st. anthony's college cricket squad
The 103rd cricket clash between two of Kandy’s cricketing rivals Trinity College and St. Anthony’s College termed Kandy s Battle of the Blues will take place at the Asgiriya Stadium turf wicket on Friday and Saturday. This is the sixth oldest Big Match in the country and this time both teams are evenly balanced
This time the Trinitians are giving their best to make it a good show in the match organizing part as they are celebrating their 150th anniversary The school’s principal Rev. Fr. Araliya Jayasundera and the Trinity College Cricket Foundation are doing all the good work to make this a memorable event.
This game is contested for the John Halangoda memorial trophy. The trophy is awarded to the team that manages to win the match by means of an outright win or failing that, a first innings win. This trophy was introduced in 2005 in memory of the former Trinity College cricketer and coach who later became the coach of St. Anthony’s College and guided them to a win in 1948. In the series Trinity College leads the overall tally with 23 wins while St. Anthony’s College has won 11 and 68 drawn.Trinity’s last win came under the captaincy of Niroshan Dickwella in 2012 where they broke a 25-year hoodoo to win by an innings and one run. The Antonians are still to win an encounter this century their last one coming in 1991 under the captaincy of Umesh de Alwis. It is the Trinitians who have dominated the series in the early years to such an extent that they won the ‘Big’ match a record eleven times in a row from 1918 to 1928.
The match will be played under the patronage of former Trinity cricketer Major General Nihal Marambe first double centurion of Trinity College, who played in the 1960’s along with players like Harindra Dunuwille, Hemendra Ranaweera, Glen Vanlangenberg, Ajith Abeyratne, Chandra Amunugama, A. Herath, S. Boange, D. Disanayake,L.D.Abeyratne, Errol. Warne, Palitha. Marambe.
This season performance-wise both sides are equal, but anything can happen. It should be said that both sides have failed to throw the game open in the ‘Big’ matches over a long spell.
Trinity College is led by a fine cricketer Akram Muthalib who is a good bat and scored heavily this season with a highest score of 162 and he has passed the six hundred mark and he is the stumper of the side, he had led in ten traditional games out of which won two,lost one and seven draws. His vice captain is Matheesha Pathirana and the rest of the players like Pawan Pathiraja, Ranuda Somaratne Vubath Ehelapola, Theeraka Ranatunga has pocketed nearly 50 wickets, Manula Kularatne, Dinuk Tennakoon too have done well this season and sure to give a good display. St.Anthony’s College is led by talented all round cricketer Chamindu Wickramasinghe who is a solid opening bowler and led the side in nine traditional games and won two and rest ended in draws. His deputy who gave him good backing is Asitha Wanninayake rest of the talented players are Traveen Mathew, Chandimal Herath, Kavindu Shehan M. Aaqil Are sure to do well with the rest of the players. All these players should throw the game open for a result if the weather permits.
Trinity College Squad - Akram Muthalib (Captain), Matheesha Pathirana -(Vice captain),. Pawan Pathiraja, Theeraka Ranathunga, Ranuda Somaratne, Rahal Amarasinghe, Manula Kularatne, Vibhavith Ehelepola, Supun Waduge, Tharana Wimaladharma, Kusal Wijetunga, Vihan Mudunkotuwa, Themiya Jayasundara, Dinuka Tennekoon, Viduka Dammage, Dinusha Pieris, Yewan Hulangamuwa, Janith Waranakula, Kaveen Gamage, Coach - Naveen Ekanayake, Trainieer Bandula Pushpakumara, MIC Brian Senaratne.
St. Anthony’s College squad – Chamidu Wickremasinghe (Captain), Asitha Wanninayake (Vice Captain), Chandimal Herath, Divyesh Raniah, Lahiru Abeysinghe, Traveen Mathew, Kavindu Sehan, Bimsara Jayasekara, Yasiru Gamaarachchi, Jayaodya Amasrasena, Mohamed Aaquil, Rhusara Ekanayake, Induwara Galapitage, Kanesha Rajapakse, Kaveesha Piyumal, Charuka Ekanayake, Ravindu Kapuwatuwa, Rayan Anthony, Coach Suneth Gunatilake Traineer Priyantha Kumara, MIC Lenin Jayasinghe.
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