Sri Lankans figure in Australian Grade 'A' cricket final (21 February 1999)

21 February 1999

Sri Lankans figure in Australian Grade 'A' cricket final

Clifford Landers

MELBOURNE, Feb. 20 - COLOMBO CC and Kandy CC will battle for the 'A' grade title in the grand final of the popular YCW Association cricket tournament at the Columbia Reserve in Mulgrave here today.

Colombo CC which won the title on three previous occasions, the last during the 1995/96 season is led by former D. S. Senanayake and NCC/CCC cricketer Ranga de Silva, while Kandy CC captained by former Prince of Wales, Moratuwa and Moratuwa CC all-rounder Janitha Silva are determined to bag the title which has eluded them.

The feature of this game and competition as a whole is that many former Sri Lankan club and school players are seen in action, including former Test wicket-keeper batsman Chamara Dunusinghe of Kandy CC. The other notable players for Kandy CC include T. Lalithamanne Fernando (Isipatana/Colts), Neville Liyanage (St. Mary's Matugama/Matugama CC), Nilantha Bopage (P of W and Bloomfield), Mahesan Perera (POW and Moratuwa CC), Saman Kundage (Moratu Vidyalaya and CCC). and Senaka Dissanayake (St. Sebastian's and Sebastianites CC).

Colombo CC have former Royal skipper and SSC player allrounder Gamini Perera, Carmen Mapatuna (St. Benedict's and NCC), Anuk Samarakkody (S. Thomas'), Nilanga Peiris (S. Thomas'), Lakmal Duwage (Nalanda/BRC), Kosala Kuruppuarachchi (DSSC and SSC), Lloyd Abeyratne (Royal), Jeewaka Weerasinghe (Ananda and Tamil Union) and Suresh Harding (St. Thomas' Kotte and SSC).

The teams will be picked from the following:

Colombo CC: Ranga de Silva, Gamini Perera, Carmon Maputana, Anuk Samarakkody, Cory Booth, Travis Boothman, K. P. Singh, Shane Dias (St. Peter's), Nilanga Peiris, Lakmal Duwage, Lloyd Abeyratne, Kosala Kuruppuarachchi, Suresh Harding, Janaka de Silva, Jeewaka Weerasinghe and Dian Holsinghe (St. Peter's).

Kandy CC: Janitha de Silva (POW, Moratuwa), Chamara Dunusinghe, T. Lalithamanne Fernando (Isipatana, Colts), Neville Liyanage (St. Mary's Matugama, and Matugama CC), Sean Nugara (St. Peter's), Nilantha Bopage (POW and Bloomfield), Mahesan Perera, Brendon Smith, Cory Analzsak, Craig O'Brien, Saman Kandage (Moratu Vidyalaya and CCC), Senaka Dissanayake (Dharmaraja and Kandy CC), Ajith Chandrasinghe (St. Sebastian's and Seabastianites).

The recognised cricketers who figures in the above competition over the years include Sri Lanka vice-captain Aravinda de Silva, Roshan and Devake Mahanama, Ruwan and Nuwan Kalpage. Former Test player D. S. de Silva, Rumesh and Ravi Ratnayake and more recently Athula Samarasekera, Asanka Gurusinha - the present captain cum coach of Prahan.

Clifford Landers is an Observer staffer reporting from Melbourne.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)