D.S. SENANAYAKE COLLEGE CRICKET TEAM.
Mahanama College will be looking for their maiden win of the series when they take on traditional rivals D.S. Senanayake College in the 12th Battle of the Golds cricket encounter at the P. Sara Oval Stadium today and tomorrow. In the short history of the encounter played so far D.S. Senanayake College have won once in 2014 while the rest of the games have ended in draws.
D.S. Senanayake is captained by fifth year coloursman Vihan Gunasekara and Mahanama is led by fourth year coloursman Heshan Hettiarachchi.
D.S. Senanayake have played 16 matches this season winning three games outright against Bandaranayake, Dharmashoka and St. Benedict’s and suffered four outright losses to St. Joseph’s, Nalanda, Prince of Wales and St. Aloysius.
D.S. Senanayake has recorded three first innings wins against Zahira, St. Thomas’ Matara and Moratu Vidyalaya and have four first innings losses to Isipathana, Thurstan, Trinity and St. Sebastian’s.
All-rounder and third year coloursman and deputy skipper Muditha Lakshan is the main run scorer for DS Senanayake with 850 runs inclusive of a century and he has also claimed 56 wickets. Two other cricketers on whom DS Senaneyake will rely on are all rounders - skipper Vihan Gunasekara and Pasindu Adithya who have contributed with 592 and 387 runs respectively and bagged 16 and 15 wickets. The wicket keeper of the team right handed batsman Teron Shanel who has scored 326 runs and has 28 dismissals behind the wickets.
D.S. Senanayake also have talented batsmen such as Dasun Dimalsha (240), Ravin Peiris (214), Ayantha de Silva (281), Chamath Yatawara (279) and Tuwin Nilakshana (212) to come up with a competitive score.
Left-arm leg spinner Methushan Kumara will be their main bowler. He has claimed 51 wickets for the season with a best of 5 for 46 against St. Thomas’ Matara. Skipper Vihan (16 wickets), deputy skipper Muditha (56), Sachintha Hettige (12) and Methushan Kumara (51) are expected to do heavy damage to the opponents’ batting line up with spin. Dasun Dimalsha, Pasindu Adithya and Ayantha de Silva will support them in the fast bowling department.
The Mahanamians have recorded two outright wins against St. Aloysius, Galle and St. John’s, Panadura and registered five first innings wins and suffered one first innings loss this season.
Skipper Heshan Hettiarachchi, deputy skipper Pathum Boteju and Sonal Gamage are the all rounders the team will mostly rely on. Their batting is strengthened by five centurions - skipper Heshan, Pavan Ratnayake, Vinuka Rubasinghe, Pavantha Weerasinghe and Sonal Gamage.
Sri Lanka Under 15 skipper right handed batsman Pavan Ratnayake has contributed 582 runs including two centuries with a highest score of 175 against President’s College, Kotte. Centurion Pavantha Weerasinghe has scored 340 runs with a highest score of 136. Skipper Heshan has accumulated 306 runs studded with a century and three half centuries. He scored 110 against St. Sylvester’s College and has captured 46 wickets with best return of 7 for 16. The other centurions of the team are Vinuka Rubasinghe and Sonal Gamage who have exceeded 300 runs for the season. Bishan Mendis (352) and vice captain Pathum Boteju (295) are the others who have excelled in batting.
Left-arm spinner Hashan Sandeepa is their key bowler claiming 58 wickets with a match bag of ten and an innings best of 7 for 38 against St. John’s, Panadura. Sonal Gamage and Chamal Polgampola will support Hashan in the spin department. Skipper Heshan (46) and his deputy Pathum (30) are the spearheads of the bowling attack.
D.S. Senanayake is coached by Dinesh Weerasinghe who has captained the first XI team of Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya in 1991/92 with Hasitha Dinuk Perera and Nihal Fernando as assistant coach and MIC respectively.
Sri Lanka under 19 squad cricketer Kelum Gangodawila is the Mahanama coach for the second year with Sonal Dulshan and Lalith Bandara as the assistant coach and MIC respectively.
D.S. Senanayake College has produced several Test cricketers of the calibre of Aravinda de Silva, Hashan Tillakaratne, Pubudu Dassanayake, Kosala Kuruppuarachchi, Pulasthi Gunaratne in addition to Sri Lanka Under 19 players Naveed Nawaz and Sampath Perera. Outstanding Test cricketers produced by Mahanama are Danushka Gunathilake and Dananjaya de Silva.
The Limited Over match for the Aravinda de Silva Trophy between two schools will be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium on March 24.
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