Matale Thomians at play on April 18
View(s):St. Thomas’ College Matale, the most prominent cricket playing school in the District and the institution that produced Sri Lanka’s left-arm swing bowler Chanaka Welagedara, is one school that does not play a Big Match.
Science College played the Big Match for a few years, but with their students concentrating more on academic performance, it has not continued the fixture. The last Big Match played in 1989 ended in a comfortable win for the Thomians who were led by allrounder Ravi Punchihewa. The skipper has since gone on to become a premier SLC match referee. Punchihewa also played for the Central Province team in the Singer Trophy tournament.
The award winners in that 1989 game were Sidath Tennekoon (best batsman and man-of-the-match) and Ravi Punchihewa (best bowler and best allrounder).Twenty five summers have passed and that 1989 team will play the present College team in a One Day match at the Bernard Aluvihare stadium on April 18. It will not be surprising to see some sons opposing their fathers on that day. The winning 1989 squad comprised Ravi Punchihewa as captain, Anura Mahinda, Sidath Tennekoon, Pradeep Subasingha, Pradeep Fernando, Rohana Wellassa, Sajeeva Gamage, Sanjeeva Wijesekera, Himashantha Wijesundara, Lalith Kadawathagedera, Vajira Liyanage and Sujeeva Godaliyadde. – AK