Thurstan and Isipathana aim to break hoodoo
View(s):The traditional big match between Thurstan and Isipathana which normally is the curtain raiser of the yearly big match clashes has been delayed this time and is scheduled to be played on April 4 and 5 at the SSC ground starting at 9.30 a.m. each day.
This will be the 51st encounter in the series and Thurstan leads the series with five wins as against four to Isipathana with the rest ending in draws. No outright result has being recorded by either side since 1999 when the Isipathanians triumphed under Krishantha Jayawardena.
For Thurstan too an outright win is badly needed with their last win being in 1992 under Mackenzie Perera and no doubt both the teams will go all out to put their best step forward to break the hoodoo.
This year the two teams have had their shares of ups and downs but have managed to remain unbeaten. Thurstan led by Sri Lanka youth player Kavindu Kulasekera has a better record than their rivals having played 18 matches with one outright win against Kingswood and a defeat against St Sebastian’s.
Isipathana led by Kaminga Dhananjaya too has recorded only one outright win against St. Aloysius Galle but have undergone two outright defeats to St. Peter’s and DSS. But the season’s performance of the two teams is not going to be a factor as they will be coming into the game with a different game plan. In fact Isipathana who were the underdogs last year dominated the game.
Thurstan’s skipper Kavindu who was unable to represent his side due to national commitments along with Minhaj Jaleel would be the cynosure of all eyes. Kavindu in the nine matches he was able to play has scored over 500 runs inclusive of two tons and two half tons.
But their triumph card will be their opener Minhaj who has had a successful season this year having had the honour of reaching the 1000 runs milestone making over 1200 runs which includes five centuries and seven half tons. Minhaj undoubtedly will be the thorn in the flesh for the Isipathana bowlers.
If that is insufficient they posses two more centurions in Sajith Gunatileke who has over 750 runs which also includes seven half tons and Thimira Jayasinghe who has scored over 650 runs. So the Thurstanites have the batsmen to be threats to the Isipathanian bowlers, however the openers Minhaj and Sajith will have to give them a sound start.
The bowling to curtail their opponents will be in the hands of Ayesh Weeraratne and Achintha Kalpana who together have over 65 wickets between them and with the spinning trio of Minhaj, Senal Wijesinghe and Thimira they possess a fine bowling combination.
Isipithana skipper Kaminda has a handful of responsibilities as he will no doubt be under pressure. Their batting will revolve around Sachin Jayasuriya who is their only centurion, Salinda Ushan and Pramod Maduwantha all of whom have made useful contributions during the season. Tharindu Thabrew, Diluka Shehan and skipper Kaminga too will have to make in their contributions if they are seeking to put up a challenging score.
The bowling no doubt will revolve around their ace spinner Chameera Dissanayake who has captured over 55 wickets this season while Thabrew and skipper Kaminga will have to support in order to curtail the strong batting of the Thurstanites.
Nevertheless the two teams know that a win is needed and positive cricket is the need of the hour. Let us hope the approach of the two teams would be based on a result oriented game. The two teams share the records of the big matches with Isipathana’s 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. The highest score of the series is 331 for 9 made by Thurstan in 2012 and the lowest of 56 way back in 1968 by Isipathana.-MSA
Isipathana College team
Seated from L to R:Mr. Pradeep Nishantha (Coach), Mr. Wasantha Kumara (POG), Kelum Bastianz (V. Captain), Mr. A. C. Perera (Principal), Kaminda Dananjaya (Captain), Mr. Janaka Bandara (MIC), Mr. Akila Madusanka (Asst. Coach). Standing L to R :Venushka Chamal, Promod Maduwantha, Shenal Deelaka, Davis Imesha, Diluka Shehan, Avinda Soyza, Madushan Chameera, Sachin Jayasooriya, Ushan Perera, Dushan Nirmana, Torry Thabrew, Danura Deelaka, Youmesh Ranasinghe, Sudhara Dakshina.
Thurstan College team
Standing from left to right: Arjuna Jayasena, Senal Wijesinghe, Arjun Gunawardena, Thilan Gunarathne, Achintha Kalpana, Kasun Abeyaratne, Raveesha Lokuge, Kasun Weerasinghe, Sajith Gunathilaka, Sahan Dassanayake, Erang Jayasinghe, Nipuna Luckshan, Isuru Fernando, Ayesh Weeraratne, Chinthaka Udaya Seated from left to right: Mr. Saman Hewawitharane (coach), Mr. Asitha Samarawickrama (master-in-charge), Thimira Jayasinghe, Mr. Laxhman Gunathilaka (Asst. Principal), Kavindu Kulasekara (Captain), Mr. Daya Bandara (Principal), Minhaj Jaleel (Vice Captain), Mr. Samitha Abeyasundara (Prefect of Games), Avishka Peiris, Charana Nanayakkara, Mr. Suneth Gunathilaka (Asst. Coach)