St. John’s has edge over Jaffna Central
Traditional rivals St John’s Jaffna and Jaffna Central will usher the big match fever in the Jaffna peninsula when they battle it for the 113th time in their three-day annual big match starting on March 7 at the Jaffna Central ground.
The Battle of the North is the oldest big match in the Northern Province. From the matches played so far, St John’s leads the series with 35 wins as against 27 by Jaffna Central with 40 drawn and one abandoned. Results of other matches are not available.
The Johnians are the last winners of the encounter which they achieved in 2015 and the Centralites’ last win was in 2011.
St John’s will be led by fourth year coloursman Murfin Abinash. They have enjoyed a fairly successful season this year having played 15 matches, securing seven outright wins against S. de S. Jayasinghe MMV Dehiwala, Kegalu MV, St. John’s Panadura, Anuradhapura Central, Royal Panadura, Siri Piyaratana MMV Padukka and Tissa Central Kalutara while losing two to Rahula Matara and Sri Dharmaloka MV Kelaniya.
Skipper Abinash is a player with loads of experience and a fine allrounder who has had two successful seasons. He has represented the Northern Province U19 team and the Northern Province U23 team. He was adjudged the best batsman and also the man of the match at last year’s big match and in the limited over game. So, he no doubt is going to be a thorn in the flesh of the Central side.
Abinash has in his side two experienced player’s in Naganthirajah Sowmiyan and Theivendram Dinoshan who have been in the thick of the happenings in the batting and bowling department. Of course the skipper will be expecting an allround performances from the duo.
Their batting strength will revolve around these players while support will be expected from Elshan Denushan, Nageswaran Rathushan and Mahendran Hemathushan for the Johnians to put up a challenging score.
The bowling will be in the hands of right arm pacies Dinoshan and Nageswaran Rathushan and the support of spinners skipper Abinash, Sowmiyan and Denushan is going to be vital to curtail the Centralites batting.
Jaffna Central, be led by fifth year coloursman Selvarasa Mathushan, is coming into the encounter with an unbeaten record having played eight matches and securing three outright wins against, Kokuvil Hindu College, St Xavier’s Marawila and Jaffna College Vaddukoddai.
Skipper Mathushan has been their top batsman this season and has scored a ton against Jaffna Hindu College, will look for support in the batting from experienced players in deputy Anatydas Jeyatharshan the best batsman last year, V. Viyaskanth, S. Rajclinton and S. Nitharsan.
Their bowling will be spearheaded by right arm pacies skipper Mathushan and K. Iyalarasn. Spinners V. Viyaskanth, Jeyatharshan and pacie S. Nitharsan M. Sansayan expected to support them to curtail the Johnians.
The Centralite batsmen will have to do something extra-ordinary in both the batting and bowling department if they are hoping to give their opponents some challenge.
However looking back at the performances of the two teams this season it points out to a keenly contested game with the Johnians having the edge.
The limited over match is scheduled to be played on March 16 at St John’s ground. This will be the 17th in the series with the Johnians leading having won nine and Centralites seven and one abandoned.