It’s big match fever again. And once again the curtains rise with the 47th clash between Thurstan and Isipatana scheduled to be played on February 26 and 27 at the SSC ground beginning at 9.30 a.m. each day.

Thurstan leads the series with five wins as against Isipatana’s four with the rest ending in draws. No positive result has been recorded by either side since 1999 since Isipathana won under Krishantha Jayawardena.

Isipathana - (Seated from left) Suranga Wijenayake (Coach), Sisira Kumara (Coach), Thivanka Ranasinghe (Capt), Dr. Punyadasa Kuruppu (Principal), Chamara Waduge, S.A.G. Sarathchandra (POG), Dimuth Warapitiya. (Standing from left) Dhanushka Sandaruwan, Aushka Samaratunga, Nilusha Sasnka, Irfan Rahim, Chanaka Jayanetti, Vidarshana Shenuka, Dinusha Fernando, Harith Wanigaarachchi, Sidath Vimukthi, Samitha Sulochana, Dimitri Perera, Vikum de Costa, Harshaka Cooray.

For Thurstan too an outright win is badly in need with their last win being in 1992 under Mackenzie Perera and no doubt both the teams will go all out to put their best step forward to break the hoodoo.
This year the two teams are enjoying a good seasons. It’s going to be interesting and it will be a battle between the strong Thurstan batting spearheaded by Shihan Kamileen and the effective Isipathana bowling led by their ace spinner Anushka Samaratunge.

Nevertheless the two teams come with their heads high though they have undergone defeats. Thurstan are coming into the big clash having played 19 matches with three outright wins against Wesley, Maliyadeva and Kingswood with a defeat to Nalanda.

For Isipathana it has been fluctuated fortunes with seven outright wins against St Servatius, Mahanama, Dharmapala, DSS, Zahira, President’s Rajagiriya and St Aloysius Galle and three defeats at the hands of Nalanda, Lumbini MV and St Sebastian’s.

The Thurstan side this year will be led by their prolific batsman and fourth year player Shihan Kamileen who had the honour of becoming the first schoolboy cricketer to reach the 1000 runs mark this year.
Shihan could be deemed as an allrounder having taken over 40 wickets and there is no doubt that he is going to be a thorn in the flesh to his opponents with three centuries against St Joseph’s, Maliyadeva and DSS and four half tons under his belt. Shihan has a strong batting line-up and posses another batsman who has scored over 1000 runs in Udara Munasinghe who has two tons to his credit against S. Thomas’s and St Sebastian’s and eight half tons and along with Javed Siyambalapitiya, deputy skipper Thisura Madurapperuma and all rounder Praboda Arthavidu the other century maker they are sure to give the Isipathanians a run for their money.

Thurstan – (Seated from left) Praboda Arthavidu, Udara Munasinghe, Daminda Wickramahewa (Assistant MIC), Shihan Kamileen (Capt), Vimal Gunaratne (Principal), Thisura Madurapperuma, D.N. Gurudeniya (Deputy Principal Sports), Javed Siyambalapitiya, Aravinda Amarasekera (Coach). (Standing from left) Harith Dias, Luvina Lochana, Sajeewa Salgado, Ranga Wijewickrama, Sachintha Wijesinghe, Kavin Tharindu, Lilan Fernando, Supun Navaratne, Prabath Wijesinghe, Minhaj Jaleel, Sachith Dias.

The Thurstan bowling will be spearheaded by right arm pacies Ranga Wijewickrama and Kavin Tharindu but their trump card will be their two top right arm spinners and leading wicket takers skipper Shihan Kamileen and Praboda Arthavidu along with third spinner Sachith Dias.

The Isipathanians will be led by third year player Thivanka Ranasinghe who is one of the three centurions of the side along with Vidharshana Shenuka and Harith Kalindu. But the Isipathanians will have to be more positive in the batting department.

They have players in the calibre of Chamara Waduge, Nilusha Sasanka, Dimuth Warapitiya, Dimitri Perera, Vidharshana Shenuka and Harith Kalinda who could deliver the goods but have not been consistent though being in the runs. But the player to watch will be Irfan Rahim who could be the dark horse.

The bowling no doubt will revolve around their ace spinner and record breaker left arm spinner Anushka Samaratunge who by taking 141 wickets broke the existing record of 139 wicket set by Maduka Liyanapathirana he is capable of turning the game to his side. He has a reliable partner in Samitha Sulochana the duo together has troubled their opponents on many occasions in giving them victory. Support will be expected from Dimuth Warapitiya, Dinusha Fernando and Dhanushka Sandaruwan.

Nevertheless the two teams know that a win is in need and positive cricket is the need of the hour, lets hope the approach of the teams would be based on a result oriented match. Isipathana has the major share in the records of the big matches with Saman Nishantha holding the best individual score of 150 n.o. made in 2002 and the best bowling figures is by Thurstan’s Jayajeewa Karunaratne who took 7 for 28 in 1992. The highest score of the series is 308 for 9 made in 2005 and the lowest of 56 way-back in 1968 are both held by Isipathana.

The two day big match will be followed by the 30th limited over encounter scheduled to be played on March 7 at the P. Sara Stadium. Isipathana who last won in 2006 lead the tally with 15 wins as against 14 to Thurstan who were the winners last year. It will culminate with the 3rd T20 due to be played on March 14 at the Thurstan ground.