Kingswood College cricket team
Seated from left Neluka Dissanayake ( Capt ),Tissa Wijeratna ( Director of Cricket ) ,Lakshan Thilakarathne ( POG) ,Namal Chandrakumara ( Principal) ,Asala Jayaratne ( MIC) ,Suresh Pieris ( Head coach ) ,Hishara Bandara ( Assistant coach ) Kavija Gamage ( V.Capt) Middle row from left Pamuditha Bandara ,Sadeesha Ratnayake ,Chanul Kodituwakku,Amesh Rupasinghe,Amiru Amunupola,Damitha Ratnayake ,Upadhi Jayawardena,Nadeesha Bandaranayake,Gauranga Bandara Back row from left Yosath Abeykoon,Aadhil Sheriff, Harith Gunasekara ,Barana Ratnayake,Kenula Pihilange,Rizwan Rasak, Raneesh Herath ,Dilshan Weerawansha,Sandaruwan Nawarathne
The cynosure among Hill Capital’s school big matches and the much-anticipated cricketing encounter 117th Battle of the Maroons between Kingswood College and Dharamaraja College — will be played on March 22-23 at the Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium.
The annual encounter, played for the T.B. Tennakoon Challenge Trophy is organized by the Joint Committee comprising of Past Cricketers and Old Boys of Kingswood and Dharmaraja colleges under the guidance of Principals of both schools Kamal Ariyasinghe of Dharmaraja College and . Namal Chandana Kumara of Kingswood College. The 37th One Day encounter (50 overs) for the Winston Hoole Trophy, will be played on Sunday, 31st March, at same venue.
Out of 116 matches played so far, 35 wins have been achieved by Dharmaraja while Kingswood have won 19 times. The remaining 62 matches ended in draws. Dharmaraja College, holds the T.B. Tennakoon Challenge Trophy since their last win in 2015 under Tharusha Weragoda. Kingswood College has a long hoodoo to break as they recorded their last win back in 1958 under Maurice Fernando at Randles Hill.
Among records, the highest individual score for Dharmaraja was made by Senaka Dissanayake, who hit an epic knock of 200 runs in the 1983 big match and For Kingswood Clifford Rathnavibhushana claimed the highest individual score with his steadfast knock of 167 run in the 1959 encounter.
Dharmaraja College won the Limited Over encounter 18 times and the last win came under the captaincy of Thisaru Wanninayake in 2023. Kingswood College has claimed the Winston Hoole Trophy 13 times, with their last win coming in year 2017 under Avishka Chandrasiri’s captaincy.
The 116-year-old annual cricket fixture is beyond an ordinary school big match as it has turned out to be an occasion where the brotherhood among students present and past get together to upholds rich traditions unique to them.
Among prominent cricketers Dharmaraja produced are Chamara Kapugedara, Sandun Weerakkody, who both represented Sri Lanka, and T.B. Kehelgamuwa, a top first-class cricketer and a renowned cricket administrator. Kehelgamuwa and Sonny Yatawara had the distinction of representing Ceylon. Other notable cricketers who reached the top from Dharmaraja are Ananda Jayasundara ,Harold Ranasinghe,Senaka Dissanayake, Mahinda Pethiyagoda, Ravi Rajapaksa, Ajith Narampanawa, Priyantha Weragoda, Nandana Kanagarathna, Pubudu Seneviratne and Lahiru Samarakoon.
Top first-class cricketers Lalith Wijeratne, Nazar Razack, Owen Mottau, Clifford Rathnavibhushana, Suwanji Madanayake , Nisitha Rupasinghe and Demintha Dahanayake who reached the national level, are among well-known cricketers produced from Kingswood.Suwanji Madanayake the talented former Leg spinner who represented Sri Lanka team for Hong Kong Sixes presently Sri Lanka Cricket Provincial selection committee member doing good service .
The organizers have taken all steps to ensure this year’s encounter will be an exciting affair for both teams, students, old boys and well-wishers of both schools who will gather in Kandy. They invite the Kingswood-Dharmaraja fraternity to rally around their college banners in supporting their teams with great camaraderie but in true Spirit of the Game to always uphold the sportsmanship on the field as well as off the field and maintain the highest standards and traditions of both schools held over the past 116 years.
This year Kingswood College is led by Nenuka Dissanayake and Dharmaraja College is captained by Dulara Bandulasena. The Chief Guest for this year’s encounter will be Rohan Perera, who represented Kingswood college in 1974. SLITT has come forward to join hands with the 117th Battle of the Maroons as the Main Sponsor while Maggi Kottu Mee Papare, Elephant House have joined in as Co-Sponsors.
This season Dharmaraja College team has very impressive performance while they played 13 matches and won seven outrights. They lost two matches having four draws . Meanwhile Kingswood played 9 matches with three outright wins and three matches lost and three games ended in draws.
Dharmarajian fourth year coloursman Pulindu Perera the Vice captain is the main player while he has lot of experience with represented National under 19 team Pulindu who open the National under 19 team at recently concluded youth world cup in South Africa scored fine knock of 150 and two half centuries against West Indies under 19 series in Dambulla .He also represented Pakistan tour scoring century and two fifties and he was the most successful batsman of the Pakistan tour having 310 runs .At the world cup once again he was among thr runs scoring 127 runs with a half century.
During the under 19 National team matches He has scored 830 runs and most successful batsman of the National team.He missed few school matches due to National duty but he has scored more than 500 runs with a century and three fifties.
The fourth year coloursman Wicket keeper Isuru Pannala already won All best wicket keeper award two times in a row while has scored over 500 runs with 41 dismissals . Dharmaraja skipper Dulara Banduladena the fifth year coloursman having more experience and left hand batter and useful left arm spinner having more than 50 wickets with two five wickets hauls and one ten wicket haul this season
Kingswood Skipper Neluka Dissanayake having 25 wickets with best figures of 5 for 39 while left arm leg spinner Kenula Pihilange is the most successful bowler having 40 wickets with best figures 8 for 40 .Kavija Gamage the most successful batter having 650 runs with two centuries against St Mary’s Kegalle and Dudley Senanayake College Tholangamuwa .The useful off spinner Amesh Rupasinghe having 30 wickets with best figures 6 for 38 .Nilaksha Nanayakkara,Barana Ratnayake and wicket keeper Amiru Amunupola are the other key batsman of Kingswood team .Dinuka Sandaruwan ,Yosath Abeykoon ,Dilshan Weerawansha are the other key bowlers of Kingswood team.
Two teams Dharmaraja and Kingswood aiming to get a resul. Former Dharmarajian skipper and prolific scorer Senaka Dissanayake the coach guide his team to get all success while Kingswood coach Suresh Pieris also handle the team to get all effort for young Kingswoodians .
Upananda Jayasundara