Ravin Sayer to lead strong Trinity outfit in 2014/2015

Thursday, 4 September 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Shamseer Jaleel Sri Lanka Under 17 cricketer, Central Province captain (Under 17) and Trinity cricket ‘Lion’ Ravin Sayer will lead Trinity College Under 19 Cricket team when the Lions come out once again under the watchful eyes and aggressive coach Sampath Perera in one week’s time. There is very little doubt in Sayer, that he will be yet another sensational spinner to be produced from the up country after Muttiah Muralitharan. Sayer toured England with the Sri Lanka team and helped the national youth side to win the test series which included a sevens wicket haul. He also took 108 wickets last season with a fine match bag of St. Aloysius (12), Nalanda (9), DharmapalaPannipitiya (9), and Isipathana (13). Sayer led the Central Province team who became runner-up to the strong Western Province team in the recently concluded Under 17 Inter Provincial cricket tournament conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket. Not only in bowling in batting too, Sayer shined in the last school season scoring over 400 runs. In the Inter-Provincial cricket finals he scored a very good knock of 80.

Arjun Jayasinghe will be the vice-captain of Trinity side, another reliable player with some top class batting last year. Trinity will be well supported by Nushan Weerasinghe another future prospect to represent the Sri Lanka Youth team along with Sanogeeth Shanmuganathan, Kaveen Himaduma, Navin Ekanayakae, Ron Chandragupta, Madawa Munaweera, Shavindu Amarasinghe (under 17 captain) and one of the best fast bowlers in school cricket Lahiru Kumara will be there to take Trinity cricket to top amongst other schools in the island. Trinity will open their third term cricket season with a game against MoratuwaVidyalaya on 5 September in Colombo.

The turn-around for Trinity Cricket took place when Trinity Cricket Foundation which was set up in 2007 under the national cricketer Kumar Sangakkara (President), Tikiri Ellepola (Treasurer) and Shamseer Jaleel (Secretary) there was no turning back from then. They recruited Former D.S. Senanayake, Bloomfield player and former Head Coach of NCC SampathPerera to Trinity. Since then Trinity Cricket was on top level in the Inter-school cricket and top in Central Province for nearly a decade now. Trinity will not be in this position not only in cricket but also in all other sports if not for the wonderful support rendered by its current Principal Brig Udaya Ariyarante for the last four years who had produced many all-rounders not only in the field of sports but also in the academic sector as well.

Katugasotoa Antonians will be fielding a balanced side but unfortunately they will be playing in the Division II in the Sri Lanka school cricket but will play majority of their traditional matches and those teams are in the top division. They have some top class seniors such as Buwanka Wijetunge, Dimithra Panditharatne Pulasthibandara and Kasun Yapa. Sadly a skipper is yet to be appointed with only two weeks away from their first game. Katugastota Antonians have produced some outstanding cricketers such as Muthiah Muralitharan, M. Lafir and Piyal Wijetunge. But the lads from Katugastota will be under tremendous pressure to do well as they have dropped very badly in rugby football as well. One of their old boys Tharaka Gunaratne will coach their Under 19 cricketers this year. Vidyartha College will be led by Chanaka Ratnayake one of the best products from Kandy the left arm spinner will get full support from his senior players such as Isuru Weerasinghe and Krishantha Jayasuriya. Sankalpa Gunasekera will coach their side. Rajans will be led by Tharusha Weragoda will have some outstanding senior players to support the team. Senaka Dissanayake, one of their outstanding old boys who played for Rajans and later on for Kandy CC for more than two decades will coach the outfit. All-rounder Tharindu Liyanage will lead the Randles Hill School with Roshan Perera coaching the team. St Sylvester’s College will be led by Hansamal Perera one of the batsmen will get the full support from players such as Niemsha Perera, Sivakumar Tyrone and Malith Weerasinghe. Sri Sumangala and Sri Rahula too will be fielding sides which will be no push overs in the coming season.