Vidyartha in with a chance

By Aubrey Kuruppu

Vidyartha has not won the Big Match against St Sylvesters since 1968. Coach Priyantha Weragoda, being a realist, feels that their best chance of breaking the sequence will come, not this year, but the next. Fifth year player Nadun Basnayake leads the team. A return of 32 wickets and 428 runs last season makes him the side's leading all rounder. A left arm spinner, his best figures were 5-38 against St Anne's.

N.C.Basnayake-Vidyartha College Captain

Basnayakes deputy is Madusanka Wijekoon, a fourth year player. He captured around 30 wickets last season. Another fifth year player, last year's skipper, Maduka Weerasekera is the leading batsman in the team. He made over 550 runs with a century against Mahanama in 2006/07.

Fifth year player Dilina Kaushalya is Vidyaratha's leading leather launcher. The 34 wickets he bagged make him quite a threat to opposing batsmen. Sameera Abeyratne, a third year player, opens the batting. A left hander, he scored over 400 runs with two fifties.

Thirantha Dissanaike will be his opening partner. Dissanaike is also the stumper of the side. Third year player Ravindra Weerakoon is an off spinner, of whom big things are expected. Kasun Wijesekera, Charitha Daulagala, Lahiru Herath, Channa Wijekoon, Sandun Chintaka, Madusanka Welikumbura, Amila Ruvan Kumara and Kasun Srimal are the others in the squad.

Vidyartha‘s third term matches against Dharmaraja, Kingswood and Maliyadeva were all interfered with by rain. They will be playing St Mary's Kegalle, Mahanama, St Thomas' Matara, Trinity, St Anthony's, Kegalu Vidyalaya and St Anne's in the weeks to come.

Vidyartha's coach Priyantha Weragoda is in his second year with the school. A former captain of Dharmaraja, Weragoda coached his former school for about six years. A very good left arm spinner, he played club cricket for the Navy, Wattala Anthonians and Kandy CC. He is chiefly remembered for his figures of 11-11-00-05 in a Sara Match against Negombo CC. Has this been bettered?