Kandy’s Battle of the Gold’s, which will be the 26th game between Wariyapola Sri Sumangala (St. Paul’s) College and Sri Rahula College, big match will be played today and tomorrow at the Pallekelle International cricket Stadium. Sri Rahula College is one of Kandy’s oldest cricket playing schools. Wariyapola Sri Sumangala College earlier known as (St. Paul’s) College has a long history which is over 140 years.
In Kandy today this school gives big support for cricket without a playing field.
This big match was not played for a few years over an internal matter. These are two of the oldest schools in Kandy although their big match is just over two decades old. Sri Rahula College is a school with a history of over 130 years and one of the famous Mixed Colleges in the country.
It was established in 1890, by the Buddhist Society led by Colonel Henry Steel Olcott.
They were founded as Kandy High School on a piece of land at Katugastota. Later it became Sri Rahula College and at one time was well known for athletics, football and hockey and later in the field of mini rugby and today they are a major force in cricket too.
Thanks to the efforts of their old boys, who have turned them into a sporting school. One of their best products is Asela Gunaratne who played in the years 2002/4. He became the first Sri Rahula cricketer to represent the country when he was selected for the tour of Zimbabwe. He was guided correctly by one of the top school coaches the late Aubrey Kuruppu, a well-known person in the coaching field.
It originated under the name St. Paul’s College as a junior school of Trinity College, Kandy. This school has produced some top cricketers. According to history they were one of the first schools in Kandy to play cricket in 1894 and after a few years gave up the game.
Then after 87 years in 1981 they restarted cricket due to the efforts of former Sri Lanka cricketer and Kandy Municipal Commissioner the late D.H. de Silva who coached them. Sri Lanka batsman Sajith Fernando was one of DH’s products from St. Paul’s at junior level who later crossed over to St. Anthony’s College.
Then the other top cricketer to come out of this school is Prasanga Tennakoon who became the first cricketer of this school to score 1000 runs.
It was DDT Alwis who groomed him as a top batsman. The other coaches who helped this school are Tudor Gunaratne, Ranjith Colombage and H.M. Rikas.
So, today big match is going to be an interesting one with both teams equally balanced and good game of cricket will be played. Both schools are packed with good fielders, batsmen and bowlers and are sure to give a good display of cricket. Sri Sumangala College is led by Banuka Dissanayake a good wicket keeper and also good in batting, the vice captain Movidu Balasuriya a good left arm spinner.
Sri Rahula College side is led by a top cricketer Vishal Gardiwasam a good bowler with many wickets and the vice captain Kavya Punchihewa a good batsman and the rest are to give their best.
The Sri Rahula College squad is from – Vishal Gardiwasam (Captain), Kavya Punchihewa (Vice Captain) Athiksha Ratnayake, Senual Wijerthne, Sonai Wijesiri, Kanishka Rajapakse, Akash Karunarthne, Hesarta Udawaththa, Geeth Ariyarthne, Chamika Kapilarthne, Pahan Damsara, Thaveesha Jayasooriya, Nethum Bandara, Kavindu Samaranayake, Kavishan Mahakumbura (Coach Madushanka Damakage, MIC M.J.S. Ariyasinghe)
The Sri Sumangala College squad is from – Banuka Dissanayake (Captain), Movidu Balasuriya (Vice Captain), Samitha Avishka, Nimesh Senavirthne, Oshitha Abiru, K. Kaushalya, Sayuranga Bandara, Nimsara Ranasinghe, Savindu Nisal, Visal Baratha, Praveen Ranathunga, Shen Rashin, Themura Samarathunge, Aruj Ekanayake, Thisara Gimhana, Vithaga Pravash, K. Kusal (Coach Champika Aluwihare MIC Sunanda Jayasundara)
Hafiz Marikar