Thurstan College meet their arch rivals Isipathana College in their 51st annual cricket encounter on April 4 and 5 at the SSC. The limited over match held for the 34th year will be worked off on April 6 at P Sara Oval grounds. Led by outstanding right hand batsman Kavindu Kulasekara who has a total of 466 runs with a highest individual score of 138 runs against Royal College, Thurstan must be looking to make a difference this year. He will be supported by deputy fifth year player and right hand opening batsman and spinner Minhaj Jaleel who became the runner up of Platinum segment of the 34th Observer – Mobitel Schoolboy Cricket of the year in 2013.Jaleel has scored a total of 530 runs with a personal best of 109 runs against Wesley.
He is a fine bowler who has bagged 22 wickets with a five wicket haul (five for 31) against St.Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa. The bowling department will be powered by fast bowlers Raveesha Lokuge, Achintha Kalpana and spinner Arjun Gunawardena. Coach Saman Hewavitharana says that they working hard to achieve their goals. The team is balanced side with a blend of youth and experience.
Isipathana College, led by skipper Kaminda Perera is supported by his deputy Kelum Bastiansz. Isipathana has won one and lost two games during this season and has been performing well intermittently. But in a game of this nature the tendency of both schools giving their best is a known factor. In the Isipathana camp, the top order batsmen have been among the runs. Pramodh Maduwantha is their leading run-getter with 750 and the rest Sachin Jayasuriya (650 with a hundred), Salinda Ushan also 650 runs and Torry Tharindu 500 have been striking well. Torry Tharindu has proved himself as an useful all-rounder by capturing 45 wicket with his off spin.
Saman Nishantha (150 n.o) of Isipathana holds the batting record for the highest individual score in the series while Kamal Mahendra 142 remains the top score for Thurstan in the series. Thurstan’s left arm medium pacer Jayajeeva Karunaratne (7 for 28) has the best bowling analysis in the series with Ispathana’s K.L.S.K .Sirisena also taking 7 for 49 in the 1967 match. In the ‘big’ match series Thurstan has won 5 to Isipathana’s 4. There will be several other programmes with the participation of students, teachers, non academic staff and old boys of bother schools in parallel to annual big match. At a press conference held recently at BRC auditorium to announce the big match, the Principal of Isipathana College A.C. Perera said that last year the big match encounter was a tremendous success and it was a practical occasion of showing evidence of the brotherhood between the two schools. He also stated that big matches should not end up with school boys in hospitals and Thurstan and Isipathana, during recent years, have proved that big match season is where both schools work in unison to enjoy sports and also giving some time for entertainment.
Daya Bandara, principal of Thurstan College stated that the big match which was supposed to happen this weekend had to be postponed due to the elections.
Best Wishes From – Isipathana College Online Information Centre.