After the break St. Sylvester’s College began their preparation for cricket and are seen hard at training at their grass less grounds at Asgiriya. There are over twenty at training. They have named a squad of 15 and all-rounder Sashika Basnayake as the captain, he is a left arm spinner and bats right hand and is a talented player. He has played for Kandy and Central Province teams. His deputy is Kavishka Dilshan he too is an all-rounder, a hard hitting right hand middle order batsman, and bowls leg spin. The last time Captain Maleesha Silva is also in the side. He is sure to give his best a left hand top order batsmen and a left arm spinner. He has given his best for the game, and he was in the Sri Lanka under 19 squad and has played for Kandy and Central Province.
The others at practices are Malith Lakshan scored a century against St. Servetus College last season and is a fine opening batsman and a right arm pacemen. Charuka Nadeesha a right hand top order batsman and a right arm off spinner, Isuru Gunasekara a medium pacemen who open the bowling, Sihina Bandara a right hand batsman and a right arm spinner, Akila Wickramasinghe a left arm spin bowler and was highest wicket taker last season are also in the squad. Shenon Randeniya a right arm pace bowler. Ashen Bandara- bowls right arm leg spin, Sahan Dissanayake the stumper of the side is a good batsman, Dahami Welagedara right hand opening bat, Eric Mitchell right arm medium pacemen, Mevan Soyza-right arm medium pace bowler Yoshith Isuranga a 15 years old young talented player, Kavishka Imesh- new to the school has come from Kegalle are the rest of the team. The prefect of games is Tusitha Pallekumbura and Master in charge Palinda de Silva.
Once again the Head Coach is Roshan Jayatissa an ECB and ICC Level-2 qualified coach and learnt his cricket at this school. He is a former player and captained Kandy youth CC and Kandy Cricket Club and also played for Army, Galle CC, Galle District, Saracens SC, Chilaw Marians CC, Panadura SC, Lankans CC and Srilanka Ports Authority. And his overseas experience county league cricket as player/coach in England, Australia and Scotland boast an overseas career. He will be assisted by two top cricketers and Hasitha Thilakasiri and Gayan Tharaka. According to news, this time they are fielding a well balanced side with a formidable batting lineup and penetrative bowling attack.
This is a school which has reached great heights in the field of cricket from Kandy. This 81-year-old school has a proud cricketing history. Over the years they have produced fine cricketers who have gone on to represent clubs, district and country with distinction. This school took up the game the hard way, after it was founded in 1940, after 15 years made a modest beginning by introducing cricket to their sports calendar in 1955. The first school team was coached by J. Denlow and Ronni Stephen and the side was led by T. Direckze and the rest of the players were Nihal Pelpola, T. Sathyamurethi, H. Dias, T.G.M. Peries, N. Ratnayake, Vernaon Nanayakra, V. Croos, U. Ariya Chandra, I Hepanstol, M. Dirckze, V.W. Wanigasekara, R. Tilly, U de Silva.
It was M.E. Marikar who became the first Sylvestrian to play representative cricket, at a time when St. Sylvester’s College had not taken to cricket in a big way. He played for Moors SC, Sinha Regiment, Kandy Lake Club, Kandy Sports Club and Central Province, followed by Abdul Razak played for Prisons and Kandy. Nihal Samarasekara became the first to play for the country — before we got Test status. Ishak Sahabdeen was the first Test player, and then there was Nimal Lewke. A fine spinner, in 1967, he was placed second in the Schools’ Best Bowling list. He later played for the Police and Government Services. Malcolm Perera was the Sri Lanka Cricket Coaching Manager.
H. Marikar was the Lasion officer for visiting cricket team for years. At present, Janaka Pathirane gives a big hand through the cricket controlling body. Undoubtedly 1994 was the greatest year for St. Sylvester’s cricket. Under Roland Perera’s coaching and late Bertie Nilagoda’s stewardship as principal, the school won the all Island League Championship but they were deprived of the ‘double,’ when they got knocked out in the semi final by Ananda College.
0 comments:
Post a Comment