By Chris Dhambarage
All rounder Pradeep Hewage of St.Benedict's College will captain the Sri Lanka under-19 cricket team during the tour of India commencing on November 23.
The Sri Lanka team will play a series of three tests and three one day internationals against their Indian counterparts during their one month long tour. Thomian Upeka Fernando has been named as the vice captain of this 15-member squad.
Pradeep Hewage emerged as one of the top allrounders during the 1996/97 inter-school cricket season and was the vice captain in the home series against the Indian under-19 team in February. In fact this will be the third time that he will be touring India to participate in a major tournament. He represented the Colombo District CA during their tour to Hyderabad last year and also played for the Colombo Mayors under-15 team and scored an unbeaten hundred in the final encounter at Eden Gardens Calcutta.
Hewage also toured Malaysia with the Sri Lanka under-17 team for the Mini World Cup and for the Super Eight tournament held in August 1997. He also had the honour of representing the Sri Lanka Board XI against the Australian Cricket Academy side this year. He won the man of the match award by leading NCC to victory in the inter-club limited over cricket tournament final against Bloomfield last year.
The Sri Lanka under-19 team:
Pradeep Hewage (captain), Upeka Fernando (vice captain), Chamara Silva, Nilanka Peiris, Prasanna Jayawardena, Rally Tissera, Chamara Soysa, Ranga Dias, Randhi Dilhara, Naren Ratwatta, Arshad Junaid, Sanjaya Rodrigo, Malinga Bandara, N.S.Rupasinghe and Malintha Warnapura.
The itinerary:
November 23: arrival, November 25-27: 3-day match at Hyderabad, November 30-December 3: 1st under 19 test at Hyderabad, December 6-9: 2nd under 19 test at Bangalore, December 12-15: 3rd and final under 19 test at Ahmedabad, December 18: 1st under 19 one day international, December 21: 2nd under 19 one day international, December 24: 3rd and final one day international, December 25: Departure to Sri Lanka.
Even exchanges
De Mazenod were 91 for 2 in reply to St. Sylvester's first innings of 194 all out on the first day of their inter-school cricket match played at Kandana yesterday.
The match will be continued today at 9.45 a.m.
St. Sylvester's 194 in 76.3 overs (A. Perera 45, S. Daluwatte 40, T. Liyanage 43, D. Wickremasinghe 2 for 35, H. Nilantha 3 for 21, L/ chintana 2 for 46. S. de Alwis 3 for 33)
De Mazenod 91 for 2 at close in 19 overs (S. de Alwis 36, G. Madurange 12, P. Seneviratne 38 n.o., R. Dissanayake 2 for 27). Dilroy to referee S'pore-China Test