The 90th edition of the ‘Battle of the Maroons’ organised by the joint committee comprising leading personalities of past students from the two schools, is scheduled to be played at the SSC grounds on the 2nd and 3rd of March 2019, while the One Day encounter between the two schools, played for the Kularatne Trophy will go head to head at the same venue on 17th March 2019.
>>> VISIT THE MARCH MADNESS HUB <<<
Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider, Dialog Axiata PLC, extends sponsorship for the 2nd consecutive year to the 90th Battle of the Maroons, the annual cricketing encounter between Ananda College, Colombo and Nalanda College, Colombo, played for Dr. N M Perera Memorial Challenge Trophy.
In the past 89 encounters, Ananda College has won 12 times to lead the tally against the 6 wins of Nalanda College.
The Ananda battalion will march under the leadership of Kamesh Nirmal who has scored over 1000 runs this season. The right-handed wicket-keeper batsman scored a stylish ton in the last big match.
Photos: Ananda – Nalanda Annual Cricket Encounter 2019 – Press Conference
Speaking to ThePapare.com at the press conference of the 90th Battle of the Maroons, Kamesh said “More than winning, I am hoping to uphold the brotherhood between the two teams. Under my leadership, I am looking forward to play the game with good spirit and win the game for Ananda”
His counterpart is nothing less to fit into the contest as he is also a part of the 1000-run club this season. He also has 70 wickets to his name. Lakshitha Rasanjana is leading the Nalandian outfit for the second consecutive year.
“We have three players who have represented Sri Lanka (U19s), myself, Raveen and Chamindu, along with some talented freshers. Since we have done well in this season we are hoping to win the big match.” – said Nalanda skipper, Lakshitha Rasanjana.
The well co-ordinated efforts of the joint organising committee over the past decade has ensured that the ‘Battle of the Maroons’ is worked out with much fanfare amidst a carnival atmosphere and many attractions for entertainment for all family members of past students, while the game has continued to be played with the rich traditions and at the highest standards that this encounter is well known for.
Ananda College and Nalanda College, the two premier Buddhist schools in Sri Lanka have so far produced over 55 national cricketers to have represented Sri Lanka in international cricket – with 6 of them – Bandula Warnapura, Arjuna Ranathunga, Roshan Mahanama, Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardena and Dinesh Chandimal – having had the honour of leading the Sri Lankan team.
In addition to such brilliant players – Ananda and Nalanda have also gifted the country with excellent cricket administrators, elite cricket umpires, respected match referees, leading sports media personnel and most importantly, talented commentators with brilliant oratorical skills – especially Sinhala commentators such as the late Karunaratne Abeysekara, Premasara Epasinghe and Palitha Perera who were instrumental in popularising the game to this extent through the length and breadth of the country.
>>>Live : Ananda College vs Nalanda College – 90th Battle of the Maroons<<<
The Ananda-Nalanda two-day encounter as well as the one-day match will be telecasted LIVE on Dialog Television Channel Number 01, live-streamed on ThePapare.com and on the Mobile TV streaming application MyTV.
