Only 9 matches have had positive results:

Thurstan and Isipathana in search of victory

by Ranjan Anandappa

The 43rd annual battle between Isipathana and Thurstan will herald another beginning of a series of traditional 'Big Matches' when it gets underway on February 24 and 25 at the Sinhalese Sports Club grounds.

Despite the school cricket season being eclipsed by the conducting of the Under 19 World Cup in Sri Lanka, the enthusiasm among players have been always high.

Both, Isipathana and Thurstan have been engaged in a mixed bag of fortunes. Isipatana beat Lumbini by 8 wickets after playing ten games while Thurstan lost to St. Sebastian's and beat Thaxila, Horana.

Neither Isipatana nor Thurstan has done anything spectacular to class them as favourites but positive declarations to make the match more lively could give the spectators their monies worth.

For Isipathana, there are two centurions, Gayan Dilruk 112 against De Mazenod, Kandana and Gamindu Kanishka 116 Vs Wesley. Lakshan Samarasena with two half centuries has scored the highest number of runs (330). Tharaka Waduge has been Isipathana's highest wicket taker with 30 averaging 16.56. Isipathana is led by fifth year player Isuru Vindhana and Thurstan will captained by Charith Wickremaratne.

He has an aggregate of 326 runs with a top acore of 75 against Thaxila, Horana and 63 against Maliyadeva. The solitary century maker in the side is Buddhi Heshan 103 against St.Sylvesters.

Thurstan's Kanishka Elvitigala seems to be the most impressive bowler from either side. He has a number of five wicket hauls with a match bag of 10 for 55 against St.Sebastian's. He had also taken 7 for 64 against Nalanda, 6 for 30 against S. Thomas' Mount Lavinia and 6 for 34 against St. Sebastian's.

In the 'Big Match' series, Isipathana has won 4 matches to Thurstan's 5 with 32 drawn and one not played.

Thurstan last won in 1992 under Mackenzie Perera and Isipatana defeated their rivals in 1999 under Krishantha Jayawardena.

The highest individual score in the series is by Saman Nishantha 150 not out (Isipathana) in 2002. Thurstan's left arm medium pacer Jayajeeva Karunaratne has the best bowling record in the series 7 for 28 in 1992.
