Dilshan Arambegedara is the cricket captain of Sri Rahula College Katugastota under 19 team this year,He is a fine all-rounder and is sure to give of his best with the support of the rest of the players. This year they are in the tournament with fixtures against PDS Kularatne College Ambalangoda in Kandy,and the second game is with Royal College Panadura away, third game with Henegama MMV away, fourth game with Kegalu Vidyalaya in Kandy followed by the big match with Wariyapola Sri Sumangala College Kandy. They will be playing the first game on Friday, which is a friendly against Maliyadeva College Kurunegala.They had a fine season last year including an outright win over the more fancied Kingswood College by five runs
The side is coached by experienced D. Madushanka Damakage, a person with 20 years experience in cricket coaching ,He was their one-time junior coach and helped many players to do well, and learnt his cricket at this school, played for the senior side from 1998 to 2001 as a right arm paceman and middle order batsman. Damakage is going all-out to make the side a match winning team. He played for Saracens Cricket Club for over fifteen years. He is well supported by the MIC M.J.S. Ariyasinghe a fine boxer during his school days at Peradeniya MV, sporting Principal S.M.C. Weerakoon lends them a big hand. The Old boys too give the best possible backing to keep the game alive in the school.
This year squad is made out of players like Dilshan Arambegedara. (Captain), Kushan Senarath the stumper, Vichintha Heshan, Sayuru Prabash, Janith Maitipe , Tharindu Fonseka , Thilanka Dasun, Akash Gardiwasam, Dananjaya Madushanka , Malitha Nethmal , Kalana Thaveesha , Dulanjana Bandara , Kalana Wedika , Yasitha Wijeratne , Dismika Ratnayaka , Athikshaya Ratnayaka , Bashitha Amarawansa , Theekshana Dineth, Vishal Gardiwasam, Maleesha Dilshan , Sumeda Prasad, Kavishka Madumal ( Coach Madushnka Damakage and M.I.C - M.J.S. Ariyasinghe.
Sri Rahula College is a school with a history of over 130 years and one of the famous mixed schools in the country. It was established in 1890, by the Buddhist Theo sophical Society led by Colonel Henry Steel Olcott. They were founded as Kandy High school on a piece of land at Katugastota. Later it was renamed Sri Rahula College, and at one time was well known for athletics, football and hockey and later in the field of mini rugby and today they are a major force in cricket too. Thanks to the efforts of their old boys, who have turned them into a top sporting school
Sri Rahula College is one of Kandy’s oldest cricket playing schools, started the game of cricket in 1890’s but gave it up a few years . However, in the1970’s they came back into cricket. One of their best products was Asela Gunaratne who played in the years 2002-4. He became the first Rahula cricketer to represent the country when he was selected for the tour of Zimbabwe. He was guided correctly by one of the top school coaches lateAubrey Kuruppu, a well-known person in the coaching field. Asela joined the Army and improved his cricket and went onto represent the country. Some of the cricketers learnt their finer points at this school and later crossed over to other schools to gain more recognition in their cricketing careers, and they never say they started the game at this school.
Sri Rahula College should be proud of Ishara Rangana Hewage who was selected as the“Most Popular Cricketer of the Year” by the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association. In 2019 they qualified to play in the semi-final of the under 19 Singer division III level one cricket tournament.
The Rahula cricketers beat St. Mary’s College Matugama in the quarter finals on first innings. The players who excelled and helped the team win were Dilshan Arambegedera, Tharindu Fonseka, Thushan Senarath, Lahiru Wijeratne,Krishantha Dilshan, Shairi Ranatunga, Janith Maitipe and Akash Ghariyawasiri.
In the early years late T.M A. Cooray coached the Sri Rahula cricketers and gave his best for the game and produced some knowledgeable players.
A few years back late Aubrey Kuruppu gave a big hand and helped the school in a big way in cricket coaching.
Today Sri Rahula cricketers play their matches at Prisons Grounds Pallekelle and Police Grounds. AsgiriyaTheir own ground at Katugastota is only fit for practices, because the length and breadth of the ground is short.
The players right now are handicapped without a turf wicket. This school has a rich cricketing history.
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