Dharmaraja Team

The Rajans, with more formidable outfit, go out slight favourites in the 104th Big Match against Kingswood which will be played at the Asgiriya Stadium on March 5 and 6. The Rajans who possess a very strong batting line up, should have had more than the solitary victory against Sri Summangala Panadura. They have six first innings wins but blotted their copy-book by losing to Ananda in a close finish.

Ramesh Yapa Bandara, a free-scoring opener and a useful left arm spinner, is ideally positioned to show the way in batting. He has gone over the 400 run mark. Rahula Ekanayake, the leading run scorer with over 600 runs, made centuries against St. Sylvester’s and Mahinda. He has picked up many wickets with his off breaks. He really stood out in the Wesley match where they chased a target and failed to top in by a mere run.

Wicket-keeper cum opener Kavinda Wijekoon, dashing Sandun Weerakkodi, Sanjaya Kalubowila, Pratap Silva, Munaweera and Herath are the others who have the ability to make sound contributions.
The pace attack will be spear-headed by Tharaka Silva and Karunaratne while Ekanayake, Munaweera, Pratap Silva and the skipper form the core of the bowling. The Rajans have balance in their team and as such, should make the running.

Udara Hettige, a towering all-rounder (top score 86) is the key player and skipper of the Kingswood side. Sadly he hasn’t been able to hurl his fast-medium deliveries most times because of injury. Himesh Rabel (over 500 runs) has been one of the more consistent players. Yasintha Atukorale has chipped in with a couple of fifties.

Hasitha Dharmaperuma, the brother of last year’s skipper Chalitha has just refined the team recovering from injury. He bats with determination. Opener Mahes Dinukara, Lakshita Madushan, Subodha Premaratne and Chamila Gunasekera are expected to make sizable contributions.

Skipper Hettige will all probability open the bowling with Ravindra Srilal. Gannoruwa and Sandaruwan can also use the new ball to good effect. Left arm leggie Premaratne (22 wickets) and leggie Premaratne (22 wickets) and right arm leggie Madushan are the front line spinners together with ‘offie’ Gunasekera. Dinukara will do duty behind the stumps.

The lads from Randles Hill have not had a good season, having had defeats inflicted on them by Revata, Dharmasoka, Wesley and Thurstan. However they showed that they are no push-overs by taking the first innings lead against strong Trinity.

Traversing memory-lane, Kingswood last won the Big Match in 1958 under the captaincy Maurice Fernando.The Rajan’s last success is of more recent origin – 1981 under Janaka Mendis.
Cricket being a batsman’s game, it is worth noting that Ajith Naranpanawa made consecutive hundreds for the Rajans scoring 127 not out in 1975 and 120 in 1976. Priyantha Wickremasuriya achieved this distinction for Kingswood in 1976 and 1977 (127 and 116).

Most uplifting of all was the laudable gesture of Tissa Jayatilaka who made 100 not out in 1996 and followed it up with 91 not out the next year. With glory beckoning, Jayatilaka declared the innings in an effort to win the match – a promise he had made to his retiring Principal.

Kingswood Team