- Sharu, Mevan, Anuga, Sigera, Lithum shines with bat
The Cartman Cup annual traditional cricket encounter, celebrating a 129-year legacy between St. Benedict’s College and Wesley College ended in a well contested draw at the P. Saravanamuttu Oval yesterday (1) with Rashmika Amararathne vice captain of Wesley stealing the show with a superlative performance scoring 98 runs in the 1st innings and bagging 3 wickets.
For St. Benedict’s team, their captain-vice captain duo, Sharujan Shanmuganathan and Mevan Dissanaike were the pick of stars scoring some rapid fire half-centuries. Dinuja Samararathne was the star boy the Campbell Park lads picking up 3 wickets. Wesley skipper Anuga Pahansara Kodagoda shined in the latter part as he cruised to a super 82, yet again falling short of a century just like his deputy Amararathne who missed out on being the first Wesleyite to score a century in the Bens-Wesley series since 1896.
Coming in as underdogs and written off paper, the Wesleyite seniors let the bat do the talking as they faced a pumped up Benedictine outfit who thrashed the latter in their Luke Shield one-day encounter recently. St. Benedict’s will retain the Rev. James Cartman Cup courtesy of their emphatic 46-run win last year. Wesley last won in 2017.
Cartman Cup 2025 – Special Awards
Best Fielder: Russel Hamer Memorial Trophy – Trishane Silva (SBC)
Best Bowler: Sritharan Jeganathan Memorial Trophy – Dinuja Samararathne (WCC)
Best Batsman: Sunil Fernando Challenge Trophy – Rashmika Amararathne (WCC)
Man of the Match: L.P. Rayen Memorial Trophy – Sharujan Shanmuganathan (SBC)
Brief scores
Wesley 1st innings 208/6 (65)
Rashmika Amararathne 98, Dinuja Samararathne 34, Anuga Pahansara 31, Sharujan Shanmuganathan 2/38, Dinath Senila 1/17, Mevan Dissanaike 1/44
St. Benedict’s 1st innings 235/10 (60)
Sharujan Shanmuganathan 71, Mevan Dissanaike 50, Tehan Bitar 36, Dinuja Samararathne 3/42, Rashmika Amararathne 3/43, Jeevahan Sriram 2/66, Denuwan Nethmal 1/23
Wesley 2nd innings 255/7 (64):
Anuga Kodagoda 82, Deneth Sigera 63, Lithum Nadakandage 63, Dinath Senila 1/15, Vihanga Rathnayake 1/27, Mevan Dissanayake 1/65, Samindu Peiris 1/57, Ayesh Gajanayake 1/48
Result – Match Drawn
Bens-Wesley – Best Batting since 1896
1929 – Wilson Abeysekera (SBC) – 115*
2007 – Sangaran Nandalal (SBC) – 137*
2023 – Sharujan Shanmuganathan (SBC) – 98*
2025 – Rashmika Amararathne (WCC) – 98
2025 – Anuga Kodagoda (WCC) – 82
Cartman Cup 2025 – Top scores
2025 – Rashmika Amararathne (WCC) – 98
2025 – Sharujan Shanmuganathan (SBC) – 71
2025 – Mevan Dissanaike (SBC) – 50
2025 – Anuga Kodagoda (WCC) – 82
2025 – Lithum Nadakandage (WCC) – 63
2025 – Deneth Sigera (WCC) – 63