Looking to break the fourteen year hoodoo
Dinuka Deminda
The historic city of Kotte will awaken next weekend (March 12 and 13) when St. Thomas’ College, Kotte meets Sri Jayawardenepura Madya Maha Vidyalaya in their 39th Battle of Kotte Cricket encounter at the Moors Grounds, Colombo 2, for the G.M. Perera Memorial Trophy. The two century-old schools of the ancient kingdom come out this year with the aim of breaking the 14-year hoodoo of ‘No Decisions’. The Kotte Thomians are the last winners of the G.M. Perera Memorial Trophy which they won in 2002 under the captaincy of Evens Jansz, while Jayawardenepura MV’s last victory was in 2000, led by Udesh Silva. Sri Jayawardenepura MMV leads the series tally with eight wins against six for the Thomians.
A keen tussle can be expected at this year’s encounter, as both teams are evenly balanced. The performances of both schools have not been up to expectations, with the J’pura lads winning only two of the 12 matches they have played, while the Thomians have only one win in eight matches.
Sri Jayawardenepura MMV is led by 5th-year coloursman and wicketkeeper-batsman Dinuka Deminda who has the services of six coloursmen. A strong batting lineup with six batsmen capable of building huge totals will have to be watched closely by the Thomian bowlers, who will have to be on target to unsettle these stroke-makers.
Brendon Ebert
Skipper Deminda has been in fine touch throughout the season, scoring over 400 runs and accounting for 40 victims behind the stumps. Buddika Ruwan, his deputy too is in good form with the bat, with over 500 runs under his belt. Uditha Maduranga and Buddhika Ruwan, along with allrounders Ravindu Vinod, Dushan Lakshitha and Yasindu Yulantha, will make every effort to post a respectable total to give their bowlers – Yasindu Yulantha, Kavind Dissanayake (Left arm leg spin) and off spinner Kavindu Dilsara to rip through the opposing batsmen, to be victorious. Led by allrounder Brendon Ebert, a 5th-year coloursman, the Thomian batting lineup too looks formidable with the skipper himself having scored over 400 runs, while elegant stroke-makers in Achala Ishan, Marline Damian and Boniface Rodrigo have all passed the 300-run mark this season.
The J’pura bowlers will have to be sharp to keep them quiet, and not allow them to cut loose. A good opening bowling combination of Tharusha Priyanga and Kavish Samaraweera are capable of making early inroads into the Jayawardenepura top order batsmen, to give their two left arm spinners Charuka Dilshan and Dushean Nelaka to attack the middle order. Skipper Ebert and Marceline Demian, the two leading allrounders will have to play a big role in this year’s encounter to see an end to the series of draws. It is the duty of the two coaches and captains to see that the game is played to the highest standard of sportsmanship and to make a game of it without allowing it to be petered into a drab draw.
Teams:
Sri Jayawardenepura MMV: Dinuka Deminda (Capt.), Buddhika Ruwan (V. Capt.), Dushan Lakshitha, Uditha Maduranga, Buddhika Chaminda, Ravindu Vinod, Yasindu Yulantha, Kavind Dissanayake, Kavindu Dilsara, Anushka Sathsara, Dihan Ransika, Sampath Nissanka, Rusitha Dilshan, Nipuna Mevan and Samitha Lakshan.
St. Thomas’ College, Kotte: Brendon Ebert (Capt.), Achala Ishan (V. Capt.), Marcelline Damian, Charuka Dilshan, Boniface Rodrigo, Dushean Nelaka, Reshan Williams, Arthusha Manula, Nadeesh Bandara, Jonathan Fernando, Kavish Samaraweera, Tharusha Priyaranga, Himesh Perera, Kavintha Pahan, Shamantha Perera, Dushan Kandebedda and Ashen Chamuditha. - Pix by Anuradha Bandara
Sri Jayawardenepura MMV
St. Thomas’ College, Kotte