No pressure means more pleasure in playing cricket
View(s):By Naushad Amit
Devind Pathmanathan (Capt)
Royal College Colombo, a school that can boast of a rich cricketing history in Sri Lanka, experienced a mixed season last year. But this time around they have overcome all those bits and pieces that stood as worries across their path to transform into a well balanced unit.
This time around they are strong as a unit with nine coloursmen in their camp. Unlike other teams the Royalists are a relaxed bunch, after opting themselves out of the two-day tournament conducted by the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association.
The main reason behind withdrawing from the official tournament is the busy schedule that Royal is having and with the set rules. The number of matches is likely to increase taking the total to 22.
This amount is an impossible tally for any school to meet, especially for an institution that has been continuing a good number of traditional fixtures for over a century, besides its annual big one against S.
Milan Abeyesekara
Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia.
However with less pressure on their shoulders, the cricketers are playing freely while balancing their academic commitments.
Interestingly as Royal, their traditional cricket rivals, S. Thomas’ too decided to withdraw from the tournament to give their players the space to balance between studies and cricket. Even without the possible number of eight matches from the tournament, Royal will play a total of 19 traditional matches inclusive of their big match, the Battle of the Blues.
The present phase or the pre Battle of the Blues period is considered as the time for the Royal cricketers to
Heshan Kumarasiri
gain top form. Many of them have made use of the completed third term and they are still utilising the outings to come into terms in their respective departments.
According to Coach Neil Rajapakse the side has faced a slight amendment to their playing fashion from the third term. In the third term their batsmen were scoring heavily but lacked that momentum to bowl out a side. But after the break the bowlers have improved a lot while the batsmen have fairly decreased in form. This situation is never a problem for Royal for two reasons. They give potential players the fullest assistance to gain peak and if things worsen, there is a second string team to pick players from.
The side is under the leadership of Devind Pathmanathan who also leads the spin attack as a left-arm leg-spinner.Wicketkeeper/batsman Milan Abeysekara, a stylish and dependable top order bat, is the vice captain. Among the seniors are reliable Heshan Kumarasiri, Isuru Gunathilake, Roanaka Ahangamage, 
Poorna Aluthge, Sampath de Silva, Hashen Ramanayake and Chamika Karunaratne who captained a few games last season. Their batting line up is strengthened by the form of Abeysekara, Karunaratne, Ramanayake, Dulith Hettiarachchi, Kumarasiri, Harith Samarasinghe, Ahangamage and Gunathilake. Skipper Pathmanathan is the leading wicket taker for Royal while in the spin department he has the support of leg-spinner Samarasinghe and off-spinner Aluthge. The Royal pace attack is a fierce one with Karunaratne, Ramanayake, and Anupa Thillakaratne forming a formidable combination.
With the current backdrop Royal is well poised as a well balanced unit. And all what they look for is to gain the peak of forms by the time of playing the big match encounter. According the coach the players are highly motivated by the presence of former coach Dulip Somaratne who as appointed as the director of coaching. In addition they are a set of boys who are rich in technique and basics of cricket. The combination of the team as at present is at its best and Royal expects to further improve their status for the big game.
| Royal Colombo cricket squad – 2013 | ||
| Player | Batting style | Bowling style |
| Devind Pathmanathan (Capt) | Right hand | Left-arm leg-spin |
| Milan Abeyesekara (VC) | Left hand | Wicketkeeper |
| Heshan Kumarasiri | Right hand | – |
| Isuru Gunathilake | Right hand | Right-arm leg-spin |
| Poorna Aluthge | Right hand | Right-arm off-spin |
| Sampath de Silva | Right hand | Right-arm off-spin |
| Chamika Karunaratne | Right hand | Right-arm fast |
| Hashen Ramanayake | Right hand | Right-arm medium |
| Harith Samarasinghe | Right hand | Left-arm leg-spin |
| Shaminda Dias | Left hand | Wicketkeeper |
| Akshan Gajaba | Right hand | Right-arm medium |
| Kaveesha Yapa | Right hand | Right-arm off-spin |
| Rajitha Jayawardena | Right hand | Right-arm off-spin |
| Dulith Hettiarachchi | Right hand | Right-arm off-spin |
| Sarinda Malavige | Left hand | Right-arm off-spin |
| Roanaka Ahangama | Right hand | – |
| Anupa Thilakarathne | Right hand | Right-arm fast |
| Seeshanth Panditharathne | Left hand | Right-arm leg-spin |
| Shanuka Kodituwakku | Left hand | – |
| Naveen Nimesh | Left hand | – |
| Umesh Sooriyabandara | Right hand | Right-arm leg-spin |
| Randev Pathirana | Left hand | Right-arm off-spin |
| Thiran Dhanapala | Right hand | Wicketkeeper |
| Chathushka Colombathanthri | Left hand | Right-arm off-spin |
| Lasith Embuldeniya | Left hand | Left-arm leg-spin |
| Minura Punchihewa | Right hand | Right-arm medium |
| Naveen Bandara | Left hand | Right-arm medium |
| Minsaf Munawar | Right hand | Right-arm medi |
| Malith Kariyawasam | Right hand | Right-arm off-spin |
| Kulith Witharana | Left hand | Right-arm off-spin |
| Naveed Shums | Right hand | Right-arm medium |
| Officials: Neil Rajapakse (Coach), Dilip Somaratne (Director of Cricket), Gamini Perera (Asst/Spin Coach), E.G.M. Rajakaruna (MIC), M.T.A. Rauf (Games Master) | ||
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