For many years Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda has been contributing cricketers to the top division. Many talented cricketers from Dharmasoka have always been targeted by leading schools in Sri Lanka. As a result the school from this southern town has been losing talented players each year.
Despite this set back Dharmasoka still continues to be a dominant force in the schools cricket arena and their quality in cricket has been preserved. Their talent farm continues to date. The coach of Dharmasoka, P. Milton commenting on the situation told the Sunday Times that it has been one of their priority missions to groom players to the top level while maintaining identity in the game.
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| Dharmasoka cricket squad. (Pix by Amila Prabodha) |
“Losing a couple of players or two for other schools has been a practice each year. It has been happening here at Dharmasoka for a long time and we at any cost have no idea to object those moves. We always look into the benefit of the players and to see them reach the national level from any channel is our wish. But as a policy we do not import players from other schools, the players at Dharmasoka cut teeth in cricket here,” Milton explained.
However this season their hopes of making a positive impact at the ongoing schools First XI cricket tournament is high as ever as they have been doing for the past 65 years. The team is well knitted as a unit with a strong batting, bowling and fielding line-up. But as a consistent cricket team Dharmasoka too face a few obstacles. Players leaving the team at times have caused setbacks to the team. This time around too they face the problem which they hope to overcome.
“Apart from two unoccupied slots the team is well poised to do something special at every game. We are still looking for a suitable opening batsman to partner our regular opener, Thanura Halambage. The wicketkeeper’s position is also being tried out by a few players at the moment. Our regular stumper migrated to another country with his family. But the rest of the team is strong enough to tackle any opposition. But to overcome fleeting setbacks we are going to introduce a 2nd XI squad from this season. That will be an ideal permanent solution for a team like ours,” Milton, a Sri Lanka and Australia qualified Level II coach, added.
The Dharmasoka first XI team is captained by Gihan Mihiranga. He is assisted by Duminda Kannangara. Both Mihiranga and Kannangara are fourth year players with a lot of experience. The side possesses batsmen who can strike well right down to the tail and has a combination of pace and spin attack that is balanced and rich compared to other teams. This has been their greatest gain right throughout which attracts focus from others.
The strong squad of Dharmasoka consists of 24 skilled players which include the services of eight seniors. The opener is right-handed Halambage who is a technically sound batsman in the ranks. For the other opener’s slot a few players have been tried out. Among the top contenders are Hasindu Vidarshana and Chathura Udayanga to fill the vacant slot. Yohan de Silva, who is considered as a top off-spinner has been acting as the wicketkeeper during the third term, is the one-down batsman. He is also a right-hander with great consistency. The only left-hander in the side is Adeesha Thilanchana who has the knack to bat longer innings.
The middle-order consists of all right-handers. Dependable Nimesh de Zoysa, skipper Mihiranga, all-rounder Ramesh Mendis, Buddhi Tharaka, Sudara Deshantha, vice captain Kannangara and all-rounder Chamath Gunasinghe arrange the batting line up. According to Milton all these batsmen have scored fifties and three of them have scored hundreds proving the batting prowess of Dharmasoka.
The bowling department is spearheaded by skipper Mihiran who is a right-arm fast bowler. He is assisted by right-arm paceman Sudara Deshantha and left-armer Sohan Wallage who makes a comeback after four long years. Dharmasoka has three strike spinners who can prop up at any given occasion to spoil any opposition. Off-spinner Ramesh Mendis, left-arm spinner Chamath Gunasinghe and right-arm leg-spinner Hasindu Vidarshana are their strikers in the spin department. The team is pondering on having Pasan Piyangana as the wicketkeeper to give Yohan de Silva the room to return with his off-spins.
Dharmasoka has 12 more games to play in when they continue the tournament with the first term. The side is hoping to better their performance from last year which included 14 games and a loss to Trinity. During the third term they played against played three matches, drawing both tournament games against Dharmaraja and Revata while losing their friendly fixture against Prince of Wales’. But according to Milton, at all three encounters the Sokians came out with positive brand of cricket while gaining much despite the outcomes. He says the indications are highly encouraging for this year where they hope to win more games. During the past two seasons Dharmasoka was placed among the top 16 and 8 teams respectively. And this year they aim to reach the top eight school cricket teams of the island.
Dharmasoka cricket squad: Gihan Mihiranga (Captain), Duminda Kannangara (Vice Captain), Yohan de Silva, Buddhi Tharaka, Thanura Halambage, Chamath Gunasinghe, Adeesha Thilanchana, Ramesh Mendis, Nimesh de Zoysa, Sudara Deshantha, Chathura Umayanga, Pasan Piyangana, Sanjeewa Ishara, Thilan Maduranga, Raveen Tharindu, Hasindu Vidarshana, Amila Harshana, Sajana Sathsara, Durabi Shashikantha, Sanush Gayantha, Isuru Chathuranga, Sachin Diwangana, Anjana Marvan, Sohan Wallage, Bhanuka Pathirambage, P. Milton (Coach), Sunil de Silva (M-I-C).
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