The Kandy District Cricket Association headed by Tissa Jayasinge, secretary Janaka Pathirane and rest of the committee members are all out to come out with a good organizing of tournaments. They are in preparation to come out with tournaments for all clubs. Starting with a 50-over and a T20 event, with over twenty clubs in action, the games will be played in May.
According to news the clubs who will be in action in the group “A” are Kandy Youth CC, Old Trinitians SC, Old Rajans SC, Old Antonians SC, Kandy Saracens CC, Kandy Prisons SC, Old Zahirians SC, Kandy Saracens CC, Black Eagle SC, Sutherland CC, Rathiyans SC, Ekamuthu SC, and in the Group “B the teams will be Madawala CC, Sylvestrians CC, Vesuvius SC, Bloomfield SC, Galagedera CC, Kandy CC, Blue Universal SC, Liverpool CC, Zelanicans SC, Gampola CC. They are hoping to play the matches at the Prisons grounds Pallekelle and the other venues will be such as Katugastota St. Anthony’s College grounds, Asgiriya Trinity College grounds, Lake View Dharmaraja College grounds and Gampola Wickremabahu College grounds.
According to information the Kandy District Cricket Association is going all out to find the clubs with all necessary support, Kandy has given the best for cricket and helped the clubs and their players in a big way. The champion and the runnrup teams will be presented with a trophy and cash awards. And there will also be awards for Best Bowler, Best Fielder, and Best Batsman.
At one time Kandy had some top class cricket coaches who produced top cricketers like Worlds top spinner Muttiah Muralitheran a product of St. Anthony’s College, the highest wicket taker, the Trinity College’s classy batsman Kumar Sangakkara. Their coaches guided the cricketers to achieve high standards and represent the country and made the cricket loving public of Kandy and their parents proud of their city. Most of the Kandy school products represented the country at various levels.
Kandy has had knowledgeable coaches like Arthur Alwis, John Halangoda , T.B. Marambe, J.Denlow, Ronnie Stephen., S. Vittachchi, Bertie Wijesinghe, Chandra Silva , Bertie Nillegoda, Vinston Hole, Ben Navaratne, T.M. Cooray, T.K.S. Hannan , Michale Mathes, H.M.Muthalib , Harold Ranasinghe, Shaw Wilson, Upananda Jayasundra, Sunil Fernando, David Karunaratne, Z.M. Zarook, Aubrey Kuruppu, Merrill Dunuwille, Ranjith Colombage, Sunil Munasinghe, H.G. Ariyaratne, Chaminda Kodikara, M.A.Wijesinghe, Gamini Debahapuwa, Ajith Gannoruwa, Sunil Wickremanayake, Roland Perera, Suresh Peiries, Samson Burke, Vipula Rathnayake, Prasad Ranawake, Senaka Dissanayake, H.N T.Gamage, Julian Arnolda, Sampath Perera, Dayananda de Alwis, Tudor Gunaratne, Mihara Wijesinghe, Kavinda Jayasuriya, Dimuth Karunaratne,Prasad Ranawaka, Piyal Wijetunge, Udani Kodithuwaku, Dimuthu Weerasinghe, S. Suneth , Jaliya Wilathgamuwa, Rikas Mohamed, A. Basnayake , Ananda Wijesekera, Harry de Silva, Lalith Chandrasena, Nimal Jayawardena, Nipuna Ratnayake, Indika Fernado, Lakshman Pandithartatne, R.Nugawela, Sachith Pathirana, are some of the names. At present there are talented coaches who are giving a big support for the schools. For Trinity College Navin Ekanayake, St. Anthony’s ‘ College Kavinda Jayasuriya and assistant coach Lahiru Seneviratne, Dharmaraja College Senaka Dissanayake, Kingswood College Suresh Peries, St.Sylvester’s College Jaliya Weerasinghe and assistant Coach N. Mendis, Vidyartha College Champaka Siriwardene and assistant coach Kavishka Hpugoda. Sri Rahulla College Madushanka Damakage, Sri Sumangala College Champika Aluwihare all of them gave their best to put up the school live in cricket.
By Hafiz Marikar