Youthful Kingswood outfit filled with hope for 2019/2020 school cricket season

The Kingswood College cricket team 

Text and pic by Shamseer Jaleel

Kingswood College is a youthful outfit which could shock a few school teams around the country this season. 

They are led by Vinuka Pussapitiya with Dumindu Damshika serving as his deputy. Former St. Anthony’s College cricketer Prasad Ranawaka is the Head Coach of the team. Veteran Malcolm Perera is the Consultant for Kingswood Cricket for all age groups, providing yeoman service to the Randles Hill school. 

Skipper Pussapitiya, a promising opening batsman, is a third-year player. He scored well over 350 runs last season and also bowls offspin. Pussapitiya has led all junior level teams starting from the school’s Under-11 age group. Meanwhile, his deputy Damshika, who bats at number three, scored more than 430 runs last season and will be expected to take some of the pressure off Pussapitiya. He too is a useful offspinner for the Kandy outfit.

Their Head Coach Ranawaka represented the country at the Under-17 and Under-19 level. He was also part of the Youth World Cup team in 2002 and 2003. He represented the Kandy Cricket Club, Colts Cricket Club and CCC at the Under-23 level. Maduminda Sooriyarachchi is the Master-in-Charge with Lanka Francis functioning as the Prefect of Games.

The team is blessed with high quality players of the calibre of Duminda Bandara, Pussapitiya, Dhamishka, Kevin Anthony, Anul Senaviratne, Mahasen Ranasinghe and Navodya Weerasekara. They beat St. Thomas’ College, Matale while their encounter against St. Anthony’s College, Wattala ended in a draw due to heavy rain.

 Remaining fixtures for 2019/2020

November 22 and 23 against St. Mary’s Chilaw away; December 17 and 18 Wesley College away; January 10 and 11 against Taxila College, Horana at home; January 17 and 18 against Isipathana College away; 24 and 25 January against St. Anthony’s College away; 31 January and 1 February against Vidyartha College in Kandy; 7 and 8 February against St. Sylvester’s College in Kandy; 14 and 15 February against Jaffna Central College away; 21 and 22 February against Zahira College away; 28 and 29 February against Sri Sumangala College away; 14 and 15 March Asoka Vidyalaya at home, 20 and 21 March the 114th Battle of the Maroons Big Match against Dharmaraja College at Pallekelle, with the traditional one-day encounter against Dharmaraja being played on 29 March.

 Squad: Vinuka Pussapitiya (Capt.), Dumindu Dhamishka (Vice Capt.), Mahasen Ranasinghe, Srimal Bandara, Dinidiya Polkotuwa, Anul Senevirathne, Chamudika Abeyrathne, Madushan Jayasuriya, Navodya Weerasekara, Kevin Anthony, Hasintha Polkotuwa, Dumidu Bandara, Mayuranga Rajapaksha, Asiri Ekanayake, Charith Wijesundara, Mahasen Abyakoon, Amesh Rupasinghe and Mihila Hettiarachchi. The Head Coach is Prasad Ranawaka and the Cricket Consultant is Malcolm Perera.