This is the only Big Match in the Sabaragamuwa Province and cricket fans of the district eagerly look forward to this event which has had a very colourful past.
Twenty battles had been fought out with only two producing decisions the balance 18 have ended in draws. In fact the last time a decision was reached was over 20 years ago. St. Mary's have won two matches while Kegalu Vidyalaya are determined to break their hoodoo this year.
St. Mary's College led by fourth-year player Majula Gunaratne have not played to true to form and have not fared too well. This is very strange when they have eight players from last year's team but some of the key batsmen have displayed poor form.
Their batting will depend largely on skipper Manjula Gunaratne, Janaka Kaluarachchi, Piyananda Ariyadasa, Subhashita Ekanayake, Tharanga Jayaweera, Prabath Liyanagunawardena and Asanga Paranavitharne.
Piyananda Ariyadasa and Asanga Herath will spearhead the new ball attack and Nirosh Kasthuriarachchi will come in at first change. But they will depend on the spinners to contain their opponent. The spin attack will be led by Janaka Kaluarachchi (off spin), Nishantha Gunaratne (leg spin), Subhashita Ekanayake (off spin) and Tharanga Fernando (leg spin). Prabath Liyanagunawardena will keep wickets.
Kegalu Vidyalaya led by Lasantha Liyanahetti have fared a little better than their rivals. Their side is an experienced one and they have with them as many as nine players from last year's team, including last year's skipper Nalinda Premaratne. If the senior players rally round the skipper to corner their opponents, then a decision in Kegalu Vidyalaya's favour cannot be ruled out.
Runs should flow from the bats of Nalinda Premaratne, Aminda Karunatillake, Lasantha Liyanahetti, Priyadharshana Pathmaperuma, Tilan Indika, Prasanna Dayananda, Akila Jayaratne, Nalin Senaratne, Asanka Sulochana, Prasanna Ranaweera and Pushpanath Dharmasena.
Kegalu Vidyalaya's pace quartet will comprise skipper Lasantha Liyanahetti, Lalith Liyanarachchi, Akila Jayaratne and Tilan Indika with support from Nalin Senaratne (leg cutters) and Prasanna Ranaweera (off cutters). In addition they have three spinners in Aminda Karunatillake, Nalinda Premaratne and Priyadharshana Pathmaperuma - all off spinners. Pushpanath Dharmasena is the stumper of the side.
The weather at Kegalle has been keeping fine and it has not rained for nearly two weeks and two days of entertaining cricket is in store for cricket fans.
Umpires from the Central Province Cricket Umpires Association will officiate in this match.
ST. MARY'S COLLEGE: Manjula Gunaratne (Captain), Janaka Kaluarachchi (Vice Captain), Piyananda Ariyadasa, Subhashita Ekanayake, Tharanga Jayaweera, Asanga Herath, Prabath Liyanagunawardena, Asanga Paranavitharne, Tharanga Paranavitharne, Pradeep Liyanage, Gayan Samaraweera, Nirosh Kasthuriarachchi, Sharatha Wimalaratne, Janaka Menuwarachchi, Niroshan Samaratunga (Coach Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Master-in-charge Udyakumara Swarnatillake).
KEGALU MAHA VIDYALAYA: Lasantha Liyanahetti (Captain), Aminda Karunatillake (Vice Captain), Nalinda Premaratne, Priyadharshana Pathmaperuma, Pushpanath Dharmasena, Tilan Indika, Prassanna Dayananda, Akila Jayaratne, Nalin Senaratne, Prassanna Ranaweera, Lalith Liyanarachchi, Asanka Sulochana, Asanga Wijesuriya, Indika Subhasinghe, Anuradha Wickremanayake, Nuwan Kumarage, Chaminda Sanjeewa, Krishantha Yalegama (Coach Namal Senaviratne, Masterin-charge M. R. C. Chandrasiri)