Anula, Ratnavali lock horns in inaugural Battle of the Queens
Anula Vidyalaya from: Amasha Dilshani Perera (Capt.), Chamodi Hansika, Harshitha Madavi Samarawickrema, Sithmi Hirasha, Janadi Anali, Himasha Sewwandi, Tharini Hiranya, Nilma Veenavi, Kasuni Maduwanthi, Krishmi Sathsarani, Jeyni Navoda, Harshini Liyanage, Nethmi Tharusha, Chavini Gayara, Dulanga Dissanayake, Ashmini Gunawardene MIC: Sujeewa Samarawickrema; Coach: Sahan Deshapriya
Anula Vidyalaya, Nugegoda (AVN), will meet Ratnavali Balika Vidyalaya (RBV), Gampaha in their inaugural Battle of the Queens Cricket encounter at the R. Premadasa International Cricket stadium on May 4 commencing at 9 am.
In this maiden encounter, coloured clothing and white balls will be used and played the whole day of 90 overs. The winners will be decided on the 1st innings, in the event of a draw.
AVN has the edge over RBV, as they were the runners-up in the last two occasions of the Sri Lanka Schools Under-19 Cricket tournament. The Nugegoda lasses won the 1st 2 All Island Cricket Championships, and lost to Devapathiraja College, Rathgama, in 2016 and ’17.
AVN has the proud record of producing 2 National players in Hashini Perera and Hasitha Samarawickrema who is still in school.
A balanced outfit of 6 all-rounders and a strong batting lineup running down the order, will be led by Amasha Dilshani Perera, an elegant left-handed No.3. Anula’s bowling attack too looks a good one with 4 medium pace bowlers, 2 off-spinners and an orthodox left-arm spinner. Much is expected from Sri Lanka cap Harshitha Samarawickrema in both batting and bowling. Left-handed Harshitha opens batting with Skipper Amasha Dilshani Perera, another left-handed bat who lead from the front, making the job easy for the batters to follow in building match winning totals. Harshitha’s right-arm medium pace always makes the initial breakthrough, for the other bowlers to tighten the screws on the opponent’s batsmen.
A strong spin attack is AV’s trump card, with off-spinners Janadi Anali and Sithmi Hirasha, along with the ‘Find of the Season’, leftarm orthodox spinner Hashini Liyanage, supported by 4 medium pacers, will make run scoring a tough job for the Gampaha lasses.
Knowing AVN’s strength, the RBV girls are hard at practice for the last 3 months, and will make every effort to create an upset. This young side will have to fire on all cylinders to curtail the strong AVN from posting big scores. With a batting line-up running down to the tail, is sure to post a total of over 200 runs, which allows their bowlers to put pressure and rattle their opponent’s batsmen.
Wicketkeeper batter Pramithi Pabasara, Player of the Finals in the 2016 Murali Cup, leads RBV with 8 all-rounders, and she is the mainstay in their batting. In the 5 practice matches played so far, in preparation for the Battle of the Queens, Pabasara is in fine touch scoring 3 centuries and 2 50s. Sanduni Silva, Vishmi Gunaratne, Tilini Niwarthana and hard hitting Muditha Kalpani spearhead the batting, while the bowling department consists of 4 medium pacers and a strong spin bowling department of 2 left-arm leggies and 4 right-arm off-spinners, is sure to cramp the styles of the free scoring AVN batters.
This promising and talented side will go all out to make amends for their loss to AVN in the semifinals of the 2014 Singer Cup.
An absorbing day’s Cricket is on the cards, as both coaches Sahan Deshapriya (AVN) and Chaminda Perera (RBV) are confident that their respective charges will give off their best, while maintaining the highest traditions of the game.
Ratnavali Balika from: Pramithi Pabasara (Capt.), Nethmi Nimsara, Sandani Abeywickrema, Vishmi Gunaratne, Tilini Niwarathana, Muditha Kalpani, Gayani Shanika, Nethmi Navodya, Sachni Jayalath, Sanduni Silva, Rashmi Silva, Iyansa Janindi, Nethmi Vidushika, Nisara Rasanjali, Dilshani Channamali, Deshani Channamali MIC: Sita Perera, PoG: Anusha Gunaratne: Coach: Chaminda Perera; Manager: Aruna Gunaratne