This can be anyone’s game
It cannot be said that either Dharmaraja or Kingswood is ahead of the other when it comes to the 11th Big Match at the Pallekele Stadium on March 17 and 18.
To be sure, one is a team that plays in the ‘A’ division while the other is in the ‘B’ division. Yet, harking back to last year’s encounter, the less fancied Kingswood team pulled off a first inning win. (That they went on to beat the Rajans in a last ball thriller in the limited over game is a different matter!).
Burly Avishka Chandrasiri Captains the lads from Randles Hill. A fierce paceman two seasons back, Chandrasiri hardly bowls now. He had compensated by becoming, possibly, the leading batsman in the team. He made a massive, unbeaten 151 when opening the batting against Vidyartha. He scored 90 (Taxila), 74 (P. de S Kularatne), 61 (St. Sebastian’s Katuneriya) and 51 (Dharmaloka). The top priority for the Rajans is to dispose of him as quickly as possible.
Deputy skipper Vimukthi Wijesiriwardena is Kingswood’s match-winner. A prolific left-arm spinner, his match figures of 13 for 125 against St. Sylvester’s are particularly impressive. He took 5 for 80 against the Katuneriya Sebastians, and had figures of 4 for 98 and 4 for 93 against St. John’s Panadura. Vimukthi, is one of two or three left-arm spinners in Kandy who can bowl (and indeed do bowl) almost the whole day. With knocks of 61, 62 not out and 47, he comes into the all rounder category.
Another player who has contributed enormously with bat and ball is the small made Ganindu Kaushalya. He has a top score of 74, and a best of 4 for 48 with his off spin. More importantly, he has been among the wickets in every game.
Slim, but sharp in pace, Janith Tennekoon is one of the better pacemen in Kandy. He hasn’t been a big wicket-taker, but quiet often he has made early inroads. The lad is a useful batter, too.
Hard-hitting opener Yasod Kavinda has knocks of 70 (St. Sylvester’s) and 52 (Dharmaloka). In addition, he bowls brisk medium pace and is a partnership-breaker, Duleen Wijenarayana and Saumya Piyasena are top order batsmen. Their highest scores 73 not out and 56 respectively were both scored against St. Anthony’s. Rangana Ratnayake, a left-arm spinner, has come with a fair bag of wickets. He obtains some bounce because of his height.
Kingswood has one outright win and two losses. They led four teams on the first innings but conceded the lead on five occasions.
To say that the Rajans have under-performed, is putting it mildly. They started off on the right foot by beating Dharmasoka and Dharmapala (home and away), but then came the slump. Nine first innings losses is unthinkable.
The lad who has had to carry the can, unfortunately, is the skipper Deshan Gunasinghe, an elegant left hander, useful left-arm spinner and a disciplined cricketer. A highest score of 116 (Dharmasoka) and six half centuries get him fairly close to the thousand run mark. The paucity of effective bowlers has forced him to take over. He has been a consistent wicket-taker, though not a big one.
Mirantha Herath (148 against Ananda) is another success strong in the batting. He made four half centuries, too. The knock against Ananda helped to prevent a defeat. The leading left-arm spinner, Rukmal Dissanaike, has captured wicket consistently. His best was 5 for 55 (match bag of eight) against Dharmasoka. He claimed another five for against Dharmapala.
Off spinner Gihan Vitharana (best of 7 for 90) has got among the wickets regularly. He has made useful scores, too. Opener Kasun Gunawardena (best of 82 verses Dharmasoka) is a good player who will make big runs if his commitment is greater of the youngsters, Dulaj Wijekoon has been the pick with an highly and a sixty. Sachinta Senanayake has been a revelation, stroking four fifties, most of them at crucial times. Udangamuwe and Amarakoon have not delivered the goods.
The Rajans will have to give serious thought to their attack. A host of opposing batsmen have taken liberties with their bowling attack. Rajans will have to lookout in this aspect of the game, this weekend.
Dharmaraja (from): Deshan Gunasinghe (Capt.) Nivantha Herath, Gihan Vitharana, Udantha Amarakoon, Sachintha Senanayake, Rukmal Dissanaike, Chathuranga Aludeniya, Kavinda Tillekeratne, Bavantha Udangamuwe, Dulaj Wijekoon, Kasun Gunawardena, Navinda Dilshan, Chetiya Ekanayake, Upendra Warnakulasuriya, Yasitha Samararatne, Isuru Dayananda.
Senaka Dissanayake (Coach), R.U.M.U. Udagedara (MIC)
Kingswood (from): Avishka Chandrasiri, Vimukthi Wijesiriwardena, Ganidu Kaushalya, Duleen Wijenarayana, Janith Tennekoon, Yasad Kavinda, Saumya Piyasena, Rangana Ratnayake, Amila Jayaweera, Dhananjaya Maduranga, Harinda Mahanama, Binura Rajapakse, Utpala Jayalath, Imalka Ratnyake, Kasun Madhuna,
Indika Fernando (Coach), Sarath Ekanayake (MIC)
Dharmaraja
Kingswood