DSS and Ananda in final showdown today
The curtain of the Singer Under-19 limited over cricket tournament will come down today with final clash between D.S. Senanayake and Ananda colleges scheduled to be played at the P. Sara Oval from 9.30am onwards today.
Ananda team
The two teams have booked their berths to the final having ended as group champions in the league stage and then securing wins in the knock-out stage remaining unbeaten in the run-up to the final.
DSS led by Harith Maduwantha recorded wins over S de S. Jayasinghe MMV Dehiwala, St. Sebastian’s Moratuwa and Maliyadeva in the first round and advance to the pre-quarter-final where they defeated Prince of Wales. In the quarter-final they got the better of St. Peter’s and followed it up with a comfortable win over Trinity in the semi-final.
Ananda led by Sammu Ashan was successful in the first round matches against Tissa Central Kalutara, St. Anthony’s Wattala and Joseph Vaz Wennappuwa. In the pre-quarter-final they beat Isipathana and went on to secure wins against Lumbini MV in the quarter-final and defending champions Thurstan in the semi final.
Looking back at the strength of the two sides they posses all-rounders which show that they are equally balanced in the batting and bowling departments and a keenly contested game could be witnessed.
DSS team
DSS skipper Maduwantha who has been successful in all formats this season have in his ranks players in the caliber of the Bandaras, Kavin and Uvin, Akeel Inham, Shifran Muthaliph, Thimila Vaidyasekera to do the bulk of the scoring for the side. In the bowling department DSS will depend on Muthaliph, skipper Maduwantha, Inham, Torin Pitigala and Udesh Sendanayake to do the needful in curtailing the opponents to a low score.
Ananda is not far behind as skipper Ashan who too has been successful will have the services of players in the caliber of Lakkana Jayasekera, Kavishka Anjula, Sahan Arachchige, Asel Sigera, Nisal Fransisco and Dilanka Sandakan to bolster their scoreboard. Skipper Ashan will be expecting the support of Kavishka Anjula, Dilanka Sandakan, Asel Sigera and Sahan Arachchige for the side to keep the DSS batting under control.
DSS will be looking forward to clinch their second limited over title having earlier won it in the year 2003 when the side was led by Sudeera Soysa. – MSA
Ananda College Squad: Sammu Ashan (Captain), Lakkhana Jayasekera, Nisal Francisco, Kavishka Anjula, Sahan Arachchige, Dilanka Sandaken, Nipun Hakgalla, Nipun Chamika, Dinuka Jayarathne, Dushan Hettige, Rahal Avishka, Dileepa Jayalath, Ashel Sigera, Supun Waragoda, Lahiru Attanayake, Induwara Ranatunge, Rohan Soysa (Head Coach), Priyankara Nandasena (Master in charge), Thushira Perera (Asst. Coach).
D. S. Senanayake College Squad: Harith Madhuwantha (Captain ), Uvin Bandara, Kavin Bandara, Akeel Inham, Shifran Muthalif, Thimila Vidyasekara, Torin Pitigala, Visal Amugoda, Udith Nanayakkara, Ravin de Silva, Anjana de Silva, Shehzaadd Ameen, Vihan Gunasekara, Pasan Wanasinghe (Coach), Mohommed Azhar (Asst. coach), Nihal Fernando (Master in charge), Mohommed Anzar (Asst. MIC).