Is the
tide turning for Pathana cricket?
Chris
Dhambarage
They have
shown a lot of promise this season and have almost completed the third term
fixtures successfully with an unbeaten record having recorded first innings
wins against St. Joseph’s, Mahanama, Zahira, Bandaranayake MV Gampaha and St.
Servatius Matara.
In
addition they also went on to take major honours in the match against St.
Benedict’s College at Kotahena where they recovered from an early disaster to
post a healthy 228 runs in their first innings and then had the opposition
struggling at 71 for 5 in reply.
The most
significant feature in their performances this season is the kind of form
displayed by their newcomers who have been able to outsmart some of their more
senior players through their splendid individual contributions.
In fact
fresher and left-hand middle order batsman Pramod Maduwantha has emerged as
their most successful batsman so far having accumulated nearly four hundred
runs inclusive of four half-centuries against St. Servatius Matara,
Bandaranayake MV Gampaha, Mahanama and St.
Joseph
Another
promising player Sachin Jayasuriya has also struck early form while scoring a
maiden hundred against Zahira
College
All-rounder
Torry Tharindu also has lived up to expectations as a talented player having
struck three half-centuries already against Bandaranayake MV Gampaha, Zahira College
The key
to Isipathana’s success so far has been their tremendous batting depth with
another all-rounder Ushan Perera also proving his class while stroking three
vital fifties against Mahanama, Bandaranayake MV Gampaha and St. Servatius
Matara.
The Isipathana College
Left-arm
spinner Madushan Chameera is undoubtedly their key bowler having already
snapped over 21 wickets from the six outings inclusive of two five-wicket hauls
against St. Joseph
He has
been well supported by the off-spinner Torry Tharindu who has captured more
then four wickets in an innings on three occasions against St. Servatius
Matara, Bandaranayake MV Gampaha and Mahanama respectively.
Skipper and
senior coloursman Kaminda Perera is another effective right-arm off-spinner
having struck a couple of vital blows in the previous outings and is always looking
to improve on his overall performances.
Vice
captain Kelum Bastiansz and all rounder Ushan Perera are the other senior
coloursmen in the side which also includes a couple of second year players who
are determined to cement their place in the team.
Last year
of course Isipathana went through a pretty ordinary season and also suffered
three outright defeats and managed to register just a solitary win over
President’s College Rajagiriya.
But this
time they have turned things around under the guidance of new coach Pradeep
Nishantha and are very much on the right track towards building a formidable
combination in their ultimate goal towards winning next year’s important Big
Match against the traditional rivals Thurstan
College
The Isipathana College
Kaminda
Perera (captain), Kelum Bastiansz (vice captain), Ushan Perera, Madushan
Chaminda, Torry Tharindu, Danura Dheelaka, Sahan Dileepa, Davis Imesha, Subhara
Dhakshina, Romesh Ranasinghe, Avinda de Soysa, Sachin Jayasuriya, Pramod
Maduwantha, Venushka Chamal, Purna Basitha, Thushan Nirmana, Dinuka Shihan,
Mohamed Shabarkhan, Vinu Randula, Malintha Madushan, Mahela de Silva, Sandula
Abeywickrema, Pradeep Nishantha (coach), Gayan Niroshan (Assistant Coach),
Janaka Bandara (Master in Charge).
Upcoming
fixtures:
October
21/22: v De Mazenod at Kandana
October
28/29: v St. Peter’s at Katunayake
December
30/31: v Lumbini at BRC ground
January
20/21: v Trinity at BRC ground
January 24/25:
v D. S. Senanayake at Wijerama Mawatha
January
31/February 1: v S. de S. Jayasinghe MV at BRC ground
February 7/8:
v Royal Panadura at Panadura
February 14/15:
v Royal at Reid Avenue
February 21/22:
v President’s College at Rajagiriya
February
28/March 1: v Thurstan (Big Match) at SSC ground
March 9:
v Thurstan (one day) at P. Sara Oval
March 16:
v Thurstan (Twenty20) at Colts/Thurstan ground
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