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Joes to end 33-year wait next weekend?
By Bilal Yusuf
St. Joseph's will go out firm favorites this year when they clash with traditional rivals St. Peter's in their annual big match which would be worked off on the 11th and 12th of March at the P. Sara stadium. This year's match would be the 72nd encounter between the two schools.

St. Joseph's have had an outstanding season this year and will be looking to register a victory in the "Battle of the Saints" for the first time in thirty three years, St Joseph's last defeated St. Peter's in 1972 under the captaincy of Rohan Fernando.

St. Joseph's who are led by right hand batsman Hashan Goonathileke have had a dream run this season recording nine outright victories with the rest of their five games ending in draws. If the Josephians are able to notch up a victory against the Peterites this time around they would equal the national record of 10 victories by a school team in a single season.

Skipper Hashan Goonathleke, Dimuth Karunaratne and Roshan Silva have scored over seven hundred runs for the season and would be the key batsmen for the Josephians. In the bowling department it has been the pace spin combination of Anjelo Mathews and Ranesh Perera that have been amongst the wickets with both bowlers taking over fifty wickets in the season. Harsha de Silva who is an old boy of the college is coaching St. Joseph's.

Dashing batsman Prajeev Jansz this year leads St. Peter's. They have won two matches this season while suffering a shock defeat at the hands of Isipatana. Fourteen games have ended in a draw. The star for the Peterites has been allrounder Shanaka Wickremesekera who has scored over six hundred and fifty runs and capturing over sixty wickets for the season.

Hans Fernando, Lahiru Peris and wicket keeper Dasun Randika have also been among the runs, with all three batsmen scoring over six hundred runs in the season. Former national player Roger Wijesuriya is coaching St. Peter's.

The highest individual score in the series stands at 204 not out scored by Clive Inman of St Peter's in 1954 and the best bowling figures is by Josephian S. Warnakula who took 9 for 41 in 1997. The lowest score in the series was registered when the Peterites were shot out for 36 in 1972. The highest total in the series is by the Josephians when they made 382 in 1952.

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