Under 17 Division I Cricket Final

Giant killers Devapathiraja College Ratgama will encounter unbeaten Mahanama College, Colombo in the final of the Under 17 Division I Cricket tournament at Thurstan ground, Colombo today.Devapathiraja led by dynamic all-rounder Arosha Sithumina have been enjoying remarkable success this season. They are in their first ever Division I final after having turned tables on some of the powerhouses of schools cricket. Their rivals, Mahanama too have enjoyed similar success but have reached Under 17 Division I finals before. Their most recent final was in 2019. They went onto win the title that year.

If the recent records of the two teams are of any indication to the exceptional form they are in, an absorbing contest could be expected.

Devapathiraja’s journey to the final was remarkable. Some of the teams Devapathiraja eliminated during the business end of the tournament have been playing school cricket for more than a century. In contrast, only a couple of decades have passed after Devapathiraja started taking cricket seriously. The passion with which they have been playing this season has powered them to a position no other Devapathiraja team has ever reached.

They thrashed some of their first round opponents by big margins. They beat Rahula College, Matara (by 210 runs), Richmond (by 96 runs) and Vidyaloka (by 128 runs) in the first round. Their only blemish was a nine wicket defeat to Mahinda in a 20 overs match.

During the knockout stage, Devapathiraja beat St. Servatius’ (by 7 wickets), St. Sebastian’s, Moratuwa (by 4 wickets), St. Benedict’s (by 43 runs) and Nalanda (by 9 wickets).

A prominent feature in the Devapathiraja line up this season is the major contributions made by the top order batsmen.

Sithumina with three half centuries and a belligerent 150 (in 97 balls), Sandaru Malshan with three half centuries, Puljith Wathsuka and Yasiru Lakshan with two half centuries each and Oshen Kalhara have contributed well with the bat.

Left-arm spinner Harsha Madushanka and off-spinner Puljith Wathsuka lead the bowling charts for Devapathiraja, while new ball bowler Sasrika Nethuranga, Sandaru Malshan and Arosha Sithumina have made notable contributions.

Mahanama captained by Thaviru Perera reached the knockout stage as the champions of their group. They were in terrific form from the start, if the analysis of the first match was of any indication to their real strength. They bundled out S. Thomas’ Mount Lavinia for 72 runs within ten overs before sealing three wickets victory to takeoff.

They beat S. Thomas’ (by 3 wickets), Christ King Ja Ela (by 7 wickets), De Mazenod (by 56 runs) and Asoka Vidyalaya (by 102 runs) in the first round.

During the knockout stage they eliminated Sandalankawa Central (by 9 wickets), Mahinda (by 3 wickets), Maris Stella (by 8 wickets) and Royal (by 5 wickets) respectively.

Sineth Weeraratne with a century, Kaushika Thilakarathne with valuable 30s and a half century, Sanul Weeraratne, Yashen Gunathilake and Tharun Munaweera have made notable contributions with the bat.

Vimash Madanayake, Kaushika Thilakarathne, Achintha Lakshan, Thaviru Perera and Thenuja Rashmin are the bowlers to watch in the Mahanama camp.

Teams

Mahanama (from) :

Thaviru Perera (Captain), Dulneth Algewatte, Sanul Weerarathna, Kaushika Thilakarathne, Sineth Weerarathne, Yashen Gunathilake, Vimash Madanayake, Vihanga Perera, Achintha Lakshan, Tharun Munaweera, Janidu Kevitiyagala, Danupa Jithen, Sandil Methnula, Binara Edirisinghe, Tharindu Abesekara, Thenuja Rashmin, Binula Pannila.

Officials:

Akila Bandara Rajapaksha (Master in Charge), Ashan Priyanjan (Head Coach), Dulshan Elwalage (Asst. coach).

Devapathiraja (from) :

Arosha Sithumina (Captain), Yasiru Lakshan, Puljith Wathsuka, Sandaru Malshan, Oshen Kalhara, Harsha Madusanka, Nethusha Nirmal, Kaweeshwara Abegunawardana, Sasrika Abegunawardana, Vihanga Nimsara, Adeesha Sanjana, Hirusha Pramod.

Officials:

Charuka Gunathilake (Teacher in Charge), Ranjan Lasantha (Head Coach), Sudheera Weerarathne (Asst. Coach), Tharindu Rukshan (Asst. Coach).

by Reemus Fernando ✍️