Lanka Lions vs Instant Cricketers – Match played in Sydney on 13th November 2022 – Photos thanks to JP
The Annual, eagerly anticipated, cricket encounter between the over 50 years old, The Sri Lanka Lions (Invitational) Team & The Sydney Instant Cricketers for the “NON BENDERS” shield, which was started in 2012, was played out, at The Kareela Reserve, Doonside NSW, on Sunday 13th of November 2022
Due to Inclement weather, the game was reduced to 20 overs per team & was played under the usual “special” rules of 12 players per team, but only 11 were allowed to field at any one time, with maximum of only four overs per bowler and a Maximum of 20 runs per batsmen.
The two teams were:
| Sydney Instant Cricketers | Sri Lanka Lions (Invitational) | |||
| Jana Weerasingham (ex- Royal Colombo 7) | Ajith De Silva (ex- Ananda , Colombo 10) | |||
| Jayantha Anandappa (ex- De Mazenod, Kandana) | Anoj Wijesinghe (ex- Ananda , Colombo 10) | |||
| Jeyan Jeevaratnam (ex- S.Thomas Prep, Colombo 3) | Chanaka Gunasekara (ex- Royal , Colombo 7) | |||
| Maaran Achchuthan (ex- Nelliady Central, Jaffna ) | Desmond Don Paul (ex- St Benedic’ts College, Colombo 13) | |||
| Michael Mahinthan (ex- Jaffna Hindu) | Jit Kumarage (ex- St Anthonys, Katugastota ) | |||
| Murugan Sitsabesan (ex- Jaffna Hindu) | Kumar Amarasekara (ex- St Anthonys, Katugastota ) | |||
| Raj Karunairatnam (ex- Royal Colombo 7) | Lalith Amaraweera (ex- Maliyadeva, Kurunagala ) | |||
| Saran Umasaran (ex- Jaffna Central) | Lalith Fernando (ex- Wesley, Colombo 9) | |||
| Shan Sudarshan (ex- Royal Colombo 7) | Prasanna Kariyawasam (ex- Royal , Colombo 7) | |||
| Stanley Jayanthakumar (ex- S.Thomas, Mt. Lavinia) | Ranjan Lal Fernando (ex- Prince of Wales, Moratuwa) | |||
| Thamil Bala (ex- Mahajana, Jaffna) | Rohan Wijesinghe (ex- St Josephs , Colombo 10) | |||
The Sri Lanka lions (skippered by Lalith Fernando) batted first and ended up scoring 122 for the loss of 3 wkts, in their allotted 20 overs .
The main contributors to the score were:
Rohan Wijesinghe 22 retired ( inc.a four),
Chanka Gunesekara 21 retired ( inc.a six & 2 fours)
Roshan Pathinathan 20 retired ( inc 4 fours )
Sundries 31
Wicket takers for “The Instant Cricketers” were:
Janar Weerasingham 1 for 14 off 3 overs.
Maaran Achchuthan 1 wkt in 2 overs
In reply,The Instant cricketers (skippered by Stanley Jayanthakumar) chased down the required runs for the loss of 3 wkts in 17.2 overs.
The main contributors to the score were:
Murugan Sitsabesan 21 retired
Stanley Jayanthakumar 23 retired ( inc.a six & 3 fours),
Raj Karunairatnam 20 retired ( inc 2 fours)
Janar Weerasingham 17 (inc. 2 fours)
Michael Mahinthan 10 not out ( inc. 2 fours)
Thanam Ratnasingham 9 not out ( inc. a four)
Sundries 14
Wicket takers for “The Sri Lanka Lions” were :
Desmond Don Paul 1 for 13 off 3 overs,
Lalith Fernando 1 for 15 off 3 overs,
The awards were given out at the end as follows:
Best Batsman: Roshan Pathinathan ( who got his runs in next to no time)
Best Bowler: Desmond Don Paul
Man of the Match: Stanley Jayanthakumar.
Winning team captain Stanley Jayanthakumar accepted the “Non Benders Shield” on behalf of his team from the Guest of Honour, Shantha Gunasekera, who was the Manager of the Sri Lanka “over” 50 yrs & 60 yrs old, world cup teams in the recently concluded tournament
With this outcome the winning tally is now 5 a piece for both the teams.
In conclusion, the hard work put in by both Prassanna Kariyawasam & Jerome Gasperson to ensure this social game to be organised & played in such a friendly” atmosphere was not lost amongst the players from both sides and they unanimously echoed the sentiment that this fixture should continue in years to come in similar manner..
