Sri Lanka: Kalutara TC have the edge over Galle (24 April 1998)
Two clubs who were demoted on last season's performances are making another attempt to gain promotion to Segment 'A' by qualifying for the Segment 'B' final, which will worked off over three days at the NCC grounds commencing today
24-Apr-1998
Friday 24, April 1998
Kalutara TC have the edge over Galle
By SA'ADI THAWFEEQ
Two clubs who were demoted on last season's performances are making
another attempt to gain promotion to Segment 'A' by qualifying for the
Segment 'B' final, which will worked off over three days at the NCC
grounds commencing today.
Kalutara Town Club on their preliminary round performances look the more
balanced side to win the final, although a Galle CC victory cannot be
ruled out.
With players in the calibre of skipper Rohitha Kottachi, Chandika
Seeman, Chitraka Hettiaratchi, Chandika Sujeeva and Nilan Sampath,
Kalutara TC have been able to pull off six outright victories from seven
matches to head Group 'A'.
Left-armer Kottachi has spearheaded the majority of those victories
taking 40 wickets, which is 15 more than what another left-arm bowler
Ruwan Sujeeva has taken and 17 more than right-arm medium-pacer Nilan
Sampath. The latter however may not play today due to problem of
obtaining leave.
Kalutara TC's batting has revolved around wicket-keeper Seeman and
Hettiaratchi who have each scored a century apiece and contributed
nearly 800 runs together.
They are fielding a side comprising four schoolboys. Heading the list is
Sri Lanka under 19 World Cup cricketer Malinga Bandara, who bowls
leg-spin. He is a product of Kalutara Vidyalaya along with Chamara
Abeyratne and Susantha Pradeep. Jayanath Mangala from Kalutara Tissa
Vidyalaya is not expected to play.
Galle CC's strong point has been their batting which is spearheaded by
the captain Duminda Wickremasinghe. The right-hander has been in
excellent form during the season accumulating 521 runs for an impressive
average of 104.20. Of his two centuries and three fifties, is a career
best knock of 160 against Old Cambrians.
Dammika Sudarshana is the other prolific run-maker for Galle CC with 431
runs and two centuries. They are supported by experienced opening bat
Saman Fonseka and wicket-keeper Chandragupta Hewamana.
Although Galle CC won three outright wins out of six games to head Group
'B', their bowling looks thin in comparison to Kalutara's. No bowler has
been outstanding for them. Chanaka Vithanage, Dileepa de Silva and
spinner Hasitha Rajapakse have chipped in with useful wickets without
being match-winners. Rajapakse may have to fight for his place with
former Sri Lanka fast bowler, J.C. Gamage who has returned from a stint
in France.
Galle CC qualified narrowly having tied for first place with Nomads with
94.5 points each. However as both teams also had the same number of
outright victories (three each), the group leader was decided on the
highest net total runs per wicket basis.
The winning team in the final will receive Rs. 100,000, and runners-up
Rs. 75,000. Individual awards include Rs. 25,000 for Man of the
tournament, Rs. 20,000 for Man of the final and Rs. 10,000 each for Best
Batsman and Best Bowler of the final.
The teams: GALLE CC (from): Dileep Wickremasinghe (captain), Chanaka
Vithanage, Saman Fonseka, Nayantha Weeraman, Dammika Sudarshana,
Chandragupta Hewamana, Chamil Perera, Ruchira Karunasena, Vajira Lakmal,
Dileepa Silva, Hasitha Rajapakse, J.C. Gamage.
KALUTARA TC (from): Rohitha Kottachi (captain), Chitraka Hettiaratchi,
Gayan Anupama, Malinga Bandara, Chamara Abeyratne, Chandika Seeman,
Ruwan Sujeeva, Dayantha Pushpakumara, Manju Balagalla, Kasun Sanjaya,
Susantha Pradeep, Nilan Sampath.
UMPIRES: Ryle de Silva and Annesley Jayasundera.
Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)