Richmond should prevail in Lovers’ Quarrel
Richmond and Mahinda the two top teams from Galle will contest in their 107th Lovers’ Quarrel encounter scheduled to be played on March 9 and 10 at the Galle International Stadium.
Richmond with their fine record in the interschool cricket season of 2012 will be coming into the game with a load of confidence over their traditional rivals who have nothing significant from their outings this year.
Richmond has a good chance of recording a win that has eluded them since 1969 the year they last won the big match while Mahinda’s last success was in the year 2008.
Richmond is coming into the game with the proud record of having recorded five outright wins this season where they won over Royal, Isipathana, Maliyadeva, St Thomas Matara and Prince of Wales. Mahinda on the other could boast of only one win which is against Dharmapala.
Richmond will be led by Pabasara Waduge who has been a consistent player this season while Chalana de Silva will lead Mahinda.
However the two sides posses talented players who have been performing with success. Richmond has in their ranks skipper Pabasara, all rounder A.K. Tyrone, Sithara Gimhan, Damith Lakmihiranga, Bhanuka Madupriya, Hasitha Madushan and Kasun Chamara to deliver the goods in the batting and bowling department.
Pabasara who has scored over 800 runs has scored two tons with a 108 against Ananda and a 113 against St Thomas Matara while Sthara Gimhan is the only other centurion of the side.
Mahinda’s skipper Chalana too have players who could turn the game to their side in the likes of Sohan Kariyawasam who has been successful with the bat, Nirvantha Theekshala, Indeera Gallage, Hashan Kumuditha, Prabath Nishantha and Manula Gunawardena.
Mahinda have three players who has scored over 600 runs in skipper Chalana, Hashan, Sohan the only centurion while Nirwantha and Sadik Kumar too have been in the runs this season and are capable of making useful contributions.
So it’s left to be seen whether Richmond could achieve the desired result of gaining a win after a lapse of 43 years while Mahinda for sure will go all out to prevent them from fulfilling their wishes. -