Sports

Centurion Nalanda still rooted in cricketing class and tradition

Published

6 months ago

2025/07/27

Many players from Nalanda College have gone on to represent Sri Lanka in Test match cricket and Mahela Jayawardene with 149 Test appearances, is the greatest product from the school

In a country where cricket is religion and education its sacred scroll, Nalanda College — one of Sri Lanka’s proudest institutions — turned 100 this week, bringing up its century with the poise of a seasoned Test cricketer.

What began in 1922 as a humble offshoot of Ananda College at Campbell Place has since carved out its own identity, a name synonymous with discipline and distinction. From military leaders to medical pioneers, business magnates to political stalwarts, Nalanda has been a cradle of excellence. But where it’s truly bowled the nation over is in sport — especially cricket.

For decades, Nalanda has punched above its weight, producing a steady pipeline of Test cricketers and captains of the highest pedigree. From Bandula Warnapura, Sri Lanka’s first Test skipper, to Mahela Jayawardene, Nalanda College has contributed strokes of brilliance to the canvas of Sri Lankan cricket.

There’s an old-world charm in the way Nalanda approaches its sport, a brand of play that values grace over grit, style over slog. They’ve often been ahead of their time, the first school to erect an indoor basketball court, a move even seasoned basketball playing schools have struggled to match. With school basketball now mushrooming, this facility has served not just Nalanda but also the national and international school circuits with distinction. And in true Nalanda spirit, the court was gifted anonymously by an old boy — a gesture of such quiet nobility that it puts many so-called benefactors to shame. Catholic schools have much to learn from Nalanda.

When it comes to cricket, Nalanda’s production line has always been about polish and poise. Not content with just winning matches, the school focused on building the complete cricketer. This philosophy owes much to men like Nelson Mendis, who wore many hats — English teacher, Master-in-Charge, and eventually coach. A stickler for values, Mendis placed character above scorecards. Winning was never everything. Instead, he drilled into his players the importance of respect — for the laws of the game, the opponents, the umpires, and most importantly, the self. As a result we had a gentlemen like Roshan Mahanama.

Gerry Gunaratne, another stalwart in the coaching corner, built on this foundation, shaping generations of players who served both school and country with aplomb. Meanwhile, Stanley Jayasinghe, one of Nalanda’s early greats who later went on to play county cricket in England, brought a wealth of experience that added layers to the school’s sporting culture.

In more recent times, Jayantha Senevirathne brought a breath of fresh air. His mantra was simple yet daring: there’s no shame in losing a game while trying to win it. His fearless brand of cricket encouraged risk-taking, not recklessness, but a calculated aggression that made Nalanda a joy to watch. If it came off, there was glory; if not, there was still pride in the attempt.

Senevirathne, a keen believer in the intellectual side of the game, urged players to read about cricket’s history and study biographies of greats, to not just play the game, but live and breathe it. The likes of veteran broadcaster Premasara Epasinghe, in his role as Master-in-Charge, also ensured that values were treasured passing on cricket’s finer points with an old-school sense of reverence.

The results spoke volumes. Under Senevirathne’s stewardship, Nalanda produced players who left an indelible mark. Anecdotes abound. Mahela Jayawardene, for instance, once struggled with the lofted on-drive, too often caught in the deep. At most places, coaches would have clipped his wings and told him to keep it along the ground. Not at Nalanda. There, they backed the batsman to play his natural game, tweaking technique without killing flair. The result? A master of the on-drive, who would one day make bowlers pay in all corners of the globe.

Dilshan Munaweera, too, had his demons with the cut shot, repeatedly picked out the point fielder. Again, rather than put the stroke in cold storage, they worked with him until he could cut with conviction and even muscle it over deep point for six.

That, perhaps, is the secret sauce of Nalanda cricket, don’t kill the gift; shape it. Don’t sandpaper talent; polish it. The school never churned out robots. It nurtured artists.

Yet, even giants stumble. Recent years have seen Nalanda cricket hit a lean patch, the scoreboard reading more lows than highs. The situation is mirrored across Punchi Borella, where archrivals Ananda too are going through a rebuilding phase. For Sri Lankan cricket to roar again, both these powerhouses must rise from the ashes. A strong Ananda and a strong Nalanda isn’t just nostalgia; it’s necessity.

by Rex Clementine ✍️

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Sports

Hasaranga backs Sri Lanka for World Cup semi-final push

Published

3 hours ago

2026/01/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

Sri Lanka’s leg-spin spearhead Wanindu Hasaranga has warned rivals not to write off the hosts ahead of the World Cup, after his four-wicket burst in the final T20I against Pakistan helped Sri Lanka square the three-match series on Sunday.

Hasaranga’s spell turned the game on its head and restored belief in a side that has blown hot and cold. Speaking after being named Player of the Match and Player of the Series, the leg-spinner said Sri Lanka, buoyed by home conditions, remain very much in the hunt for a semi-final berth.

Under head coach Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka have made steady strides over the past 18 months. There have been a few distractions recently like changes in selectors and captaincy among them, but the dressing room, Hasaranga insisted, is quietly confident.

“We know the conditions and we’ve grown up playing in these conditions,” Hasaranga said. “If we use them well, we can have a major impact. Players need to identify their roles. Once that happens, we can put on a good show.”

Sunday’s decider was reduced to 12 overs a side after rain delayed the start by more than two hours, but Hasaranga felt the shortened contest still offered valuable lessons.

“Today we looked good,” he said. “We’ve been lacking a bit of consistency in recent years. In a World Cup, you have to minimise mistakes and keep moving forward.”

Bowling with a wet ball tested the spinners’ skills and patience, but Hasaranga viewed it as useful match practice rather than an inconvenience.

“It was challenging with a wet ball,” he explained. “But it’s good these things happen before a World Cup. It prepares you for all kinds of situations. I even spoke to our batters about what deliveries they’d prefer to face, and that input helped when we went out to defend.”

Sri Lanka now enjoy a week’s breather before hosting England with Hasaranga keen to see his side peak at the right time.

“When this series started, we had six games leading into the World Cup,” he said. “Rain in Dambulla meant things didn’t always go to plan. As a team, we wanted winning momentum. There are only a couple of games left now and we need to be firing on all cylinders when the World Cup begins.”

Sri Lanka had stumbled in the opener, losing by six wickets after being bowled out inside 20 overs, while the second match was washed out without a toss. A 14-run win in the final game, however, ensured honours ended even.

Rex Clementine
in Dambulla

Sports

Sunil Gunawardana among contenders for top post of Sri Lanka Athletics

Published

3 hours ago

2026/01/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

It will be a four-way battle for the top post of Sri Lanka Athletics as fresh nominations for the election of office bearers closed at the Sports Ministry on Monday. Former president Sunil Gunawardana, Bimal Wijesinhge, Sugath Kumara and Prasanna Indika are the nominees for the post of president and they are subjected to objections.

‎This is the second time the Ministry of Sports called for nominations after different stakeholders successfully challanged the earlier niminations alleging that there were errors in the process.

‎Informed sources said that this time too the Ministry of Sports has left enough room for allegations as it announced the names of the nominees without waiting for the nominations sent by post.

‎”There was a fundamental error as they did not wait for nominations sent by post. They informed the stake holders by post. Some member federations had received the letters only on last Thursday. They were in a mighty hurry to announce the names of the nominees soon after the nominations closed,” a source close to athletics told The Island.

‎Following are the nominees for various posts of Sri Lanka Athletics.

‎‎President: Sunil Gunawardana, Bimal Wijesinhge, Prasanna Indika, Sugath Kumara

‎‎Vice President: Prasanna Indika, Lal Chandrakumara, Lt. Col. G.N. Jayathilaka, Irangani Rupasinghe, Jagath Silva, G.J. Siyamudali, Prasanna Aluvihare

‎‎Secretary: Dr. Dhammika Senanayake, Sameera Perera, Madawa Herath

‎Asst. Secretary: Sameera Perera, Aloy Wickramasinghe (RF)

Sports

Lakmal, Pravina win trophies at Eagles Monsoon Cup Golf Tournament

Published

3 hours ago

2026/01/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

Wing Commander Lakmal Gunewardene (Retd) won the Eagles’ Monsoon Cup Trophy. (L) / Pravina Dunuwille emerged as the Ladies' Trophy winner. (R)

Wing Commander Lakmal Gunewardene (Retd) secured the Eagles’ Monsoon Cup Trophy, achieving the highest score in the gents’ category and Pravina Dunuwille emerged as the Ladies’ Trophy winner at the fourth edition of the Eagles Monsoon Cup Golf Tournament which came to a close at the picturesque China Bay, near the harbour city of Trincomalee.

‎The Sri Lanka Air Force, in collaboration with Eagles’ Golf Links and Courses, successfully conducted the fourth edition of the Eagles’ Monsoon Cup Golf Tournament on Sunday.

‎The tournament, conducted under the Stableford Scoring System, commenced in the morning with the participation of 80 enthusiastic golfers, including 13 women golfers. The tournament was officially inaugurated when one of the former Commanders of the Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Jayalath Weerakkody, took the first tee-off.

‎Wing Commander Nalin Bentharaarachchi (Retd) claimed the Runner-up position in the Gents’ category, and Niloo Jayathilake was awarded the Ladies’ Runner-up position. In addition, Buddika Amarasinghe and Air Chief Marshal Jayalath Weerakkody received accolades for the Longest Drive and Nearest to the Pin, respectively, in the Gents’ category, while Sandra Cadien secured the Longest Drive in the Ladies’ category. The Wooden Spoon was awarded to Nimal Jayasinghe.

‎The Eagles’ Monsoon Defence Challenge Trophy, presented to members of the Tri-Services in the Men’s category, was won by Wing Commander Asantha Gunaratne from the SLAF. Lieutenant Commander Mevan Perera from the SL Navy was the Runner-up of the Defence Challenge Trophy. Commodore Mangala Mummullage received the award for the Longest Drive in the Defence Challenge category.

‎The Best Total Net Score in the Six Hidden Holes competition segment was achieved by Wing Commander Lakmal Gunewardene (Retd) and Group Captain Prabath Wijekoon received the Commander’s Island Green Award for the 2025 year’s Eagles’ Monsoon Cup iteration.

‎The awards of the Eagles’ Monsoon Cup were presented at a gala Awards Ceremony held at Eagles’ Golf Links during the evening of the same day. The Director General Air Operations, Air Vice Marshal Dhammika Dias, graced the Awards Ceremony as the Chief Guest. Further, Air Chief Marshal Jayalath Weerakkodi, Chairman of SLAF Golf, Air Commodore Erandika Gunewardene, Secretary of Air Force Golf Links and Courses, Group Captain Asanka Rathnayake, Secretary of Air Force Golf, Wing Commander Thushan Fernando, Sales Manager of Aviyana Ceylon Resorts, Suranga Fernando (representing the Chairman of Aviyana Ceylon Resorts) and other golf enthusiasts attended the ceremony.

‎Adding to the prestige of the occasion, Aviyana Ceylon Resorts sponsored the tournament, enhancing its grandeur and providing a memorable experience for all participants.‎