D.S.Senanayake College seated (L-R): Charith Jayampathi, Harindra Udugamavithana, Nihal Fernando (M.I.C), Navin Kavikara (Captain), Asoka Senani Hewage (Principal), Nadun Pathirana (V-Captain), Mohandas Samarakkody (P.O.G), Saman Hewawitharana (Coach) and Thiwanka Anuruddha.
Standing (L-R): Heshan Perera, Shazan Passela, Chamod Wickramasinghe, Malshan Gunasinghe, Malith Wickramasinghe, Nipuna Mudalige, Didula Sachintha, Ashan Jayamanna, Vasukie Watakepotha, Thusith Silva, Charith Satharasinghe, Mohamed Ijaz and Thamara Kariyawasam.

Mahanama College (L-R): Vinod Kaluarachchi (Captain),Lesley Harischandra (M.I.C), M.V.S.Gunathilake (Vice Principal), Premalal Kumarasiri (Principal) Cyril Silva (P.O.G), Vipula Sittamige (Coach) and Buddhi Sarinda (V.Captain).
Standing (L-R): Lahiru Weeragala, Hashan Perera, Chamara Silva, Aravinda de Silva, Duleeka Tissakuttige, Dhanushka Gunathilaka, Sajith Nissanka, Sajith Ruberu, Maduka Dharmawardena, Tharindu Nipendra, Pasindu Madushan, Randika Welikannage, Dilshan Rusiru, Tharaka Cooray and R.S.Michael.

The Big Match season is on and while the seasoned big matches may attract all the attention, the Battle of Golds, which is only three years old may not receive that much of prominence. But nevertheless, these two leading education institutions of the country are major cricket centers and this year’s encounter will be played on 26th and 27th of March at the SSC grounds followed by the one-day encounter on the 29th of March.

A media briefing was called this week to provide details of the Big Match. While D.S. Senanayake will conduct the two day game, Mahanama will conduct the one-day game.

It was D.S. Senanayake that produced probably country’s greatest batsman in the post Test era in Aravinda de Silva. Fittingly the trophy for the one-day game has been named after one of the greatest batsmen to play the game. The school also produced a Test captain in Hashan Tillekeratne.

This year D.S.Senanayake is captained by fourth year coloursman Naveen Kavikara while Mahanama College is led by fourth year coloursman Vinod Kaluarachchi.

Both the previous encounters ended in a draws. D.S. won the first ever one-day encounter between schools in 2007 and Mahanama equaled the tally by winning last year. The highest total made in the encounter so far is D.S. Senanayake’s 280 for six declared in 2008. The highest individual score in the encounter is recorded by Gayashan Weerasekara, who made 127 runs last year, while Roshan Laksiri’s four for 29 in 2007 is the best bowling analysis.

This season, D.S. Senanayake played 15 matches and beat Isipatana College by 10 wickets, Dharmaraja College by 8 wickets, St. Sylvester’s College by 6 wickets. They were beaten by Ananda College, Colombo by an innings and 33 runs. Their matches against S. Thomas’ College, St. Aloysius’ College, St. Sebastian’s College, Kingswood College, St.Joseph’s College, Thurstan College, Prince of Wales College, Nalanda College, Dharmapala College, Pannipitiya, President’s College and Trinity College ended in draws.

Mahanama, meanwhile, has won against St. Mary’s College, Kegalle, Zahira College, Maradana, Sri Devenanda, Amalangoda, Royal College, Panadura, Carey College, Colombo, St. Anthony’s, Wattala, De Mazenod College, Kandana, St. John’s Nugegoda amounting their wins to eight this season.

D.S. captain Naveen Kavikara is the highest wicket taker in the team with 60 scalps to his name while Nadun Pathirana with more than 800 runs to his name is the highest run scorer.

For the Mahanamians, Dhanushka Gunathilaka has done exceptionally well in the season having scored over 600 runs and taken over 30 wickets. His hat-trick against De Mazenod College, Kandana this week followed up by a century with the bat enabled Mahanama to cruise to a comfortable win.

Vinod Kaluarachchi has also scored over 500 runs this season while Buddhi Sarinda has taken 86 wickets.