The Papare team met up with the Royal College 1st XI cricket team while they were hard at practice last week to get an insight to their current season. The 3rd term matches which commenced in the January will end with the grand finally for the Royalist’s in March with the culmination of the most elite Royal-Thomian big match.
The 3rd term matches which commenced in the January will end with the grand finally for the Royalist’s in March with the culmination of the most elite Royal-Thomian big match.
Royal is well known for its Cricket and since the inception in 1835 the school from Reid Avenue was the premier in producing national level cricket players. Sargo Jayawickreme, Kelaart, F. C De Saram, Coomaraswamy, Heyn, Van Geyzel, Daya Sahabandu, Sudath Pasqual, Ranjan Madugalle, Fritroy Crozier, Jehan Mubarak and more recently Kusal Janith Perera were the products of the Royal cricket field.
This year the 1st XI cricket team will be handled by the captain, Devind Pathmoanathan, Left arm leg spinner, also a 3rd year colorsman.
This season 7 matches were held under the captaincy of Devind Pathmanathan and they were able to win one match while the others were drawn. Royal who won the toss against Isipathana elected to field first. In the first innings Royal made 172 runs for 6 in 55 over’s. In the second inning Royal scored 33 for no loss in 10.4 over’s securing an outright win by 10 wickets.
“I am really confident about the season as well as the upcoming big match; the team has been gelling well during the past couple of matches. As a team we must play together. A team of champions will always beat a team of individuals,” Stated Mr. Dilip Somarathne, the Director of cricket, Royal College. Furthermore he stated “Our players are of a high standard” Royal possess 9 coloursmen in the team and most of the players possess a lot of experience under their belt.
Captain Devind Pathmanathan (3rd year coloursman), Vice captain Milan Abeysekara (3rd year coloursman) Chamika Karunatarthne who is an all rounder (2nd year coloursman), Heshan Kumarasiri batsman (3rd year coloursman), Poorna Aluthge off spinner (2nd year coloursman) Sampath De silva (2nd year coloursman), Anupa Thilakarathne fast bowler (2nd year coloursman) Ronaka Ahangama (2nd year coloursman) are of them.
Deputy skipper and gloves-man Milan Abhesekara has emerged as the highest scorer of the side scoring 1 century and 4 half centuries, Milan has accumulated 450 runs this season and has looked in prime form batting in the middle order. Wonder-boy Heshan Kumarasiri has been middling the ball well for the Royalist’s this season together with Sampath de Silva.
The Royalist’s have relied a lot on their spin bowling spearheaded by their skipper Devind Padmanathan. He has the services of Poorna Aluthge whose off spinners have been hard to contain.
“We have an experienced set of coloursmen as well as an experienced coaching staff and we’re very confident as a team. So we think that we can achieve our target, having a prosperous season and winning the big match” stated Captain Devind Pathmanathan.
Royal Colombo cricket squad – 2013
Devind Pathmanathan (Capt), Milan Abeyesekara (VC), Poorna Aluthge, Roanaka Ahangama Sampath De Silva, Chamika Karunaratne, Isuru Gunatilleke, Anupa Tillekeratne, Heshan Kumarasiri Shaminda Dias, HeshenRamanayake, Harith Samarasinghe, Geeshath Panditharatne, Shanuka Kodituwakku and Dulith Hettiarachchi
Officials: Neil Rajapakse (Coach), Dilip Somaratne (Director of Cricket), Gamini Perera (Asst/Spin Coach), E.G.M. Rajakaruna (MIC), M.T.A. Rauf (Games Master)
