Gurukula College Kelaniya with just three years of existence in division one cricket has made vast strides in the cricketing field to emerge as a major force in the current inter-school under-19 cricket season.
Within this brief period of time they have soon established themselves as one of the top cricket playing schools from the outstations and are once again looking forward towards displaying their cricketing prowess during the rest of the season.
This season they achieved another significant milestone when they put up a stunning performance to clinch the annual Old Wesleyite Sports Club organised Inter-school Under-19 Munchee Six-a-side Cricket Tournament worked off at Campbell Park.
This is a fantastic performance considering the fact that they were able to overcome some of the more elite and fancied schools in the tournament before knocking out former two times champions Kalutara Maha Vidyalaya by 16 runs in the final encounter.
Despite the heavy odds against them Gurukula College performed with a great amount of courage and determination to beat many top teams including a splendid victory over Lumbini MV and De Mazenod College Kandana in the quarterfinal and semi-final respectively.
In the final Gurukula College accomplished their task in style as they piled up 87 for no loss from their five overs with Man of the Match Roshan Anuruddha smashing an unbeaten 48 runs inclusive of three sixes and six boundaries.
Gurukula College then produced an inspired performance on the field to restrict Kalutara MV to 71 for 3 from their five overs with the help of some accurate bowling from Namal Pathum who also went on to win the Best Bowlers award of the tournament.
Despite having a brief history of just over three decades in first XI Cricket Gurukula College have marched forward in their own style to be on par with some of the other major cricket-playing schools in the country.
In fact their performances on the field are even more significant and quite unique considering the fact that some of their opponents that they defeated during this period have been in the business for a long time.
They have successfully challenged even the best of the best with equal brilliance and will continue to perform their giant-killing acts despite many tough situations where they have struggled from the inception without a playground of their own.
In fact the lack of a playground of their own has been a huge setback for the Gurukula College players who have anyway continued to perform quite exceptionally on the field with the ambition of making it to the pre-quarterfinals of the inter-school limited over cricket tournament.
Gurukula College of course came into the limelight two seasons ago in the most spectacular manner when they put up a tremendous performance to clinch the inter-school division two tournament conducted by the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA).
And since then they have never looked back and have achieved a couple of memorable milestones while recording a number of outright victories against some of the power houses in schools cricket.
In fact in their division one debut they were able to create a piece of sensation and emerged as a giant killing force when they notched up as many as eight outright victories including a historic ten-wicket triumph in the annual Big Match against the traditional rivals Sri Dharmaloka MV Kelaniya.
Their exceptional success continues in the form of producing players to the U 19 side with Hashan Dumindu, right hand bat and off spin included in the current Sri Lanka U 19 squad for the World Cup and Roshan Anuruddha right hand bat and medium fast bowlers who represented SL in many U 19 tours.
This season they have already made an impact while forcing an outright victory over Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa, took first innings honours over Carey College and Raddoluwa MV while their matches against Sri Sumangala MV Panadura and Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda ended in draws.
However their best effort this season probably came in the game against Nalanda College where they came close to pulling off a historic outright victory at Campbell Park. They had the huge satisfaction of enforcing the follow on after having bowled out their opponents for just 113 runs following a hostile spell of bowling from their fast bowler Jayamal Wanniarachchi who returned excellent figures of four wickets for 32 runs.
The Gurukula College First XI Cricket Pool:
Hashan Dumindu (captain) – Right hand batsman
Kasun Madushanka (vice captain) – Right hand batsman
Lisula Lakshan – Right arm off spinner
Shanith Dilranga – Right arm fast bowler
Roshan Anuruddha – Left hand batsman
Shehan Lakshitha – Right arm leg spinner
Dumindu Rashmitha – Left hand batsman
Chanaka Dilshan – Right arm off spinner
Sathisha Nimalsha – Left arm fast bowler
Asanka Madushanka – Right arm off spinner
Lahiru Madushan – Wicket keeper
Nipul Madhuka – Right arm batsman
Janith Wijesuriya – Left hand batsman
Dumith Haritha – Right arm fast bowler
Christy Ashan – Right hand batsman
Namal Pathum – Left arm spinner
Kasun Jayashanka – Right arm leg spinner
Jayamal Wanniarachchi – Right arm fast bowler
Damith Hasitha – Left hand batsman
Lahiru Chamara – Right hand batsman
Lal Senaratne (Head Coach)
Rasitha Dinesh (Assistant Coach)
Ananda Jayaweera (Master in Charge).
Remaining fixtures:
February 6/7: v Bandaranayake College Gampaha at Mahara
February 17/18: v St. Benedict’s College at Kotahena
February 20/21: v Maris Stella College at Negombo
February 24/25: v St. Peter’s College at Bambalapitiya
March 7/8: v Dharmaloka College Kelaniya (Big Match) at R. Premadasa Stadium
March 15: v Dharmaloka College Kelaniya (one day) at R. Premadasa Stadium
