Ananda College Cricket team. First Row Seated (Left to Right): Taranga Liyanapathirana (Head Coach), Mineth Premarathna, Jayashanka Unanthanna (POG), Saman Hettiarachchi (MIC), Sugeeth Madhuranga (Deputy Principal), Hansaja Jayasinghe, Lal Dissanayake (Principal), Nethma Karunaratne (Captain), Randika Perera (Deputy Principal), Nushal Dharmarathna, Preethi Abeygunasekara (MIC), Isuru Ayesh, Asanka Chandimal (Assistant Coach). First Row Standing (Left to Right): Lakshitha Kularathne Sharithi Udara, Vilash Karunarathne, Thisuka Sehas, Pulindu Kiriella, Nethma Samaraweera, YehanGunasinghe, Tehan Perera, Iruth Gimshan, Sachin Jayasinghe, Maleesha Perera, Ayesh Shashimal, Viduna Wijebandara.
Nalanda College Cricket team - First Row seated (from left): Prasanna Dhanayake, (coach) Malinga Surappulige (Coach Designate.), W.A.P.A. Jith Wickrama (Deputy Principal), Maheshika Wijerathn (Deputy Principal), Dineth Samaraweera (Captain), Thilak Waththuhewa (Principal), Chanul Athukorala (Vice-Captain), M.M.J.Marasinghe (P.O.G), Kapila Nandakumara (M.I.C) Raveen De Silva, Ruwan Dilruk Dissanayake (Asst. Coach), Vinuja Ranpul. Back Row Seated (from left): Rusiru Vilochana, Kushmitha Silva, Sajitha Vithanage Yasiru Samarakoon, Minod Caldera, Nikhil Abeygunasekara, Eranga Jayakody, Risath Jayarathna, Sadew Samarasinghe, Lisura Sigera, Vinuka Wijesinghe, Janula Indusara.
The 92nd Battle of the Maroons, between the two leading Buddhist schools Ananda and Nalanda will be held on the 10th and 11th of July at the SSC grounds without spectator participation due to the current situation in the country.
It will be powered by Dialog Axiata once again while the two Principals Thilak Watthuhewa (Nalanda) who is also the Present Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association President and Ananda Principal Lal Dissanayake have made arrangements to make it a success
Nalanda having come into existence as an offshoot of Ananda in 1924, a “Big Match” was initiated between the two brother schools with the aim of building relations between students of the two institutions and developing their cricket in the sporting arena. Thus the first Battle of the Maroons was played between Ananda and Nalanda in 1924.
Ananda College and Nalanda College, the two premier Buddhist schools in Sri Lanka, have so far produced the highest number (more than 55) of national cricketers to have represented Sri Lanka in international cricket - with six of them – the late Bandula Warnapura, Arjuna Ranatunga, Roshan Mahanama, Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardena, and Dinesh Chandimal – who have had the honour of leading the country.
It is worth noting that the first Test cricket captain of the country, the late Bandula Warnapura, was a proud product of Nalanda College, while Arjuna Ranatunga, who led the Sri Lankans in the famous World Cup victory in 1996, hails from Ananda.
Nalandian all-rounder Ashan Priyanjan also had the opportunity of leading the Sri Lanka A side on several occasions. Marvan Atapattu was the one-time National coach while Avishka Gunawardena is presently the Sri Lanka ‘A’ coach.
Coming back to the 1996 World Cup winning team Skipper Arjuna Ranathunga Captain cool and his teammates Asanka Gurusinghe, Roshan Mahanama, Kumar Dharmasena, and Marvan Atapattu were proud old boys of these two brother schools while former ICC match referee Roshan Mahanama and present ICC panel two umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Prageeth Rambukwella are two distinguished Nalandians.Thilanga Sumathipala the former SLC President and current SLC President Shammi Silva are two former cricketers of Nalanda while former SLC interim committee President Sidath Wettmuny the gentlemanly cricketer is a former Ananda captain.
The boys from Ananda College will be led by all-rounder Nethma Karunaratne, while the lads from Nalanda College will play under the captaincy of Dineth Samaraweera. At present Ananda leads the match series with 12 wins, while Nalanda has 6 wins under its belt.
This time comparing the two sides Nalanda having two fine all-rounders former skipper Raveen de Silva and Vinuja Ranpul both represented the National under 19 World Cup have a good chance to record their seventh win in this big match series but Nethma Karunaratne and the team could make a good challenge with their bowling strength against favourite Nalandians.
Both Raveen de Silva and Vinuja Ranpul the spin all-rounder and fast bowling all-rounder have a lot of experience having played for Club teams in the National Super League and Major club domestic tournaments and that is a great advantage for them.
Especially last year’s big match centurion Raveen de Silva is the key wicket and Anandian bowlers are planning to get two early wickets of Raveen and Vinuja to put more pressure at this big match.
Anandian skipper Nethma Karunaratne, Nushal Dharmarathne, and Mineth Premaratne are the three centurions of the side while leg spinner Shakthi Udara, Hansaja Jayasinghe, and Isuru Ayesh will strengthen their bowling department and they are planning to get an early breakthrough on the SSC wicket which is more favourable for the paceman in the first two hours of the first day. However, both sides have to play positive cricket from the start to get a result.
Tharanga Liyanapathirana the Ananda coach and Prasanna Dhanayake the Nalanda coach are giving good support to their respective teams while Asanka Chandimal the Assistant coach of Ananda and Nalanda coach designate Malinga Surappulige who is a former Nalanda paceman give their best support to the sides.
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