Giant killing attitude continues
Royal College, Panadura
- Pics by Amila Gamage
Royal College, Panadura may have just completed its 35th year in existence as an educational institution but the strides they have reached in the field of sports are incomparable. Be it cricket, rugby, rifle shooting, handball or any other
sports discipline, Royal Panadura sportsmen are as good as those from other leading institutions. This aspect will definitely be a fitting judgment for the brand of cricket Royal Panadura has been playing lately, especially since 2009. Some years back they were merely considered as an emerging cricket team from the suburbs of Colombo, but by now Sumith Prasanna and his boys have managed to completely change that perspective. As at now, they have become a formidable side, even going to the extent of producing cricketers to the national rank. This has been one of the naive forays of Prasanna who has been acting a dual role of a coach and a master-in-charge for the past 17 years. In spite of the very limited resources available around them, Royal Panadura has still managed to reach the height of producing talented cricketers while maintaining higher standards in the top division, where they have been playing since 2010. From the moment they stepped into the top league, Royal Panadura has been approaching each game with a giant killing attitude. They recorded three famous wins in the first year and followed with perfect form to record to record eight wins from 16 games last season. This season they are further in hunger of pulling a higher number of wins. To achieve that goal, Royal Panadura has around eight senior players with ample experience in first XI cricket. Among them are skipper Thenuka Dhananjaya who happens to be their strike spin bowler with the other seniors being deputy skipper Dulith Gayan, Asitha Fernando, Hashan Padmakumara, Dumindu Ashan, Madhawa Nimesh, Akila Lakshan and Vimukthi Madushan. The side also has the services of a few youngsters from their Under-17 squad with Lakpriya Dhananjaya and Rusiru Ravisanka being the chart toppers. With virtually the similar team as last year taking field this season, Royal Panadura are more comfortable in calling themselves as a well balanced unit. Last year’s
Thenuka Dananjaya (Capt) opening pair Dumindu Ashan and Madhawa Nimesh still remain to serve their college team in the same capacity. Deputy skipper Gayan comes in as the one-down batsman while Lakshan, Yasitha Chamod, Hasitha Dhananjaya, Padmakumara, Rusiru Ravisanka, Asitha Fernando and skipper Dhananjaya are the rest of the line up. In the bowling department their spinners have the say while the pace attack is averagely decent. Among the lot they have got around six all-rounders who can be great threats to any opponent. Despite all the accolades naturally accumulating around them, their players have sarcastically ignored by the top officials when picking the Sri Lanka Under-19 side. But according to Prasanna nothing can keep them down from dominating the Schools cricket arena or the naturally placed talents of his boys, who are keen on putting more effort to record more wins and qualify for the limited overs competition. If these goals materialise perfectly none will resist the journey of Royal Panadura, who hopes to end up as the best Schools cricket team in Sri Lanka this season.