Double victory for Old Rajans
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Two players who stood out from the rest, Prasanna Walalewela (left) and Rukshan Sooriyaarachchi (right) with chief guest Senaka Dissanayaka
Old Rajans won both T20 encounters played against Old Kingswoodians in their 10th annual Old Boys Big Match series played last Saturday at Lake View in Kandy. Old Rajans comfortably beat Old Kingswoodians in the Over-40 encounter by 10 wickets and also claimed an exciting 19-run win in the Over-30 game, thus claiming both challenge trophies on offer.
Prasanna Walalawela hit an unbeaten 47 to claim both awards of player of the match and best batsman, while Chinthaka Weerasinghe claimed three wickets to emerge as the best bowler, as Old Rajans trounced their traditional rivals by 10 wickets in the Over-40 game. Batting first Old Kingswoodians were able to muster only 81 runs for the loss of eight wickets with Lalith Wijeratne top scoring for the side with an unbeaten 12. Palitha Liyanage made 11 while Weerasinghe claimed three wickets conceding 13 runs.
Old Rajans had very little or no trouble in chasing down the target as they made 83 without losing any wickets. Walalawela and Manjula Liyanage carried their bats with unbeaten knocks of 47 and 31 respectively, when Old Rajans reached the winning post, thus claiming the P.L. Authur Alwis and Clifford Rathnawibushana Memorial Trophy in style.
In the Over-30 encounter, Old Rajans posted 124 runs for the loss of three wickets after batting first with Rukshan Sooriyaarachchi top scoring 62. Chamila Ambagaspitiya made 30. Asanka Ranasinghe claimed two wickets for nine runs.
The victorious Old Rajans Over-30 and Over-40 teams
Old Kingswoodians were able to score only 105 for the loss of four wickets in their allotted 20 overs despite a fighting innings of 47 by Omila Weerasooriya. Niroshan Perera remained unbeaten on 15, while Upesh Wijesiri claimed two wickets conceding 18 runs.
Rukshan Sooriyaarachchi claimed both awards of best batsman and player of the match, while Wijesiri won the award for the best bowler in their team’s victory of 19 runs. With the win, Old Rajans claimed the Nazar Razak Memorial Trophy.
Interestingly both winners of the player of the match awards — Prasanna Walalewela and Rukshan Sooriyaarachchi scored centuries as schoolboy cricketers in the annual Battle of the Maroons of the Hills big match in 1983 and 2006 respectively. Senaka Dissanayaka, the only batsman to score a double century in the big match, graced was the chief guest. Dissanayake scored 200 in the 1983 big match encounter.
This year’s encounter was dedicated to former Kingswood College alrounder Nazar Razak, who met with an untimely death due to a motor accident and the game will be played for the Nazar Razak Challege Trophy from this year. In the previous weekend the 115th annual big match encounter between the two schools – the Battle of the Maroons in the Hills – was played where it ended in a thrilling draw. The two games played between the old boys teams of the two institutions under two age categories are for Over-40 and Over-30.
In the Over-40 encounter Saliya Jayasundara captained Old Rajans and Buddhika Ekanayake led the Kingswood old boys side. Muditha Wijekoon led the Old Rajans Over-30 side while his counterpart leading Kingswood old boys team was Malitha Mallawarachchi.