Could the Rajans make it three-in-a-row?
The 107th Big Match between Dharmaraja College and Kingswood College at the Asgiriya Stadium next Friday and Saturday (March 22 and 23) is of particular interest to Rajans young and old. The question at issue is whether the lads from Lake View will prevail over their opponents for a third time running.
The situation is not all that clear-cut the Rajans have not fared very well, losing to Royal, Dharmasoka and Richmond. They have beaten St. Thomas’ Matale and Vidyartha (both Division II schools) and, with an element of luck, could have defeated the hometown rivals St. Sylvester’s. By the same token, they could have been overrun by Maliyadeva.
Thus, Rajan confidence can’t exactly be sky high as it was in the last two years. They have two centurions in Jayapadma Tennekoon and Kavinda Ratnayake. Although they have a reasona- bly strong line up, the batsmen have buckled under pressure quite often.
Wicketkeeper cum opener Ramesh Ranasinghe tops the batting with around 450 runs, closely followed by skipper Nuwan Karunarathne, Chandimal de Silva and Lochana Wijesiri who have also been in the runs. Tennekoon, Ratnayake and Kavindu Thimod should have supplied more runs.
The Rajans pace attack is modest. This has come about as their quickest bowler skipper Nuwan Karunaratne has been unable to bowl (or bowl at full pace) for much of the season on account of injury. Ranjitha Lahiru has, thus, been given an extra load.
Dharmaraja’s forte is their spin attack. Left-arm spinners Aravinda Vithanarachchi and Lakshan de Silva have both captured over 50 wickets. However, the former has not approached the success he enjoyed last year. Off-spinner Deneth Lanka is another potent threat. Lanka also serves as a frontline bats- man. Fresher Tharusha Weragoda has impressed, making a few twenties lower down the order. He also has the knack of chipping in with two or three wickets with his quicksh off breaks.
Kingswood has shown signs of picking themselves up off the floor. They were rather inadequate at the start, losing badly to Richmond, St. John's Panadura and St. Anthony’s. Rain saved them how a similar fate against Maliyadeva. But latterly they scored wins over St. Thomas Matale and Ibbagamuwa Central. A decent performance this week against D.S. Senanayake should make them a bit optimistic.
One factor that should worry skipper Kasun Bandara's team is that they have played only one or two matches on turf all season. By contrast the Rajans have a turf wicket of their own. Bandara in several brief innings has promised much but not gone on to bigger deeds. His best is 47. Supun Bandara and vice captain Shaluka Walisundera, who have made seven fifties between them, will be the batsmen to watch. Walisundera’s best is 83. Champika Aluvihare, Daminda Weerakoon, Tharindu Liyanage and Dilshan Edirisinghe are capable of doing well with the bat.
Young off-spinner Tharindu Liyanage has been the most destructive bowler with several five wicket hauls and a total of 68 wickets. Another offie Daminda Weerakoon, drafted into the team late, has impressed with some tidy performances.
Asanka Bandara and Champika Aluvihare are two other bowlers who will be employed to keep a check on the Rajan batsmen. Dulanjana Themiya has done a good job behind the stumps. Man for man, the Rajans look the superior outfit but Kingswood, who have shown some fight latterly, could acquit themselves creditably.
For the statisticians, the Rajans have won 33 big matches to Kingswood’s 19. Fifty four matches have been drawn. Kingswood’s last win was in 1958; Dharmaraja’s in 2012.
Dharmaraja (from): Nuwan Karunaratne (Capt), Aravinda Vithanarachchi, Deneth Lanka, Chandimal de Silva, Ramesh Ranasinghe, Lochana Wijesiri, Lakshan de Silva, Kavindu Thimod, Rajitha Lahiru, Jayapadma Tennekoon, Kavinda Ratnayake, Deshan Gunasinghe, Thanusha Weragoda, Avishka Dissanaike, Dimuthu Liyanage, Sapumal Tennekoon, Ananda Wijesekara (Coach), Sarath Ekanayake (MIC).
Kingswood (From): Kasun Bandara (Capt), Shaluka Walisundera, Supun Bandara, Champika Aluvihare, Ashan Bandara, Daminda Weerakoon, Tharindu Liyanage, Dilshan Edirisinghe, Dulanjana Themiya, Prabath Jayawickrama, Randika Wijeratne, Ravindu Madushan, Upamal Heenkende, Saumya Piyasena, Menaka Lankathilleke, Nisal Jayakody, Tirana Gamage (Coach), Sunil Herath (MIC).