishantha Jayawardena.
For Thurstan too, an outright win is badly needed, with their last win being recorded in 1992 under Mackenzie Perera and no doubt they will put in the necessary effort to break the 26-year winless hoodoo while both the teams will go all out to put their best foot forward to break the 19-year-old hoodoo.
Isipathana are the organisers this time and the encounter will be played with the two teams batting 60 overs, which were introduced last year. This has been introduced with the aim of producing a positive result.
Looking at the performances of the two teams, the scale is in favour of Thurstan who have remained unbeaten while Isipathana on the other hand have had a lean season. Thurstan led by fourth year coloursman Sandaru Dias have played 14 matches, recording five outright wins against St Anthony’s Wattala, Dharmapala Pannipitiya, St Mary’s Kegalle, St Anne’s Kurunegala and St Thomas’ Matara.
Skipper and all-rounder Sandaru has not been able to do anything with the bat but the left-arm spinner has been successful with the ball having taken nearly 60 wickets that includes seven five-wicket hauls and a best bowling return of six for 42 against Dharmapala.
However, the Thurstanites have some reliable batsmen in the likes of Yohan Liyanage, the highest scorer of the side with over 525 runs inclusive of four half-tons, Jayavihan Mahavithana (395) with a halfton and a ton, Ranesh Silva (372) and Bawantha Jayasinghe (358) who have made two tons. The Thurstan bowling will be spearheaded by deputy skipper Ayesh Harshana who is their leading wicket-taker and skipper Sandaru, who have a big responsibility on their shoulders. Ayesh has 71 wickets to his credit with a best of eight for 16 against St Thomas’ Matara, and Sandaru will be looking forward to being supported by Bawantha Jayasinghe, Shalaka Bandara and Yohan Liyanage to curtail the opponents to a low score.
Isipathana, spearheaded by fifth year coloursman Madushika Sandaruwan have undergone one of their worst seasons, having played 12 matches and being able to chalk up only one outright win against Lumbini MV, which was a traditional match, but have undergone three outright defeats to Mahinda, Prince of Wales and Maliyadeva.
Ravindu Ratnayake has been the backbone of Isipathana’s batting this season and is the only centurion of the side and also the top scorer with 663 runs inclusive of five half-tons. The other batsmen to have been successful are Thevindu Dickwella (476) with four half-tons, Ashen Gunawardena (457) with four half-tons, deputy skipper Leshan Amarasinghe (382) and Khaliq Ahamat (302) – so much will depend on them for Isipathana to make any impression.
Isipathana’s bowling has been in the hands of spinner and skipper Sandaruwan who is their top wicket-taker with 55 scalps while he will look to be supported by Ravindu Ratnayake (27 wickets), Savindu Uthsara (26 wickets), Dineth Dissanayake (16 wickets)and Thevindu Dickwella (19 wickets).
However, looking back at the performances of the two teams this season and as mentioned, it looks likely that the unbeaten Thurstan side have the edge, but this being a match that is something special for the two teams it could be anybody’s game due to the fact that the underdogs have done better in a match of this nature.
Nevertheless, the two teams know that a win is the need and positive cricket is the need of the hour, so with the limitation of 60 overs per side in the first inning, let us hope that the approach of the two teams will be based on a result oriented game and not be a repeat of the clashes over the last 19 years.
The two sides share the records of the big match with Isipathana’s debutant Saman Nishantha holding the best individual score of 150 not out, made in 2002 and the best bowling figures is by Thurstan’s Jayajeewa Karunaratne who took seven for 28 in 1992 in their last win. The highest score of the series is 331 for nine declared made by Thurstan in 2012 and the lowest of 56 by Isipathana way back in 1968.
There has not been an outright result for the last 19 years The encounters have so far seen only nine outright wins with Thurstan leading the series