Ambalangoda is perhaps famous for its traditional masks and puppet dancing. Alongside these legendary cultural aspects lies their pride, cricket. With almost five leading schools based in Ambalangoda competing at top level in schools cricket, Dharmasoka College virtually becomes the leader for many reasons. Dharmasoka may lose one or two players each year, on a [...]

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The Sundaytimes Sri Lanka

Despite crossovers Dharmasoka continues their cricket unabated

By Naushad Amit
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Ambalangoda is perhaps famous for its traditional masks and puppet dancing. Alongside these legendary cultural aspects lies their pride, cricket. With almost five leading schools based in Ambalangoda competing at top level in schools cricket, Dharmasoka College virtually becomes the leader for many reasons.

Dharmasoka may lose one or two players each year, on a regular basis, to other leading schools in the island but very little has it affected on the brand of cricket that is being played by them.

Yohan de Silva (Capt)

Despite many impediments such as a proper turf ground, Dharmasoka has been regular contributors to the national grid of cricket. The list of those who went on to represent the country straight from Dharmasoka, or from Dharmasoka to another school and then so forth, is unimaginably long than any other school in Sri Lanka. This has been on of the top reasons in Dharmasoka’s agenda be it any sport.

With this in their backdrop, Dharmasoka is still continuing with their endeavours in cricket with great enthusiasm. This season too it has very little or at all no difference. Under the captaincy of senior player Yohan de Silva who is a fine all-rounder, Dharmasoka is thriving to do better than last year where they won six out of 12 games. This record includes wins against many of their opponents in the Schools Under-19 cricket tournament. Last season they also became the only team to earn a rare honour of obtaining first innings points against the champion side, Trinity College during the closing stage of the competition.

This year according to Viraj de Silva who acts as Dharmasoka’s master-in-charge cum assistant coach, their goal as every season is to perform better than the previous year. They have a team blended with the experienced and the young who make up a formidable outfit for this season’s agenda. The school cricket team also has a new coaching staff headed by H. Premasiri, a cricketing stalwart of Ambalangoda, ably

Thanura Halambage

assisted by de Silva who has been the school’s junior coach for many years.
The side includes six seniors, with skipper Yohan, his deputy Thanura Halambage, Adeesha Thilanchana, Ramesh Mendis, Sudara Deshantha and Chathura Umayanga. The side as a custom gives

Adeesha Thilanchana

room for the talented players from their Under-17 and 15 squads. This has been done traditionally by Dharmasoka with the aim of giving youngsters the exposure, so they will not succumb to pressure at top level in time to come, in order to build up stronger teams for the future.
Though this programme has been good fortune for them, there were many instances when leading schools grab the potential talent at younger age, when they are exposed premature.

With the very limited resources available around the area, authorities of schools in Ambalangoda give these chosen youngsters the blessings. Dharmasoka has been the main target right throughout but they still make sure to dish out the finest brand of cricket when they take field.

This year, Dharmasoka has a squad of 20 cricketers who are equally talented. Little do they bother about what they have lost, as they continue to focus on producing more players to the top level and at

Ramesh Mendis

the same time more wins. This time around, Dharmasoka targets to win at least five or more games, while hoping to remain unbeaten after 16 matches. To boost their endeavour is a well balanced team, equally strong in batting, bowling and fielding.

Batting is their main foray with seven strong players being listed out in the line up. The openers are Thanura Halambage and Isuru Chathuranga, followed by skipper Yohan de Silva, Adeesha Thilakshana, Ramesh Mendis, Ishara Mendis amd Hasindu Vidarshana. With many of these players being striking all-rounders, the remaining slots are filled by potentially good performers, depending on records and performances at practices. They have a strong bowling attack spearheaded by spinners while their pacemen too are equally dangerous. From the lot the coaching staff expects skipper Yohan and Ramesh, both off-spinners and all-rounders to reach the national level. As always Dharmasoka will remain as an impulsive side in the league and will be a team to watch out.

 

 

Dharmasoka College Cricket Squad – 2013

Player Batting style Bowling style
Yohan de Silva (Capt) Right hand Right-arm off-spin
Thanura Halambage Right hand Right-arm leg-spin
Adeesha Thilanchana Left hand Left-arm fast
Ramesh Mendis Right hand Right-arm off-spin
Sudara Deshantha Right hand Right-arm medium pace
Chathura Umayanga Left hand Left-arm medium pace
Pasan Piyaranga Right hand Wicketkeeper
Hasindu Vidarshana Right hand Right-arm leg-spin
Amila Thabrew Right hand Right-arm medium pace
Sohan Jayamal Left hand Left-arm fast
Thilan Maduranga Right hand Right-arm fast
Isuru Chathuranga Right hand Right-arm off-spin
Ishara Mendis Right hand Right-arm fast
Kaweesh Kumara Right hand Wicketkeeper
Hashan Chamara Right hand Right-arm medium pace
Banuka Dilshan Right hand Left-arm leg-spin
Sajana Sathsara Right hand Right-arm –off-spin
Raveen Tharindu Right hand Right-arm fast
Ishanka Lakmal Ginige Left hand Right-arm leg-spin

Officials: H. Premasiri (Head coach), Viraj De Silva (Asst coach/MIC)




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