U-19 Cricket: Kingswood-Dharmaraja one dayer shuts down school cricket in Kandy

The cricket season in Kandy will effectively shut down on Sunday (27) after the limited over game between Dharmaraja and Kingswood at the Pallekele Stadium.

Interest will focus on whether the Rajans, who did not have a highly successful Big Match, can come back strong and triumph in the shorter version. 

Dharmaraja was forced to concede a 33 run lead to their opponents at the end of the first innings. Thereafter the match petered out. 

The Rajans, who won four times in the past five years, certainly will not look back on that game with a sense of satisfaction. 

This, they will be waiting to go for the Jugular and show the lads from Randles Hill that last week’s performances was an aberration.

Ruchira Pupulewatte, who has enjoyed a fine season with bat and ball, was the outstanding performer. 

He ground out 75 in the first innings and, in hindsight, it turned out to be a match-saving effort. 

He made 46 in the second knock and played his part as a bowler, too. 

If some of the other players of repute had emulated had emulated him, the Rajans would have been in clover.Gunasinghe, in particular being a batsman of some quality, should have done better. 

With four centurions in the side, Dharmaraja can’t be short of batting. In fact, the skipper came in as a late as number ten, and he’s quite a capable player. 

It is the application, possibly the hunger that is lacking.

Kingswood were quietly building up to their Big Match effort with some creditable performances during the season. 

They may not have the flash, and dash, that some of their counterparts have. 

But they dig in and make a fight for it.

Tharindu Liyanage, possibly the most experienced player on either side, holds the key. 

A steady performer for much of the season, he has suddenly woken up and produced something special. 

His unbeaten 50 in last year’s limited over game, will, no doubt be fresh in Rajan memory. 

To refresh it, he made a half century last Saturday as well.

Skipper Ruwantha Hathurusinghe and Dilshan Walisundera, both of whom made thirties in the Big Match, are dashers. Kingswood would like them to go the whole hog.

The bowler who could restrict and stifle the Rajan line-up is left arm spinner Vimukthi Wijesiriwardena. 

The best bowler by far, he bagged four wickets bowling long spells in the two day game. 

Liyanage (off spin) and Avishka Chandrasiri (pace) are the other experienced bowlers. 

The grape-vine hasit that Janith Tennekoon, another pacie, will be playing.

The Rajans with a good batting effort down the line made 242 for 7 in last year’s game. 

Kingswood had replied with 146 for 6 in 41 overs when bad light intervened and the game was awarded to Dharmaraja in terms of the Parabola System.

Dharmaraja (from): Venuka Galahitiywa (Capt), Ruchira Pupulewatte, Deshan Gunasinghe, Nivantha Herath, Lahiru Samarakoon, Gihan Vithana, Shehan Vitharana, Asmitha Rajapakse, Chaturanga Aludeniya, Bavantha Udugamuwa, Rukmal Dissanayake, Supun Vithanarachchi.

Kingswood (from): Ruwantha Hathurusinghe (Capt), Avishka Chandrasiri, Tharindu Liyanage,Vimukthi Wijesiriwardena, Meedum Weerasinghe, upamal Keen-Kande, Dilshan Walisundera, Salinda Dharmasena, Thutila Herath, Janith Tennekoon,Ganidu Kamburugamuwa, Duleen Wijenarayana.