St. Sylvester’s College cricketers with limited facilities have given their best this season. Over the years the school has produced some fine cricketers who have gone on to represent top clubs, the district, and the country with distinction.
The St. Sylvester’s cricket team is a hard unit to beat, not least for their fighting qualities.
This season they are laden with a good set of players and if things are done in the correct way they are sure to gain success.
The new principal P.G.S. Bandara who is a keen follower of sports is doing his best for cricket.
This season they are led by fourth year player H.M. Avidu Herath a stylish right hand batsman with an array of strokes and the stumper of the side, has scored 300 runs in eight games. His deputy is Heshan Attaragalle he too is a fourth year player, who is a right arm paceman and a hard hitting middle order batsman has scored 335 runs and taken 28 wicket in eight games, the other fourth year player is M.A.K.N. Munaweera a left hand batsman who can keep wickets.
The rest of the players in the squad includes third year players J.M.D.K.C.B. Jayasekara a right-hand bat and an off spin bowler, R.M.N. M.J Rajapakse a steady right hand batsman has made 370 runs and also a good pace bowler, H.K.G. Nishshanka has taken 25 wickets, M. Pavithran a good right arm leg spinner has taken 20 wickets and a hard hitter scored over 400 runs, J.A.C.L. Jayakody right hand bat and can also keep wickets, C. Hiroshan a left arm leg spinner.
Then the second year players are M.W.A. Isuranga a right hand bat, B.R.N.M. Balsooriya a left hander has scored 260 runs and taken 15 wickets.
The fresher’s are S.A. Kumar a left hand batsman and a tight arm off spinner, H.P.M. Hettiarachchi left hand batsman and a right arm pace bowler, K.J. Edirithilake bats right hand and bowls right arm off spin, I.L. Jayakody a fine right arm off spinner and a hard hitting right hand batsman, P.V. Koralegedera a left hand bat and bowls right arm off spin, N.D. Wijesinghe right hand bat and also a good wicketkeeper, K.J.M.M. L. Silva left hand bat and a leg spin bowler, G.U.C.S. Rajaguru a steady right hand batsman, S. Rifashan left hand batsman, R.P.K. Waduge right hand batsman and a pacebowler, K.R.R. Jayakody a dependable left handed
batsman and K.D. Jayasinghe the right hand batsman.
They are coached by their 2000/01 captain Jaliya Weerasinghe who is in his fifth year as coach, before coming to St.Sylvester’s he coached Ibbagamua Central and has played club cricket for Kandy Youth SC, Kandy CC, Air Force and Kurunagala CC, as a coach he has given his best.
He is well supported by MIC Palinda Mahee de Silva .
They opened the season with a traditional game against Josephs Vaz College Wennapuwa in Gampola which ended in a draw.
Their first tournament game with St. Joseph’s College, Colombo too was a draw, and the third game with De Mazenod College Kandana which was to be played at Gampola was postponed due to rain and last Friday and Saturday was against S.Thomas’ Mt. Lavinia at Pallekelle.
The remaining game is scheduled for February 22nd and 23rd vs St. Sebastian’s College at Asgiriya Stadium.
Their last match is the big match with traditional rivals Vidyartha College, known as the ‘Battle of the Babes’ which will be the 60th encounter. This time all three big games, the big match, one day and the T 20 will be played at Asgiriya stadium on March, 10-11 (big match) 18 (one day) and the T20 on 19..