Kingswood College Kandy is one of the oldest schools playing cricket. This season they are blessed with a good coach and a well-balanced side. They not only possess a formidable batting line up but also a penetrative attack and are determined to pose a challenge to all leading schools during their fixtures.
At Kingswood cricket takes pride of place and many cricketers have enjoyed the game. The year 1962 was one of their finest years in which they won several matches and beat Trinity College for the first time. The team was led by that famous sportsman Owen Mottau who later represented Sri Lanka in rugby without playing for the school. And for ‘Daily News’ Best schoolboy Batsman Award, he amassed 794 runs in six matches at an average of 77.16.
In Kandy, the oldest big match is between Kingswood College and Dharmaraja College, the first match was played in 1893 with Dharmaraja College team captained by that great educationist Sir Don Baron Jayathilake, under the captaincy of A.E. Spencer. Up-to-date these two schools have played 110 games.
This time too, the lads from Randles Hills are fortunate to have the service of old Antonian Indika Fernando as coach.
Last year he was the assistant coach and under his guidance they have done well and should enjoy another good season. Fernando played for St. Anthony’s College from 1994 to 1996, and was a right-hand bat and a right-arm leg- spinner. Harsha Udara is the assistant coach.
This season Kingswood has played six games, where they beat Darmaloka College Kelaniya, lost to St.Anthony’s College Katugastota, and no decision with St. Sylvester’s College and Sri Sumangala College, and drew with Royal College.
The matches to be played are vs Vidyartha College, St. John’s College, Piliyandala Central College, Kegalu Vidyalaya, Sri Piyarathana Vidyalaya Padukka, St. Anne’s College, St John’s College, St. Thomas College Matara and St Mary’s College Kegalle. The big match against Dharmaraja College is scheduled to be played at Pallekele on March16/17 March, and the one dayer on March 25.
This season the Kingswoodians will be led by fourth year player Ganidu Kamburugamuwa a stylish batsman, this time as the leader he is sure to give off his best with the bat and the ball and also should lead the side from the front. His deputy is Saumya Prabash a third year player who had scored 160 runs and taken 11 wickets and is expected to do well for his side
The squad – Ganidu Kamburugamuwa (Captain) 4th year player out of the three games he played and he has scored 82 runs and took 4 wickets.Saumya Prabash (Vice captain), 3rd year player a fine batsman has so far scored 160 runs and captured 11 wickets. Dulin Wijenarayana, 3rd year player the stumper of the side, played two matches and has scored 54 runs. Deegayu Bandara 3rd year player, played five matches and taken 21 wickets and scored 55 runs Dhananjaya Maduranga 2nd year player, from 6 games has scored 135 runs and also is the standby wicket keeper Hashika Gamage 2nd year player. He has scored 144 runs during this season.
Uthpala Jayalath 2nd year player played four games scored 20 runs and has taken 11 wickets. Achala Bogodawaththa fresher, played 6 games and has scored 210 runs. Kushan Gashitha a second year, in five games has scored 120 runs.
Harshana Dilshan fresher, in the five games played he has taken 5 wickets and scored 87 runs. Kasun Madawa a second year player in matches has scored 52 runs. Ishan Devinda a fresher, in four games, has scored 87 runs and taken 5 wickets.Dilshan Senarath, fresher, played one game, has taken 1 wicket and scored 16 runs. Lakmal Silva, fresher this season has captured 17 wickets and scored 10 runs. Vinuka Pussepitiya, 2nd year player. Chanak Bandara,fresher.
Coach; Indika Fernando Assistant coach: Harsha Udara, Physical trainer:– Jagath Pushpakumara, MIC: Sarath Ekanayake
The Kingswood cricket squad