Thursday 4th March, 2010 15

Ranasinghe, Jayantha as well as Zahira and Dharmaraja and a Seneivrathne, Lalith Mahela Udawatte who are doing loss to St. Joseph’s last week, Kaluperuma, Kumar well at domestic and internation- while Nalanda has played 18 Dharmasena, Roshan al level. matches and has a better win Mahanama, Asanka Gurusinghe, The inaugural record than their rivals. Gamini Wicrkramasinghe and between Ananda and Nalanda, They have played 18 matches, Mahela Jayewardena. was played in 1924 with K. A. P. winning five against Isipatana, Sri Lankan peaked in a Rajakaruna, (later Barrister-at- Mahanama, Joseph Vaz, Since obtaining Test short span of 25 years since gain- Law) as of Ananda Thurstan and Lumbini MV. ing Test status in 1981. Sri College and B. S. Perera as - Going by the performances of status, players pro- Lanka’s first Test captain was a tain of Nalanda College. Nalandian, duced by both and the world champion team in 1996 was led by Anandian Arjuna Ananda and Ranatunga. They entered the finals in 2007 and were led by Nalanda have Nalandian Mahela Jayawardena. played a key role in Further, old Anandians and Nalandians such as Ana the progress of Sri Punchihewa, Upali Darmadasa, Danasiri Weerasinghe, Prasanna Lanka cricket. A Ranatunga, Kushil Gunasekara, Thilanga Sumathipala, Mahinda majority of the crick- Wijesinghe, Karunarathne eters in the national Abesekara, Premasara Epasinghe, Palitha Perera, teams have been Kamal Deshapriya and Prasanna Hennayake have contributed from these two insti- immensely to popularise the game amongst the Sri Lankan tutions which have rural population. This clearly produced talented shows the contribution made by Ananda and Nalanda towards Sri and well disciplined Lankan cricket. The national team cricketers. was considered perpetual under- dogs, but this image changed Furthermore, it is no completely during the 1996 exaggeration to say , when Sri Lanka defeated tournament that these two favorites Australia to win it under the captaincy of schools are capable Ranatunga. This victory, where Ranatunga played a pivotal role of raising two teams both as batsman and captain, has of Test cricketers ensured that Sri Lanka are no longer underestimated on the Former Sri Lanka captain and Sri Lanka’s inaugural Test: Sri Lanka skipper Bandula Warnapura world cricket stage. And With a 1996 WC winning captain Arjuna present ICC , from their schools. (L) and England captain go out to toss. (File Photo) fine temperament and an excel- Ranatunga. .

by Nalin Abeysekera Lecturer, Open University of Sri Lanka

nanda and Nalanda will clash for the 81st time in AAnnaannddaa VVss NNaallaannddaa:: Atheir annual ‘Battle of the Maroons’ encounter on March 6 and 7 at the SSC ground. the two teams, it seems that This is the first time these two Nalanda hold a slight edge. teams are meeting after the war. Ananda this year are led by The sacrifices made by Ananda The most significant and Nalanda for the war victory Mateesha Perera with Madumal is enormous. It is not surprising Jayaratne as his deputy. that those who led the battle Mateesha has five other senior were mostly from these two players in Geshan schools. Every Anandian and Wimaladharma, Sachin Dewage, encounter this time Udesh Nadiranga, Ruvinda Nalandian inherits that sense of love for their Motherland from Shamen and Sachitra Perera at the very first moment he walks are capable of raising two teams his disposal. Meanwhile Nalanda B. S. Perera later played for into the school as a new student, of Test cricketers from their lent technique, Mahela is captained by Dinuk All Ceylon. But The first in the smart white uniform. schools. Jayawardena is capable of play- Jayasinghe who will have players encounter between Ananda and The contribution made by So far, Ananda and Nalanda ing long . He gave an like Nipun Karunanayake, these two schools in the cricket- have the honour of producing example of that when he became Nalanda played at Campbell Adeesha Nanayakkara, Prashan ing arena cannot be matched by more than 25 cricketers to the the first Sri Lankan captain to Place, the playground of Wickremasinghe, Suranga any school in the country. Since national teams. Among the crick- score a Test triple which Nalanda, was practically washed Tennekoon and Sineth obtaining Test status, players eters produced by Ananda are came against the Proteas at the off by heavy rain. Gunawardena to provide muscle. produced by both Ananda and , Anuruddha SSC in . In 1925, Dr. N. M. Perera and Of the 80 matches that have been Nalanda have played a key role Polonnowita, Bonnie Wijesinghe, He has displayed great leader- B. S. Perera did captain Ananda played so far, Ananda are in the in the progress of Sri Lanka Sarath Wijesinghe, Sonny ship skills by guiding his side to and Nalanda respectively and lead with 14 wins against six to cricket. A majority of the crick- Yatawara, Sidat Wettimuny, the final of the 2007 World Cup in Ananda was defeated in the same Nalanda with the rest being eters in the national teams have , Aviska the Caribbean. year in the Big Match. drawn. been from these two institutions Gunawardena,Thilan Mahela was honoured by the This is the 81st ‘Battle of the But in most of the big match- which have produced talented Samaraweera and Thilina ICC as the Best International Maroons’. es, the underdogs have fared bet- and well disciplined cricketers. Former skipper Mahela Kandambi. Captain in 2006. During this season, Ananda ter than the fancied side. If Furthermore, it is no exaggera- Jayawardene. His 374 is the Nalanda also produced players There are also players such as has played 17 matches so far, win- Nalanda wins, they are going to tion to say that these two schools highest individual score by a like Bandula Warnapura, Anura Mutumudalige Pusuhpakumara, ning three against Dharmasoka, end a 56-year old hoodoo. Sri Lankan in Tests.

CSC Sports Gala SRI LANKA TEAM Davis Cup 2010 begins in Harshana Godamanna Rajeev Rajapakse 2010 on March 6 Sankha Atukorale Thangarajah Dineshkanthan The Annual Sports Gala of the Aasiri Iddamalgoda (Non- Colombo Swimming Club (CSC) will Colombo tomorrow Playing Capt.) Aasiri come to a close on Saturday 6 March, by Revata S. Silva SLTA, Patrick Pech, Country Manager, Cup Group-II of the Asia-Oceania Zone George Paldano (Coach) with the much awaited swimming Coca-Cola, and Hussain Sadique, Deputy following a painful stagnation in the Angelo Patrick (Manager) Iddamalgoda championships, commencing at 8.00 am The country’s most significant tennis Gen. Manager, Hameedias, the official lowest Groups in her Zone, Group-IV at the club swimming pool. competition of the year, the Davis Cup clothing sponsor of the Sri Lanka team. and III, for 10 long years. The next NEW ZEALAND TEAM The swimming talent of the club will 2010, will begin in Colombo, tomorrow The official global sponsor of the Davis important aspect of the event starting Marcus Daniell vie for supremacy in 65 events under (Fri.). The three-day Asia-Oceania Zone Cup is BNP Paribas, one of the largest tomorrow is that it will be the first time Jose (Rubin) Statham the auspices of NAASU, which will see Group-II event where Sri Lanka will banking groups in Europe. Sri Lanka holds a Group-II Davis Cup tie Daniel King-Turner meet a strong New Zealand for the first after 1999. The opening day will feature competitors of all ages taking part with Mikal (Oliver) Statham time in the history of the Davis Cup will Schedule two Singles and on Sat. (6), the only the plum prizes going to the respective go on till next Sunday (7). The Sri Lanka By meeting favourites New Zealand Doubles rubber will be played. Sunday Marcel Vos (Non-Playing Capt.) age group champions. The mornings’ Andrew Smith (Physio) Tennis Association (SLTA) officially at the newly relayed SLTA (classic) clay will see the two reverse Singles being Marcel excitement will culminate with the announced this year’s Davis Cup and its courts on Friday (in four Singles rub- played. The official draw of the Davis Vos swimming awards being distributed at local sponsors, Coca-cola, at the bers and a Doubles) Sri Lanka will mark Cup is to be held today. the end of the meet. Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel, Colombo, last her re-entry into the prestigious Davis A host of participants who have Tue. (3). taken part in the month long Sports The guest of honour at the meeting Gala 2010 that included badminton, ten- was Percy Ernst, who played in the first nis, squash and table tennis will play ever Davis Cup tie/meeting played by Sri Lanka in May, 1953, alongside Donald out the final matches in the relevant Fonseca and Douglas Scharenguivel, competition categories during the week against the Netherlands in and step up to receive their trophies at Scheveningen in a European Zone the awards ceremony that will com- match. Ernst’s second and last appear- mence at 6.30 pm on Saturday. The club ance for Sri Lanka in a Davis Cup match boasts of exceptional talent in the was in 1956 when he lost a singles rub- sporting arena with national players at ber/match to legendary Indian, badminton and other sports to whom Ramanathan Krishnan in an Eastern the CSC is home. The Colombo Zone semi-final tie. Swimming Club has a rich history, hav- The others who addressed the media were: SLTA President Maxwell de Silva, ing been established way back in 1938 Sheetal Iyer, Pune-based Asia’s first ever and boasts of a vibrant and influential International Tennis Federation Referee membership. The sports calendar of the (ITF) women’s Gold Badge Referee, At the media briefing held in Colombo last Tue. (3). (From L-R): Patrick Pech, Country Manager, Coca-Cola, Boshan club is likely to see many inter-club Boshan Dayaratne, Gen. Secretary, Dayaratne, Gen. Secretary, SLTA, Maxwell de Silva, President, SLTA, Irshard Othman, Chairman, Tournament and Matches competitions taking place in different SLTA, Irshard Othman, Chairman of the sports during the year. Tournament and Matches Committee, Committee, SLTA, Sheetal Iyer, ITF Match Referee and Hussain Sadique, Dy. GM, Hameedias. (Pic by Nishan S. Priyantha )