seated from left: rasitha dinesh (asst coach), sheshan nivanka...

15Monday 22nd March, 2010

by Reemus Fernando

The 22nd ‘Battle of Kelaniya’Big Match between GurukulaCollege and Sri DharmalokaCollege will be played on twodays commencing tomorrow(March 23), at the P. Sara Oval.

While Gurukula march inunder the captaincy of sixthyear colursman SheshanNivanka, Sri Dharmaloka will beskippered by sixth year colours-man Iranga Krishan.

As it has been for the past 21years, the two teams will beeager to record the first victoryof the series.

The big match series, whichcommenced in 1988, has not seen

a victory recorded to date withall previous encounters endingin draws. Matches had beenplayed at the R. PremadasaStadium for the past few yearsand the two teams will look for-ward to record a victory when

the venue shifts to the P. Sarathis year.

Skipper Nivanka has severalcoloursmen strengthening hisside in the annual battle.Nivanka, who is on top of thehighest run scorers list with an

aggregate of over 500 runs willhave Rasika Koththagoda,Lakshitha Dilhan and KasunUdara to make strong the battingdepartment.

Niwanka, who is also an off-

spinner, is their key bowler. Hehas taken over 40 wickets andwill control the spin departmentwith Rukshan Bandara andKasun Udara while fast bowlersGayan Buddhika, Roshan

Anuruddha and MadushanChathuranga make up the pacedepartment.

Skipper Iranga Krishan is theleading scorer for Dharmalokawith over 600 runs, inclusive ofone century and five half-cen-turies. He will have in his ranksSameera Madhusanka, NilankaSubodha, Chathura Lakmina andSulaj Gayashan who have donewell during the season as his keyplayers.

The two teams will also clashin a Limited Overs Big Match onMarch 28. It will be the 19th timethe two teams meet andDharmaloka lead the series with10 wins against Gurukula’sseven. One match ended in a no-decision.

‘Battle of Kelaniya’from tomorrow

Gurukula CollegeSeated from left: Rasitha Dinesh (Asst Coach), Sheshan Nivanka (Captain), C. R. Premadasa (Deputy Principal), A.Geethalal Abeygunawardhana (Principal), W. A. D. N. Anuruddha (MiC), Rukshan Bandara(V. Capt) and LalSenarathna(Coach). Standing from left: Shehan Lakshitha, Gayan Sankalpa, Nalin Perera, Chamod Sulakshana,Dulaj Madusanka, Rasika Koththagoda, Thushara Lakshitha, Roshan Anuruddha, Namal Pethum, DushanDanushka, Kasun Udara, Sameera Jayasekara, Madushan Chathuranga, Nilendra Prabath and Gayan Buddhika.

Sri Dharmaloka Seated from left: E. D. A. K. Wickramasinghe (Senior MiC), Nishantha de Alwis (Junior MiC), Iranga Krishan(Captain), Ven. Napagoda Sumanathissa Thero (Deputy Principal), A. G. Nimal Jayaweera (Principal), P. V. S. K. Ajith(Deputy Principal), Nilanka Subodha, Udaya Perera (Coach) and Chathura Lakmina. Standing from left: JanithMadushan, Gayana Geethanjana, Shan Iresh, Manuka Salinda, Janaka Pathum, Chathura Madhushanka, AsithaPriyadharshana, Prabud Harsitha, Pradeep Samath, Gayantha Anjana, Suminda Roshan, Sapumal Bandara, SankaMadushan, Sulaj Gayashan and Thilina Pushpitha.

Inter-Provincial 4-day Cricket

Samaraweera 214, Jeewan Mendis 150

Battle of Golds LimitedOvers EncounterMoratu Vidyalaya homeafter early drama

Reconstruction at R. Premadasa Stadium (Khettarama Stadium) began a fortnight ago and is expected to finish in October. West Indies are expected to play the firstInternational match here when they tour the country in November. The venue will host seven World Cup games including a semi-final. Pix by Nishan S. Priyantha.

Khettarama Stadium under construction

by Revata S. Silva

Kandurata fifth wicket pair of pro-lific national Test bat ThilanSamaraweera and Jeewan Mendis, 27,the left-handed early middle-order bats-man who is enjoying his career bestfirst class cricket nowadays, continuedto trouble the Basnahira North bowlerspiling up 274 runs for the fifth wicketand put their side well above the oppo-nents’ first innings total of 530 all outgaining a massive 197-run first inningslead on Sunday (21).

Samaraweera scored 214 in 355 deliv-eries and Mendis struck 150 in 213 to seethem make a mammoth 727 all out atMoors SC Grounds, Colombo, in theiropening four-day encounter of the sea-son’s Inter-Provincial cricket tourna-ment which eventually ended in a draw.

Basnahira North, in their secondessay, were 209 for four, having an over-all lead of just 12 runs, in this SLC –organised encounter.

After resuming from their overnight

scores of 160 and 136 not outrespectively, both Samaraweeraand Mendis added only 27 runsthis morning before the latterdeparted in the day’s fifth over.That was only to see SurajRandiv whacking 74 in just 89balls while having a 91-runstand for the 7th wicket withSamaraweeera and another 40for the 8th with SeekkugePrasanna (34).

Brief Scores:

Basnahira North 530 all out and209 for 4 wkts in 42 overs (SachithraSerasinghe 60, Bathiya Perera 60; SurajRandiv 3-53)

Kandurata (o/n 495-4) 727 all out in

186.5 overs (T. Samaraweera 214 – 4x21,J. Mendis 150 – 4x21 – 6x1, NadeeraNawela 113, S. Randiv 74 – 4x10 – 6x2,Kanchana Gunawardene 64; DammikaPrasad 3-112, Shanuka Dissanayake 3-171).

Samaraweera Jeewan

Anuruddha Kalhara scored a half-century and Janindu Devinda chippedin with a valuable 30 runs and shareda 85 run stand for the seventh wicketwith the former to guide MorautuVidyalaya for a thrilling three wicketwin over Sri Sumangala College in theBattle of Golds Limited oversencounter at Moratuwa yesterday.

Chasing 158 runs for victoryMoratu Vidyalaya were strugglingwith 35 for six at one stage but Kalharaand Devindu came up with the matchwinning partnership bailing out theteam.

Kalhara scored 77 runs in 78 ballswith five sixes and five fours while all-rounder Devindu held things togetherat the other hand.

Sri Sumangala won the toss anddecided to bat first but were restrictedfor 158 in 47 overs.

It was Vimukthi Fernando’s fivewicket haul that put the breaks onMoratu Vidyalaya when they beganthe run chase.

Anuruddha Kalhara who was out-standing won the Man of the Matchand Best Batsman’s awards whileVimukthi Fernando was adjudged asthe Best Bowler. Sujeewa Liyanage wasnamed the Best Fielder.

Brief Scores:Sri Sumangala 158 all out in 47

Overs (Chatura Nilaweera 42,Sachintha Gunawardena 26; SankaRamesh 3/25, Janindu Devindu 2/22,Asanka Silva 2/27)

Moratu Vidyalaya 163/7 in 36.2Overs (Anuruddha Kalhara 77,Janindu Devina 30, Asanka Silva 16;Vimukthi Fernando 5/26, ThameeraHarshana 2/27) (RS)

LONDON (AP) - Lewis Hamiltonsays Red Bull has by far the fastest carin Formula One and should be consid-ered the early championship favorite.

The McLaren driver says “the RedBull is ridiculously faster than any-one else’s car. It’s insane.”

Although Fernando Alonso led aFerrari 1-2 at the season-openingBahrain Grand Prix, Hamilton saysRed Bull is half a second faster thanthe Italians per lap.

Hamilton finished third inBahrain, and says Red Bull has adapt-ed best to the 2010 rules.

Drivers Sebastian Vettel andMark Webber “have both got thefastest car by quite a big step. Theyshould be quite a lot further ahead ingeneral.”

Hamilton says McLaren is on parwith Mercedes going into theAustralian GP, behind Red Bull andFerrari.

Hamilton says Red Bullhas F1’s fastest car