St. John’s seeking to break ten-year jinx
It’s big match fever in the Jaffna peninsula as all arrangements have been finalised for the 109th Battle of the North big match between St. John’s Jaffna and Jaffna Central scheduled to be played over three days from March 5 to 7 at St. John’s College grounds.
P.Nirojan, captain of Jaffna Central
S. Kapilraj, captain of St. John's
According to records available from the 108 matches that have been played so far St. John’s are leading the series with 38 wins as against 33 by Jaffna Central while statistics of seven matches are not available and the rest have ended in draws.
Jaffna Central was the last to record a win which they achieved in 2011 winning it for the fifth successive year while St. John’s last win was way back in 2004. So the Johnians will be coming into the game seeking to break the ten-year jinx.
Last year St. John’s came close to breaking the jinx but it was denied when in a run chase of 135 runs for victory as the officials were forced to call off the match due to crowd invasion when the Johnians were 27 for 2 having faced 7.4 overs.
This time out St. John’s come into the game as the hot favourites as they have had a successful season this year having played 17 matches which includes three limited over matches. They have ten outright wins in two-day matches and have won all the three limited over games while losing to two top teams from Colombo, S. Thomas’ and Royal.
Jaffna Central SQUAD
They secured outright wins against Madeena Central Kandy, Kokuvil Hindu College, St. Peter’s Negombo, Christ King Ja-ela, Hartley Point Pedro, Ibbagamuwa Central, Azhar College Akurana, St. Mary’s Chilaw, Harischandra Negombo and Mahajana Tellipallai whilst recording wins in the limited over match against St. Joseph’s Wattala, Wadduwa Central and Piliyandala Central.
Jaffna Central has so far played 12 matches recording five outright wins against Henry Olcott Kolonnawa, Ananda MV Kottawa, Ananda Sastralaya Matugama and Skandavarothaya Chunnakam and Jaffna College Vaddukoddai while losing three to Mahanama Panadura, Wadduwa Central and St. Peter’s Negombo which was a limited over match.
St. John’s this year will be led by fifth-year coloursman Sajeenthiran Kapilraj and he will have in his ranks two experienced players in fourth-year coloursman Raviendran Lohathieswar and fifth-year coloursman Paramananthan Thuvarakaseelan who led the side last year.
Apart from the trio the Johnians posses a host of players in the caliber of Arulanantham Gnanamirthan, Sebamalaipillai Jen Flemin, Amarasena Herold Lasky, Thevarajah Kajeepan, Vasanthan Jathusan and Manivannan Sinthurjan.
St John's Jaffna SQUAD
The Johnians will be expecting last year’s skipper Thuvarakaseelan, who was included in the Sri Lanka U19s squad and Jeni Flemin, both of whom have cracked two centuries each, to do the bulk of the batting to bolster their score.
But openers skipper Kapilraj and Sinthurjan will have to the side a sound start for others to gain the confidence and along with Gnanamirthan and Kajeepan who also has a ton to his credit will be backbone of the Johnians batting. Of course the Centralite bowlers are no doubt going to have a tough time to curtail the strong batting outfit of their opponents.
Right-arm pacies Thuvarakaseelan and Kanagaratnam Kapilraj the baby of the side will open the attack but the cynosure of all eyes will be left-arm spinner Raviendran Lohathieswar, who was the star of the big match last year finishing with a match bag of 12 wickets.
Lohathieswar was unable to play a few matches as he sustained an injury but after his come back he performed exceptionally to end up with over 80 wickets from 14 matches. Gnanamirthan and Jeni Flemin’s support will be expected by the Johnians to restrict their opponents batting.
Jaffna Central this time will be led by the experienced fourth-year player Pathinathan Nirojan who will have the services of deputy skipper and third-year coloursman Sivarasa Mathusan, Sivapalasuntharam Alanraj who has scored a ton, Vigiliyas Dinojan and Ganeshalingham Nithusan whose contributions are going to be crucial if they are to give the Johnians a challenge.
So with St. John’s aiming to regain the Old Boys Trophy which is on offer which they surrendered to Jaffna Central four years ago, a closely contested game in on the card. But the supporters of the two sides will do justice to the players in the field and to their school if they don’t make a repeat of last year’s incident.
The three-day match will be followed by the limited over encounter which is the 13th in the series scheduled to be played on March 15 at Jaffna Central ground. The Centralites who has recorded wins in the last two matches lead the series with six wins to the five by the Johnians. – MSA