Two leading schools of the Southern Province, Richmond College Galle and Mahinda College Galle will play their 114th Battle of the Lovers big match cricket encounter at the Galle International cricket stadium on March 15 and 16.
This year both sides are well balanced and a keen tussle can be expected. The series tally gives both schools 23 wins each while the rest ended in draws.
Mahinda College's first victory was registered in 1908 and their last victory in a big match was in 2008 while Richmond College's last win was in 2015.
Having broken a 30-year deadlock of draws, the Mahindians registered an emphatic 10-wicket win over the Richmondites in the 2008 encounter and after a 45-year winless streak the Richmondites had a win by an innings in the 2014 encounter and continued it to win by an innings in 2015.
This season Richmond have maintained an unbeaten record winning against St. Thomas' College Matara and St. Servatius' College Matara out of 13 matches while the Mahindians recorded four wins against Isipathana, Maris Stella Negombo, President's College Kotte and St Peter's College. They lost only to St. Benedict's College and played 17 matches this season.
This season Richmond is captained by the fourth year and Sri Lanka youth player Thaveesha Abhishek. He has scored nearly 700 runs with a century against Wesley.
Mahinda is led by fourth year wicket keeper batsman Vinura Dulsara who has the services of several all-rounders while 17-year old Navod Paranavithana is the key player in the side.
Paranavithana is a left hand opener and leg spinner who played in the national U-19 team. He could not play in all the matches due to national commitments and has a top score of 154 made against Gurukula MV. He has scored over 450 runs.
Richmond's deputy skipper Adithya Siriwardena is also a fourth year all-rounder with over 600 runs and a useful right arm medium paceman. Sadun Mendis the third year off spinner and second year leg spinner Dilum Tillekaratne are two successful spinners who featured in the Sri Lanka U-19 team.
Mendis has taken over 30 wickets while Tillekaratne accounted for over 70 wickets and the two spinners are expected to pose a big challenge. They are also useful middle order batsmen.
Left hand opener Vinuja Kiriella has scored over 450 runs while Amshi de Silva the right arm medium paceman opens the attack.
Mahinda skipper Vinura Dilsara and last year's captain Hansika Welihinda are leading run-makers with over 800 and 900 runs respectively. Welihinda has scored two centuries.
Batsman Ashen Kandambi (over 400 runs) and all-rounder Nipun Malinga (over 400 runs and 25 wickets) are another two key players in the side.
Third year leg spinner Pasan Pettagoda is Mahinda's most successful bowler with over 45 wickets while off spinner Subhanu Rajapakse can play a good supporting role with his off spinners.
Dhammika Sudharshana is the coach of Richmond while Anil Redeegamnanagedera is the coach of Mahinda and both former all-rounders of their schools.