Rathnawali Balika Vidyalaya Gampaha Cricket Pool 2022 posed for a photograph with the officials after clinching the All Island Girls Schools under 19 Cricket Title worked off at Bloomfield Ground Colombo (Picture by Dilwin Mendis Moratuwa Sports Special Correspondent).
Rathnawali Balika Vidyalaya one of the leading educational institutions in the Gampaha District has produced women of great calibre since its inception and during the last decade it has come to the fore and blossomed in sports too especially in cricket and has come to the lime light and it was due to the untiring efforts of the present Principal Mrs. Hema Jayawardene. Since then they are achieving success year by year with the correct management, high discipline, guidance, help and support of the principal with the aid of the Prefect of Games, teachers in Charge, Coaches, Parents and the Manager.
 Mrs. Hema Jayawardene |
They commenced playing this Noble Game in 2013/2014 Schools Cricket Season and the first teacher in Charge was Mrs.Seetha Perera and the Coach was Chaminda Perera. After the strenuous practices they fielded an under 19 team for the Inter School Tournament and in 2014/15 season they reached the Semi Finals and in 2016 they came up to the Quarter Finals.
Then in 2017 the Principal of Anula Vidyalaya had discussions with Mrs. Apsari Tillakaratne and the first ever inaugural Big Match was worked off after both teams agreed to play a Big Match which was named as the Battle of the Queens and played at R. Premadasa Stadium and Sri Lanka Cricket helped in numerous ways and Anula Vidyalaya were victorious. In the following year in addition to coach and MIC Gayan Munasinghe was appointed as a Trainer and in 2017/18 season they came up to Semi Finals and ended up as Runner up.
Then in 2018 Rathnavalie beat St.Anthonys Girls School by seven wickets and clinched the All Island Trophy for the first time. They were the All Island Runner up and in the finals Devapathiraja Vidyalaya emerged Champions by beating them by 10 wickets.
In 2019 Asela Senarathne took over as the Coach and they were the Runner up to Wadduwa Central and in 2021/2022 season Rathnavali clinched the Trophy under Vishmi Gunaratne by beating Anula Vidyalaya by 66 runs and the team was Managed by Aruna Gunarathne.
Vishmi created a record by scoring an unbeaten 417 and put on a second wicket partnership of 225 Runs with Sandali Weerasinghe who contributed 78 runs. Sandali totalled 900 runs in eight outings and unbeaten on five occasions and she had a Bradsmanque Average of 300.0 and in the finals too she scored an unbeaten scintillating 125 runs also she toured twice with the Sri Lanka Ladies Team and carried away the Best Batter Award at the Premier Tournament by representing Chilaw Marians. While so far Umaya Rathnayake is the highest wicket taker with 5 for 11 runs. Vishmi created a record for her school by becoming the first girl to represent the Sri Lanka Ladies National Team and also her sister Nethmi Gunarathne too captained the school team and these two sisters became the first pair to captain their school team.
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