Richmond Legends vs. Northern Masters cricket encounter held in Jaffna recently
Brief Scores:
Richmond Legends 174/2 in 30 overs
Northern Masters 108/6 in 30 overs
Result: Richmond Legends win by 66 runs
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Northern Masters[/caption]
Richmond College, Galle has been performing well in the annual all-island inter-school cricket tournaments in recent years. The mere fact that the present Sri Lanka team featuring as many as six prominent players with a Richmond background is sheer proof for the southern school’s emergence as a national cricket powerhouse.
Suranga Lakmal, who retired recently, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, and Dhananjaya Lakshan all emerged from Richmond, Galle. Their much-respected Coach at Richmond was Dhammika Sudarshana who coached Richmond since 2002 before taking up Sri Lanka Under-19 responsibilities recently.
On a winning streak
Now, challenging these Richmond youngsters are none other than their own seniors, the Richmond cricketers from the 1980s and 1990s who formed the team Richmond Legends. They can be a challenge to any senior team of any leading school in the island.
Richmond Legends have been on a winning streak since the side was formed in April last year.
Another feather in the cap
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Richmond Legends[/caption]
Under the leadership of P.A. Gunawardena, they beat Kingswood College, Kandy senior cricketers in January this year and in February, they beat fancied Royal College, Colombo Maters team convincingly.
Last Sunday, they added another feather in their cap of victories - beating Northern Masters.
Yet the encounter held in Jaffna marked, more importantly, promotion of reconciliation among north and south through cricket. Northern Masters were led by Vangiswaran.
Lasantha De Silva’s influence
Since 2006, Lasantha De Silva was instrumental in forming a permanent cricket team to play the annual Richmond vs. Mahinda seniors’ match. According to the College’s seniority, it was Prasad Abeyasundara who began to captain the Richmond seniors’ team and he did so with a commendable achievement.
Traditionally, those got the opportunity to play for Richmond old boys’ team were those who were above 50 years of age. Therefore, old boys who had left the school had to wait long years to represent the team.
Then came the over and under 40 games
To find a solution to the situation, De Silva together with Jayamini Senevirathne discussed the matter with the Mahindian team led by Duminda Wickremasinghe and, after a round of fruitful discussions, it was decided to play two annual seniors’ matches, over-40 and under-40, since 2007.
Due to Covid-19 pandemic, everything came to a standstill since March 2020 an, as a result, the annual Richmond vs. Mahinda big match and the old boys’ big matches were not held.
Richmond Legends emerge
Thereafter, without being confined to the old boys’ annual big matches, De Silva spearheaded in forming the Legends of Richmond with the main intention of honouring their alma mater through her veteran cricketers in April last year. De Silva notably opened Richmond batting with P.A. Gunawardena for the last 16 years uninterrupted.
Abeyasundara was the first captain again and P.A. Gunawardena took over since this year. The members of the Richmond Legends include:
P.A. Gunawardena, Lasantha De Silva, Nishantha Mendis, C.K. Hewamanna, Thushan Jayawardena, Upul Yatawara, S.T.R. Jayasekara, Asoka Sirimanna, and Dilshan Amarasena.
Northern Masters[/caption]
Richmond College, Galle has been performing well in the annual all-island inter-school cricket tournaments in recent years. The mere fact that the present Sri Lanka team featuring as many as six prominent players with a Richmond background is sheer proof for the southern school’s emergence as a national cricket powerhouse.
Suranga Lakmal, who retired recently, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, and Dhananjaya Lakshan all emerged from Richmond, Galle. Their much-respected Coach at Richmond was Dhammika Sudarshana who coached Richmond since 2002 before taking up Sri Lanka Under-19 responsibilities recently.
On a winning streak
Now, challenging these Richmond youngsters are none other than their own seniors, the Richmond cricketers from the 1980s and 1990s who formed the team Richmond Legends. They can be a challenge to any senior team of any leading school in the island.
Richmond Legends have been on a winning streak since the side was formed in April last year.
Another feather in the cap
[caption id="attachment_199011" align="alignnone" width="455"] Richmond Legends[/caption]
Under the leadership of P.A. Gunawardena, they beat Kingswood College, Kandy senior cricketers in January this year and in February, they beat fancied Royal College, Colombo Maters team convincingly.
Last Sunday, they added another feather in their cap of victories - beating Northern Masters.
Yet the encounter held in Jaffna marked, more importantly, promotion of reconciliation among north and south through cricket. Northern Masters were led by Vangiswaran.
Lasantha De Silva’s influence
Since 2006, Lasantha De Silva was instrumental in forming a permanent cricket team to play the annual Richmond vs. Mahinda seniors’ match. According to the College’s seniority, it was Prasad Abeyasundara who began to captain the Richmond seniors’ team and he did so with a commendable achievement.
Traditionally, those got the opportunity to play for Richmond old boys’ team were those who were above 50 years of age. Therefore, old boys who had left the school had to wait long years to represent the team.
Then came the over and under 40 games
To find a solution to the situation, De Silva together with Jayamini Senevirathne discussed the matter with the Mahindian team led by Duminda Wickremasinghe and, after a round of fruitful discussions, it was decided to play two annual seniors’ matches, over-40 and under-40, since 2007.
Due to Covid-19 pandemic, everything came to a standstill since March 2020 an, as a result, the annual Richmond vs. Mahinda big match and the old boys’ big matches were not held.
Richmond Legends emerge
Thereafter, without being confined to the old boys’ annual big matches, De Silva spearheaded in forming the Legends of Richmond with the main intention of honouring their alma mater through her veteran cricketers in April last year. De Silva notably opened Richmond batting with P.A. Gunawardena for the last 16 years uninterrupted.
Abeyasundara was the first captain again and P.A. Gunawardena took over since this year. The members of the Richmond Legends include:
P.A. Gunawardena, Lasantha De Silva, Nishantha Mendis, C.K. Hewamanna, Thushan Jayawardena, Upul Yatawara, S.T.R. Jayasekara, Asoka Sirimanna, and Dilshan Amarasena.