22nd Col. Henry Steele Olcott Memorial Cricket Tournament Mahinda and Dharmasoka joint champions

Mahinda College Galle and Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda were declared joint champions of the 22nd Col Henry Steele Olcott Memorial cricket tournament which concluded at the Uyanwatta Stadium in Matara recently.   

The two teams qualified to the final but the match was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to the inclement weather that prevailed.   

The Henry Steel Olcott Memorial Cricket Tournament is conducted in honour of Colonel Henry Steele Olcott the founder of Buddhist educational institutions in Sri Lanka.   
The inaugural tournament was played in 1999 hosted by Nalanda College Colombo and pioneered by late Bandula Warnapura, first Test cricket captain of Sri Lanka.   
Past and present cricketers of the eight ‘Olcott Schools’ namely, Ananda College Colombo, Dharmaraja College Kandy, Mahinda College Galle, Nalanda College Colombo, Maliyadeva College Kurunegala, Dharmasoka College, Dharmapala College Pannipitiya and Rahula College Matara participated in the tournament.   

This tournament in this year conducted by Col Henry Steele Olcott Sports Foundation was hosted by the Rahula College Colombo OBA.   

Mahinda Galle beat Dharmasoka MV Ambalangoda, Ananda Colombo and Rahula Matara in the first round. Mahinda beat Nalanda, the defending champion in the semi final.   
Dharmasoka MV Ambalangoda beat Ananda Colombo, Dharmasoka lost against Mahinda and Rahula in the first round.   

Dharmasoka beat Dharmaraja in the semi-final.   

Mahinda Galle and Dharmasoka shared the four individual awards that were on offer with Mahinda’s Dhanuja Induwara and Hiruna Gallage bagging the man of the tournament and best fielders awards while Dharmasoka’s Chamika Jayasiri and Senitha Halambage took the best batsman and best bowlers awards respectively.   

Results:

First round

Mahinda won by 1 run

Mahinda 63 for 2 in 5 overs (Shehan Hasranga 23, Dhanuja Induwara 20, Dinura Kalupahana 15 not out)   
Dharmasoka  62 for 3 in 5 overs (Chanuka Jayasri 37 not out)   

Mahinda won by 5 wickets

Ananda Colombo 35 for 3 in 5 overs   
Mahinda 38 for 0 in 4.1 overs (Dhanuja Induwara 25 not out)   

Mahinda won by 22 runs

Mahinda 43 for 3 in 5 overs (Shehan Hasaranga 29)   

Rahula 21 for 5 in 3.3 overs   
Rahula won by five runs
Rahula 44 for 3 in 5 overs   

Dharmasoka 39 for 4 in 5overs (Randul Samarahewa 21 not out; Gevindu Imeth 2 for 8)   

Dharmasoka  won by five wickets

Ananda Colombo 34 for 3 in 5 overs (Iruth Gimshan 26)   

Dharmasoka 35 for 0 in 2.2 overs (Chanuka Jayasri 21 not out, Randul Samarahewa 14 not out)   

Semi final:

Mahinda won by two wickets

Nalanda 35 for 3 in 5 overs (Tharusha Dilshan 2 for 2)   
Mahinda 39 for 3 in 4.3 overs (Dhanuja Induwara 29 not out; Sajitha Vithanage 2 for 3)   

Dharmasoka won by 31 runs

Dharmasoka 50 for 2 in 5 overs (Chanuka Jayasri 27 not out)   
Dharmaraja 9 for 3 in 5 overs -MSA