Sokians favourites in tale of two segments
The 51st edition of Ambalangoda’s Battle of the Blues between Dharmasoka College and Sri Devananda College, hosted by the latter, will take place at the De Soyza Stadium, Moratuwa,
on April 1 and 2. Sri Devanada will be this year’s game.
The inaugural encounter was in 1963, when M.S.J. Weerawansa led Sri Devanada and Sunil Santiago led Dharmasoka, who emerged victors. The fixtures were not played in 1968, 1969, 1970, 2002 and 2014 while in 1967 it was abandoned.
Head-to-head Dharmasoka lead the series 10-1. N.U. Amaradasa led Sri Devananda to its solitary victory in 1966, while the last time Dharmasoka won, under Yohan de Silva, was in 2013, when the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association awarded the game to them.
The highest score in an innings was 325-4 by Dharmasoka in 1981, with Sri Devananda’s highest score in an innings being 283 runs in 2004. Sri Devananda’s total of 40 all out in 1980, is the lowest score in an innings, while Dharmasoka were dismissed for 46 runs in 1966, for their lowest total in the series.
The highest individual score is 169 runs scored by Sri Lanka cap Upul Tharanga in 2004, while Amindu Mendis scored 116 runs for Devananda in 2016. S. Osman of Dharmasoka College captured all 10 Devananda wickets forg 29 runs, in 1974, and would be record hard to break, while Devananda’s P. Milton has the best bowling performance with a match bag of 12 for 82.
Dharmasoka College play in the elite Division I of the Schools Cricket Tournament, and were 7th in their Group and overall 26th, with 76.850 points at the end of the 1st Round.
Dharmasoka is led by all-rounder Nimesh Mendis who learned his game at Sri Devananda. Nimesh has scored 351 runs and captured 22 wickets with a best of 7 for 52 this season. Nimesh has the able support of vice captain Dinuka Dilshan who scored 655 runs this season with a highest score of 216 and captured 32 wickets with best figures of 6 for 63.
Dharmasoka College from: Ushan Imantha, Kavinda Nadeeshan, Hasitha Rajapaksha, Akila Mendis, Malshika Mendis, Chamindu Dilshan, Ravindu Rashantha, Sachin Sangeeth, Chanaka Karunarathne, Akila Dilshan, Naveen Rasanga, Abeeth Amanda, Lohan de Zoysa and Sasindu Malshan.
Coach: Isuru Wickremasinghe – Assistant Coach: W. Thilina – Master-in-Charge: T.H. Dervin Priyankara
Host’s Sri Devananda play in Division II of the Schools Cricket Tournament and led Group ‘C’, while being 4th overall with 117.240 points at the end of the 1st Round. Sri Devananda is led by 5th year coloursman Sachin Uddeepana, a left-hand batsman totaling 454 runs and capturing 22 wickets this season, bowling right-arm medium-fast. Vice Captain Sohan de Livera keeps wickets with 50 victims to his credit this season. He is a left-hand batsman with 827 runs in 14 outings this season and a highest of 109. Devananda’s mainstay in the bowling department are right-arm medium pacie Kavindu Rajapaksha, with 53 wickets to his credit and right-arm spinner Nimesha Sathsara with 54 wickets to his credit.
Sri Devananda from: Wikum Udara, Samith Madushan, Chamindu Anushka, Praveen Avishka, Sandun Dhananjaya, Bivindu Jeewanka, Anjana Kaushan, Buddhi Erandaka, Sasindu Madushanka, Dasun Dhananjaya, Heshan Milaksha, Pasindu Dhananjaya, Maliththa Mendis and Kaveesh Kalpana.
Coach: Suraj Sanjeewa – Assistant Coach: Sagara Dhanjaya - Master-in-Charge: Rohana de Silva
Dharmasoka College Cricket Team 2018
Front row L-R: Isuru Wickramasinghe (Coach), Ushan Imantha, T.H. Dervin Priyanka (MIC), Nimesh Mendis (Capt), Hasitha K. Weththamuni (Principal), Sanath Senarathne (Deputy Principal-Sports), Viraj Chaminda (Secretary-Sports), Dinuka Dilshan (VCapt), W. Thilan (Asst. Coach) Back row L-R: Kavinda Nadeeshan, Hasitha Rajapaksha, Akila Mendis, Malshika Mendis, Chamindu Dilshan, Ravindu Rashantha, Sachin Sangeeth, Chanaka Karunarathne, Akila Dilshan, Naveen Rasanga, Abeeth Amanda, Lohan de Zoysa, Sasindu Malshan
Sri Devananda College Cricket Team 2018
Front row L-R: Wikum Udara, Sagara Dananjaya (Asst. Coach), Sohan de Livera (VC), Rohana De Silva (MIC), S. Sooriyarachchi (Principal), Sachindu Uddeepana (Capt), Suraj Sanjeewa (Head Coach), Samith Madushan Back row L-R: Chamindu Anushka, Praveen Avishka, Sandun Dhananjaya, Bivindu Jeewanka, Anjana Kaushan, Nimesh Sathsara, Buddhi Erandaka, Sasindu Madushanka, Dasun Dhananjaya, Heshan Milaksha, Pasindu Dhananjaya, Maliththa Mendis Absent - Kavindu Rajapaksha, Kaveesha Kalpana