The Matara Rahula Alumni Team won the Colonel Henry Steele Olcott Memorial Cup Alumni Cricket Tournament organized by the Colonel Henry Steele Olcott Memorial Sports Foundation for the 23rd time.
With the participation of 8 groups of former students of the Buddhist schools of Colombo Ananda, Kandy Dharmaraja, Galle Mahinda, Colombo Nalanda, Ambalangoda Dharmashoka, Matara Rahula, Pannipitiya Dharmapala and Kurunegala Maliadeva established in Sri Lanka under the leadership of Colonel Henry Steele Olcott.This was held at Kurunegala Welagedara Stadium The tournament was hosted by Kurunegala Maliadeva College and Maliadeva Alumni Association.
Although the first round was planned to be held in the league system under 2 groups, due to the heavy rain on the opening day of the tournament, Saturday (14), the undefeated Matara Rahula, who were the champions of group 2, in the 'A' group, could not play many of the first round matches that were scheduled to be held that day.And 'B' Group Pannipitiya Dharmapala College They qualified for the finals as champions of their teams.
In the final match, Adi Dharmapala defeated the opponent Adi Dharmapala by 19 runs. Adi Rahulayan scored 69 runs losing only 2 wickets in 8 overs and Ashoka Sirimanna scored 30 runs. Adi Rahula bowlers managed to restrict Adi Dharmapala team to 50 runs in 8 overs.
Saman Wijeratne scored 22 runs and Bharat Abeygunaratne managed to take 3 wickets for 5 runs.
A number of veteran players who represented the Sri Lankan national team and who performed well on the school cricket field some time ago, participated in this tournament.
The final match :
Adi Rahul: 69/2 (8 overs) Ashoka Sirimanna 30
Adi Dharmapala: 50/5 (8 overs) Saman Wijeratne 22, Bharat Abeygunaratne 5/3
awards :
The best player of the tournament - Chamila Jayasinghe (Adi Dharmapala)
The best batsman of the tournament - Hirantha Wijesinghe (Adi Mahinda)
The best bowler of the tournament - Priyantha Uyanahewa (Adi Rahula)
Best keeper of the tournament - Roshan Wickramarachchi (Adi Maliadeva)
Man of the match in the final - Bharat Abeygunaratne (Adi Rahula)
Major General Sunil Thennakoon, an alumnus of Kurunegala Maliyadeva Vidyalaya, presided over the awarding of the victory symbols of the tournament, while Colonel Henry Bimal Wijesinghe, Chairman of the Steele Olcott Memorial Sports Foundation,Kurunegala Maliadeva College Alumni Association President Saman Jayasinghe, Tournament Committee Chairman Chandana Guruge and other gentlemen were present at the awarding of the symbols of victory.
