Battle of Brothers ushers in Big Match season
The big match fever for 2019 will usher with traditional rivals Thurstan and Isipathana clashing in their two day 56th ' Battle of The Brothers' encounter at the SSC grounds on February 22 and 23.
Thurstan leads the series with five wins as against four to Isipathana with the rest ending in draws and no outright results has been recorded by either side since 1999. Isipathanians led by Krishantha Jayawardena registered big match's last victory in 1999.
Having won the game last in 1992, Thurstanites are desperate to break the 25-year-old win-less hoodoo. Their last win came under Mackenzie Perera in 1992.
Isipathana are the organizers this time and the encounter will be played with the two teams batting 60 overs in the first innings which was introduced last year. This has been introduced with the aim of producing a positive result.
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 Sandaru though an allrounder, has failed to do anything with the bat but he has been successful with his left arm spins, having taken nearly 60 scalps that includes seven five wicket hauls. This includes a best bowling return of 6 for 42 against Dharmapala.
However, the Thurstanites have some reliable batsmen on whom they will be expecting to guide the side 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 half ton and a ton, Ranesh Silva (372) and Bawantha Jayasinghe (358) who has made two tons.
The Thurstan bowling will revolve around deputy skipper Ayesh Harshana who is their leading wicket taker and skipper Sandaru who both have a big responsibility on their shoulders. Ayesh has 71 wickets to his credit with a best of 8 for 16 against St Thomas Matara and Sandaru will be looking forward for support from Bawantha Jayasinghe, Shalaka Bandara and Yohan Liyanage to curtail the opponents to a low score.
Isipathana spearheaded by fifth year colours man Madushika Sandaruwan has had a lean season, this season is one of their worst having played 12 matches and being unable to chalk up any outright win 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 the top scorer with 663 runs that includes 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 48 scalps and he will be looking forward for the support from Ravindu Ratnayake, Savindu Uthsara, Dineth Dissanayake and Thevindu Dickwella.
However, looking back at the performances of the two teams this season it looks that the unbeaten Thurstan side has 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.
But the need of the hour is to break the hoodoo and the two teams know that a win is needed for which positive cricket should be played if they are to achieve that. 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 previous year’s outcome.
The two sides share the records of the big match with Isipathana’s debutant Saman Nishantha holding the best individual score of 150 n. o. made in 2002 and the best bowling figures is by Thurstan’s Jayajeewa Karunaratne who took 7 for 28 in 1992 in their last win. The highest score of the series is 331 for 9 declared made by Thurstan in 2012 and the lowest of 56 by Isipathana way back in 1968.