Battle of the Oldies

DAILY MIRROR 2020 April
The Winning team Skipper Sanjeewa Weerasinghe being awarded with the Mayors’ Cup by the Mayor of Nuwara Eliya Mr.Chandanalal Karunarate, Messrs. Mahinda Dodampegamage MMC (Former Mayor) ,Benjamin Jeganathan (Secretary SXCOBA), and Vadivel Balendran.
Amidst many onslaughts and difficulties due to the present pandemic situation, the joint Organizing Committee was successful in organizing one of the Main events of the April Seasonal programme, the 10th Battle of the Oldies at the Race Course Grounds, Nuwara Eliya under strict health regulations last Saturday.

The event saw the participation of players and a limited number of spectators in the presence the Mayor of the City Mr.Chandanalal Karunaratbe, Parish Priest of St Xavier’s Church, Rev.Fr.Sudath Rohana Perera, Principal of Gamini National College Mr.Nimal Kumaradasa Principal of Good Shepherd Convent Rev.Sr.Nilanka de Silva, Vice Principal of St Xavier’s College, Mrs.L.Gunasekara, Members of the Municipal Council, Old Xaverians and Members of the Gamini Past Pupils Association.

Having won the toss Old Xaverian Skipper, Sanjeewa Weerasinghe elected to field first and the Gaminians scored 234 runs for 6 wickets in 35 Overs. Asanka Dissanayake (80) runs, Keeth Chandrasena (36) runs, Pubudu (33) (Not out), Kasun 20 runs were the chief scorers for the Gamininas. Momamed Irshad 1/39, V.Sujeewan 1/49, K.Muralitharan 2/22 excelled with the ball.

In reply Old Xaverians scored 236 runs in 34.4 Overs. The main contributors for the Xaverian score were Irshad Mohamed with (72), Gerald Anthony (48), K.Murali (35), Sanjeewa Weerasinghe (17), V.Sujeewan (21), Chinthaka Nisantha 3/42, Suminda Gunaratne 3/38,Senila 3/49 contributed for the Gaminians.

The opening partnership of 95 runs off Old Xaverians’ Irshad Mohamed and Sujeewan and the Xaverian total 236, the highest ever recorded in this Encounter since 2011 were the highlights of the encounter.

Apart from playing a quality game of Cricket, another aim of this event is to strengthen the existing bonds and promoting comraderie among the past and present students of St Xavier’s College and Gamini National School. The prime objective is to motivate the past pupils to fall in line with the school management to uplift the standard of the institutions and to promote education, English language, sports and extra- curricular activities in the Nuwara Eliya District. In a special message the Minister of Sports Namal Rajapakse requested the endeavor to continue as a tradition for many years to come.

Mohamed Irshad was adjudged the Man of the Match while K.Murali was awarded Best Bowler and Sanjeewa Weerasinghe was awarded the Best Fielder all from the Old Xaverans outfit while Old Gaminian Asanka Dissanayake was awarded the Best Batsman. Umpires from the Association of Cricket Umpires Sri Lanka CP adjudged the match.
The Joint Organizing Committee consisted of Suren Ekanayake, Chaminda Emmanuel (SXCOBA Manager), Benjamin Jeganathan (Jt Secretary SXCOBA), Chandana Fernando, Kapila Senaratne (Treasurer- Gamini Sports Committee), Nandika Jayasinghe, Mohomed Faleel MMC, R.M.Nawaz, Paul Perera, Srinath Wickramasinghe, Rohan Peiris (Treasurer SXCOBA), V.Vadivel , Nilan de Zoysa (Jt Secretary SXCOBA), Indika Ramanayake, Ujitha Samarawickrama, Aruna Shanthanta, Ranjith Dharmaratne, Jeyakalan Reshan Mohamed Zaky, Sunanda Ratnasiri, Dilan Dominic, V.Balendran, John Christopher, Akila Perera, ,Robin Prasad and Gamini Ratnayake.