Theeksha Gunasinghe who captained St. Anthony’s College Katugastota. cricket team in the season of 2018 and19 brought honour and fame to the school with his achievements in the sporting field
Theeksha was born on 10th July 2000 in Kandy to a Cricketing family with his Grandfather Sena Kalpage being a former captain of Nalanda College Colombo while his uncles were Ruwan Kalpage former National cap and captain of St. Anthony’s College and Nuwan Kalpage former captain of St. Anthony’s College. His brother Nimesha Gunasinghe, was Captain of the college Cricket team in 2014/2015.
Theeksha was admittrd to St. Anthony’s College Kandy in 2006. He was a student of St. Anthony’s college Kandy from Grade 1 to 13 (Year 2006 to 2019). He successfully completed the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination in the year 2010. He was the Primary school best all-round student in 2008 and was the head Prefect of the primary section in 2011.
He successfully completed the G.C.E. (O/L) Examination in the year 2016 in English medium obtaining 9 ‘A’ passes and was felicitated at SHILPALOKA Academic Excellence Awards organized by the Department of Education Central Province. He sat for the G.C.E. (A/L) examination in the year 2019 in the Commerce stream in English medium and obtained 3 ‘A’ passes being 56th in Kandy District and 934th in the island with a ‘Z’ score of 1.8772.
Theeksha started his Cricket career at Kandy Cricket academy in 2008 under Luxman Panditharathne and Indika Fernando.
He commenced school Cricket in the school under 13 ‘B’ team under Samitha Dhanushka in 2010. He represented under 13 ‘A’ teams in three seasons in 2011 -2013 under Indika Fernando. He represented the college under 15 teams in 2014 and 2015 under Samson Burke. He played under 17 tournaments in 2016 and 2017. He represented the college 1st X1 Cricket from since 2014/15 to 2018/19 in five
seasons. Theeksha made his debut in the schools first XI under his brother Nimesha Gunasinghe.
He represented the school under 13, 15, 17 and 19 teams. He captained college Cricket teams under 15, under 17 and under 19. He led the college under 17 cricket team which became All Island Runners Up in the year 2016 under coach Sampath Perera.
Theeksha was vice captain of the under 19 team in the season of 2017/18. He scored more than 800 runs with two centuries against Dharmaraja Kandy and S.De S. Jayasinghe Central College Dehiwala in the same season.
He made six half centuries and claimed 48 victims as the wicket keeper.
He scored 1055 runs with three centuries and five fifties in the 2018/19 season conducted by Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association. He made centuries against St. Joseph’s Colombo, S.De S. Jayasinghe Central College and St. Peter’s College Negombo.
He claimed 54 victims behind the stumps. He was a Fifth year Colorsman and Captain of the college 1st X1 cricket team that year.
The team was promoted to the division One after a lapse of five years under coach Suneth Gunathilake.
Theeksha represented the College 1st XV Rugby team from 2016 to 2019. He captained the Under 16 college Rugby team which became the All Island Champions in the year 2016.
He captained all Junior college Rugby teams.
He represented the college Junior Athletics teams in the Zonal and District level Athletic meets.
Theeksha was the Most popular School boy Cricketer of Sri Lanka in the 41st Observer-Mobitel All island School Cricketer of the Year Awards 2019. He was captain of the best team in Central Province at the 41st Observer-Mobitel School Cricketer Awards 2019. and was the best batsman
runners up in division two, at the 41st Observer – Mobitel School cricketer of the year Awards 2019.
He was the coloursman of the College First XI cricket team & won the Eagle Award for outstanding performances during the Cricket season of 2017/18. He was a member of the final 23-member squad for the Sri Lanka Schools U-15 junior Cricket team which toured Malaysia in the year 2015. He led the Under 15, Kandy district and the Central Province teams in the Prima Cup Tournament conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket in 2015.
He obtained National School Colours for Rugby in the year 2017, for being a member of the U-18 Sri Lanka Schools Rugby pool which represented The Youth Commonwealth Games 2017 in Bahamas.
He captained the college junior Basketball teams (Under 13 and Under 14) where the U-14 team became the Central Province & Zonal Champions in the year 2014. He was adjudged as the most valuable Player & the best defensive player at the Kandy District Under 14 basketball tournament.
He was the senior Prefect of the College , Director of Community Services of the Interact Club, Committee member of the Commerce Society, English Literary Circle & the Buddhist Brotherhood.
He won the First Place in English Sports Commentary at SANHINDA’ 2018, All Island Inter School Trilingual Media Competition organized by Mahamaya Girls’ College Kandy.
Theeksha is grateful to Rev. Fr. Henry Wijeratne current Principal, Fev. Fr. Titus Rodrigo, former principal, Stephan Gunathilake, Saman Dissanayake, Nisshanka Kuruvitaarachchi, G. Wickramanayake, Lenin Jayasinghe, master in charge of Cricket, Luxman Panditharathne, Indika Fernando, Mohamed Mushni, Samitha Dhanushka, Mohommed Rikaz, Samson Burke, Susantha Basnayake, Prasad Ranawaka, Sampath Perera, Suneth Gunathilake, Nipuna Rathnayake Cricket coaches junior and senior, Amila Pinnaduwa Central province Cricket coach, Suresh Peiris Kandy district Cricket coach,rugby master in charge G.A. Wasantha Rugby coaches SanjayaAmunugama, Rohitha Mendis (late), Deepal Punyawardhane, Viper Gunaratne,Ronny Ibrahim, Pradeep Liyanage, Piyumal Manchanayake, Nalaka WeerakkodyB.M. Dharmapala rugby trainers J.B. Herath, Priyantha Kumara, Anuja Mallawarachchi trianers, his father, mother, brother, grand father, grand mother, uncles Ruwan and Nuwan and all persons who helped him. (Y.K.)
0 comments:
Post a Comment