Sports
Nalanda favourites against De Mazenod
Under 19 Division I Cricket Quarter-Final
by Reemus Fernando
Nalanda College captained by Dineth Samaraweera are the favourites when they meet De Mazenod College, Kandana in the Under 19 Division I cricket quarter-final at Mount Lavinia today.
Nalanda are equipped with a formidable batting line up and have in their ranks two Sri Lanka Under 19 players to boost their batting and bowling.
The Sri Lanka Youth caps Raveen de Silva and Vinuja Ranpul are the leading run scorers of the Tier ‘A’ tournament and are expected to make Nalanda batting strong apart from forming a formidable bowling attack. In the bowling department skipper Samaraweera is among the top three wicket takers of the Tier ‘A’ tournament.
The champions in their group, Nalanda beat all group opponents to book a quarter-final berth.
De Mazenod skippered by Ruveen Fonseka do not have star players but they have combined well as a team so far to deliver some notable performances.
They were the runners up to Mahanama in their group. The victories against Trinity, Gurukula and Prince of Wales stood in good stead for them as they advanced to the quarter-final.
Fonseka will have the support of Shenash Fernando, Sithum Fernando and Chanuka Silva in the bowling department while Salindu Pathirana, Mithul Senerath and Ashen Silva who have been the leading scorers for them this season shoulder the batting responsibilities.
Two Teams
Nalanda
(from): Dineth Samaraweera (Captain), Raveen de Silva, Vinuja Ranpul, Eranga Jayakodi, Nikil Abeysekara, Chanul Athukorala, Kushmika de Silva, Yasiru Samarakoon, Lisira Thisera, Risath Jayarathne, Sajitha Vithanage, Rusiru Vilochana, Minod Caldera, Sandew Samarasinghe, Janula Indusara, Ranindu De Silva.
De Mazenod
(from): Ruveen Fonseka (Captain), Lester Jayaweera, Mithul Senarath, Shenash Fernando, Salindu Pathirana, Ashen Silva, Thareen Sanketh, Sihina Sithumina, Sithum Fernando, Chanuka Silva, Uvindu Perera, Vihas Minon, Maleesha Mihishan, Mishen Fernando, Kenul Dananjaya.
(RF)