Sri Devananda favoured over Dharmasoka | Page 3 | Sunday Observer

Sri Devananda favoured over Dharmasoka

1 April, 2018
Dharmasoka College: Front row from left-  Isuru Wickramasinghe (Coach) Ushan  Imantha, TH Dervin Priyanka (MIC) Nimesh Mendis (Captain) Hasitha K.Wettamuny (Principal) Sanath Senaratne (Deputy  Principal –Sports), Viraj Chaminda (Secretary – Sports) Dinuka Dilshan (Vice Captain), W Thilan (Assistant Coach). Back row from left- Kavinda Nadeeshan, Hasitha Rajapakse, Akila Mendis, Malshika Mendis, Chamindu Dilshan, Ravindu Rashantha, Sachin Sangeeth, Chanaka Karunaratne, Akila Dilshan, Naveen Rasanga, Abeeth A
Dharmasoka College: Front row from left- Isuru Wickramasinghe (Coach) Ushan Imantha, TH Dervin Priyanka (MIC) Nimesh Mendis (Captain) Hasitha K.Wettamuny (Principal) Sanath Senaratne (Deputy Principal –Sports), Viraj Chaminda (Secretary – Sports) Dinuka Dilshan (Vice Captain), W Thilan (Assistant Coach). Back row from left- Kavinda Nadeeshan, Hasitha Rajapakse, Akila Mendis, Malshika Mendis, Chamindu Dilshan, Ravindu Rashantha, Sachin Sangeeth, Chanaka Karunaratne, Akila Dilshan, Naveen Rasanga, Abeeth Amanda, Lohan de Zoysa, Sasindu Malshan


Sri Devananda College: Front row from left- Wikum Udara, Sagara Dananjaya (Asst. Coach) Sohan De Livera (VC)
Rohana de Silva (MIC) S. Sooriyarachchi (Principal) Sachindu Uddeepana (Captain) Suraj Sanjeewa (Head Coach)
and Samith Madushan. Back Row from left- Chamindu Anushka, Praveen Avishka, Sandun Dhananjaya, Bivindu Jeewanka,
Anjana Kaushan, Nimesh Sathsara, Buddhi Erandaka, Sasindu Madushanka, Dasun Dhananjaya, Heshan Milaksha, Pasindu Dhananjaya,
Maliththa Mendis  Absent: Kavindu Rajapakse and Kaveesha Kalpana 

Sri Devanada will be looking forward to a win as they host Dharmasoka in their 51st cricket confrontation on April 1 and 2 at Moratuwa.

The first game of the series was played in 1963 at which MSJ Weerawansa led the Sri Devanada team and Sunil Santiago led the Dharmasoka team who emerged victors. The match was not played in 1968, 1969, 1970, 2002 and 2014 while the game in 1967 was abandoned.

Of the 50 matches played Dharmasoka have won 10 games and lead the series while Sri Devananda has won only one game. It was NU Amaradasa who led Sri Devananda to its solitary victory in 1966 while the last time Darmasoka won was when the team was led by Yohan de Silva in 2013. The result was awarded to them by the SLSCA.

The highest score for an innings was 325/4 posted by Dharmasoka in 1981 while the highest score recorded by Sri Devananda in an innings is 283 runs registered in 2004. Sri Devananda who were all out for 40 runs in 1980 hold the record for the lowest score in an innings in the series while Dharmasoka were dismissed for 46 runs in 1966.

The highest individual score by a batsman is the 169 runs scored by Sri Lanka cap Upul Tharanga in 2004 while Amindu Mendis scored 116 runs for Devananda in 2016.

S Osman of Dharmasoka College captured all ten Devananda wickets conceding 29 runs in 1974 and would be a record hard to break while Devananda’s P Milton holds the record for the best bowling performance with a match bag of 12/82.

Dharmasoka College play in the elite Division One of the schools cricket tournament and were placed seventh in their group and overall 26th with 76.850 points at the end of the first round.

The Dharmasoka team to the 51st confrontation is led by all-rounder Nimesh Mendis who learned the ABCs of the game at Sri Devananda and would be leading his team against his former team mates. Nimesh has scored 351 runs and captured 22 wickets with a best of 7/52 this season. Nimesh has the able support of Vice-Captain Dinuka Dilshan who scored 655 runs this season with a highest score of 216 and captured 32 wickets with best figures of 6/63.

The final XI Dharmasoka team will be selected from Ushan Imantha, Kavinda Nadeeshan, Hasitha Rajapakse, Akila Mendis, Malshika Mendis, Chamindu Dilshan, Ravindu Rashantha, Sachin Sangeeth, Chanaka Karunaratne, Akila Dilshan, Naveen Rasanga, Abeeth Amanda, Lohan de Zoysa and Sasindu Malshan.

The Sokians are coached by Isuru Wickremasinghe and has W Thilina to assist him. TH Dervin Priyankara is the master in charge of the team.

Sri Devananda play in Division Two of the schools cricket tournament and led Group C to be placed overall fourth with 117.240 points at the end of the first round. The Devananda team is led by fifth year coloursman Sachin Uddeepana, a left hand batsman who has scored 454 runs and captured 22 wickets bowling right arm medium fast this season.

Vice Captain Sohan de Livera keeps wickets and has 50 victims to his credit this season. He is also a left hand batsman with 827 runs with a highest of 109 in 14 outings this season.

The Devananda team would be strengthened by right arm medium pacie Kavindu Rajapakse who has 53 wickets to his credit and right arm spin bowler Nimesha Sathsara who has 54 wickets.

The final XI will be selected from Wikum Udara, Samith Madushan, Chamindu Anushka, Praveen Avishka, Sandun Dhananjaya, Bivindu Jeewanka, Anjana Kaushan, Buddhi Erandaka, Sasindu Madushanka, Dasun Dhananjaya, Heshan Milaksha, Pasindu Dhananjaya, Maliththa Mendis and Kaveesh Kalpana.

Sri Devanada is coached by Suraj Sanjeewa and has Sagara Dhanjaya to assist him. Rohana de Silva is the master in charge of the Devananda team. 

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