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The 20th Battle of the Rocks, the big match between Maliyadeva and St. Anne's Colleges will be played at Welagedera Stadium, this Friday and Saturday (March 19 and 20), play starting at 10.00 a.m.

The limited over game will be played at the same venue on Sunday 21. The tussle takes place at the foot of the historical elephant and tortise rocks in the city.

The big match between the two schools was inaugurated in 1959 and named battle of the rocks. The first rival captains were, diminutive, Nissanka Cooray (Maliyadeva), and Lanky Everard Ratnayake (St.Anne's). Edward Perusinghe and Rev. Br. Ladislaus, enabled the birth of this contest. But the fixture was played intermittently, due to unavoidable circumstances in the later years. The non-diplomacy of The Management of the two schools was another factor. Out of the nineteen played, Maliyadeva have won ten and St. Anne's four, with the rest drawn. Old Anandian Janaka Bogollagama has been a tower of strength for this big game, in later years.

St.Anne's College leads the points table in group 'B', in the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Associations Elephant Lemonade Cup, with 11.531 points from three wins. Maliyadeva stands fifteenth in the same table with 7.008 points, and have still to sure the win. But both teams are evenly poised and the result is unpredictable. The two schools are proud of its products who have served the country in the Test arena, in Ranjith Madurasinghe (Devan), Lanka de Silva (Anite) and Eric Upashantha (Devan). It should also be mentioned, that Sir John Kotelawala, Dingiri Banda Welagedera, Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, Sunil Ranjan Jayakody and Gerny Perera, have contributed immensely for the development of the game in the province from 1931 to date.

Wayamba needs another turf wicket if the game is to be improved here and Welagedara Stadium should be upgraded as a Test venue for international matches.

The teams

St Anne's College

Suboda Jayawardena (captain), Sudath Rohana (vice captain), Sherantha Mendis, Charith Tissera, Karun Dissanayaka, Chanaka Abeyratne, Hemal Wimalasena, Rejind Perera, Amila Ranatunga, Amila Herath, Hasantha Laknath, and Chanaka Ediriweerage. Others in the pool are, Amila Isurendra, Sidath Tilekaratne, Dumerd Withanage and Roshan Abeyratne.

Coach - Udeni Kodituwakku, MIC - G.D. Chandrasiri,

POG - George Katugampola, and Principal - Rev. Fr. Merius Fernando.

Maliyadeva College

Anoj Basnayake (Capt), T.M.C. Bandara (Vice Capt), I.S. Hameem, T.B. Ellepola, T.J. Premasiri, G.T.D. Wijesinghe, A.I.K. Bandaranayake, R.N. Marasinghe, C.P. Rajasinghe, Damith Milan, Y.R. Abeygunewardena and T.B. Yatawara. Rest of the pool are, L. Premarathna, R.P. Wickremarachchi, I. Kumarasinghe and A.C.B. Samarakoon.

Coach - T.N.K. De Silva, MIC - Haris Bandara

POG - L. Hemachandra, and Principal - S.M.J.B. Senevirathna.