Kingswood College will take on Dharmaraja college in the Battle of Maroons – Kandy for the T.B Tennakoon trophy on the 22nd and 23rd of March at Asgiriya
The longest cricket match series in the central province, the first match was played in 1893 with Dharmaraja College team a series captained by the great educationalist Sir Don Baron Jayathilake, who was the principal of Dharmaraja at that time Kingswood team was captained by Mr. A.E. Spencer. The match was played at the Bogambara Stadium which is no longer a cricket venue, but this match and some others followed were not schoolboy matches as the teams included members of the staff as well. The first schoolboy Big Match was played in 1899 with J.C Marshall leading the Kingswood and J.C de Mel captaining Dharmaraja. It was played at the Asgiriya Cricket Stadium. Until 2010 matches were played at Asgiriya and Police grounds. In 2011 & 2012 matches were played at Pallekele Internatonal Cricket Stadium.
Upto 2012, 106 matches have been played and Rajans lead the tally with 33 wins against 19 by Kingswood while 54 matches ended as a draw. It is notable that matches starting from 1981 to 2010 have ended in a draw. The last time decision was possible in the series before 2011, was in 1980 when Rajans defeated Kingswood by 9 wickets under the captaincy of Janaka Mendis. Last time Kingswood won a match was in 1958 under the captaincy of Maurice Fernando who was also selected as the school boy cricketer of the year. Ending the 30 years of indecision, Dharmaraja registered a historic seven wicket win under the captaincy of Hemal Munaweera in 2011.
106th Encounter
Dharmaraja pulled off a crucial 7 wicket win with only two balls to spare in the 106th Big Match encounter played at Pallekele. Kingswood made a big 216 batting late into the first day but Dharmaraja raced to reach 220-7 to gain the lead and then declared. They were able to bowl out Kingswood in the 2nd innings only for 73. This left Rajans a target if 68 in nine overs.
Kingswood 216 (S. Bandara- 70, L. hettiarachchi-45, A. Kandanarachchi-26 D. lanka 26/3) & 72 (N.Weerakoon-26, N. Karunarathna 14/4, D. lanka 3/2)
Dharmaraja-221/7- S. Gunasekara 54, N Karunarathna 57, R. Ranasinghe 34 ( L. Hettiarachchi 22/2, G.K Bandara 27/2) & 69/3- S. gunasekara 25 (Monarawila 28/2)
Current Season
Kingswoodians
Kingswood defeated Vidyartha and St. Sylvester’s but lost to Carey on first innings. Their game against the strong Maliyadeva Kurunegala ended in a no decision. They reported an outright victory by 8 wickets against St.Thomas College Matale,Ibbagamuwa Central and currently in a good position in the B Division table.
Saluka Walisundara is the top scorer for the season with 485 runs followed by Supun Bandara scoring 480 who scored a fine half century in the previous big match. The biggest strength for the Kingswood lads will be their spinners lead by Tharindu Liyanage and his partner in crime Dananjaya Monerawila; both off spinners have triggered many collapses in opposition batting line ups. Liyanage has taken 68 wickets apiece this season so far. Prabath Jayawickrama and Dilshan Edirisinghe are in charge of the new ball. Prabath himself totaled 18 wickets so far in the season. Randika Wijerathna opens the batting with Dulanjana Themiya. Scoring almost 300 runs and 15 wickets, the skipper Kasun Bandara will be making sure that his team stays on top.
Rajans
3 outright victories and 5 first innings speak for Rajans winning stance this year. They reported outright victories against Vidyartha, St. Thomas College Matale and St. Sylwesters College and 1st innings against Balapitiya Rewatha, Panadura Sumangala, Matara Servses, Panadura Royal. Scoring over 400 runs, skipper Nuwan Karunarathna at this moment of time will be readying his troops for 22nd Friday. Ramesh Ranasinghe who is the top scorer at the moment, is also has been the solid wall throughout the season.
The bowlers have been made to work hard this season and their most promising option comes in the right arm offie Lakshan De Silva who has taken 57 wickets followed by Aravinda Vithanarachchi with 55 wickets.
ThePapare team wishes both team well!
