Trinity holds the edge against Antonians

By Shamzeer Jaleel

Trinity College led by Pubudu Bandara will meet St. Anthony’s College led by Theeksha Gunasinghe in their 102nd Kandy 'Battle of the Blues' encounter at Katugastota on March 8 and 9, 2019.

National youth player Bandara has twelve half centuries, with a top score of 88 against De Mazenod College, Kandana. Ashan Lokuketiya who is the wicket-keeper, has made four half centuries with 61 not out being his highest while accounting for 35 victims.

Ruwin Pieris, who missed out on many matches due to national duty against the visiting Australia youth outfit, is a deadly fast bowler with a lot of pace and seam – his best bowling figures being six for 40 against St. Sylvester’s College.

The Trinitian attack has been strengthened by off-spinner, Vice Captain Kavishka Senadhera who has taken 118 wickets – he has taken five or more wickets on 14 occasions, with seven wickets in an innings against Dhramapala College, Kingswood College and St. Anne’s College. He needs only nine more wickets to overtake Rushan Jaleel’s 126, which is the all-time highest haul for any Trinitian in a season.

Abishek Anandakumar (two centuries) has been the backbone of the Trinity batting line-up with two useful half centuries, making up part of the 750 runs he has scored this season. Second year player Chanuka Kumarasinghe came to the rescue of the team in their Thomian encounter in Mount Lavinia.

Trinity is coached by one of their old boys Kavinda Jayasuriya who played from 2007 to 2011 scoring over 800 runs in his final year.

Trinity won six of their matches this season, against St. Anne’s College, Nalanda College, St. Anthony’s College Wattala, St. Thomas’ College Matara, Kingswood College and Wesley College. They are currently in the quarter-final stages of the schools two-day tournament and are the pre-quarter-finals in the one-day tournament.

Antonian skipper Theeksha Gunasinghe has scored 930 runs this season and has made hundreds against St. Joseph’s College, S. de S. Jayasinghe College and St. Peter’s College Negombo. He has scored five fifties and is the wicket-keeper of the Antonian unit. Thamashana Abeykoon the deputy skipper has scored 645 runs with the brisk 96 he scored against Ashoka College, Colombo being his best effort. Mohamed Kamil too chipped in with 430 runs with the 84 he scored against St Peter’s Negombo being his best.

In the bowling department, Nimnaka Jayathilake has been outstanding and is their main weapon having captured 107 wickets, while helping his school to beat St. Joseph’s College with a deadly spell when he took seven for 40 against the Maradana outfit.

Kalhara Senaratne with 450 runs and 50 wickets, has been one of the best all-rounders in school cricket this season, while Sasith Hirundika has chipped in with his 30 wickets. St. Anthony’s are coached by Suneth Gunathilake.

The Antonians beat St. Joseph’s College, St. Peter’s College Negombo, Karandeniya Central, Ashoka Colombo, S. De S. Jayasinghe College and St. Thomas’ College Matale while they won their One-Day quarter-final against St. John’s Panadura and qualified for the semi-final which will be worked off next week.

The Antonians last won in 1992 when Umesh de Alvis led the outfit while the Trinitians last win was in 2012, under Niroshan Dickwella.