It is nice to see Kandy Cricket Club back in the game, as they will take their stance at the wicket playing in the Donovan Andree trophy Inter-Central Province cricket tournament conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket.
Incidentally Donovan Andree was famous in the ‘show biz’ and the trophy is dedicated in his name. In the past The Donovan Andree tournament was only second to the then highest domestic tournament Sara Trophy. Coming out for the first time this season they were unfortunate to lose to Old Zahirians CC Gampola and the rest of the matches are today (Sunday) they will meet Old Marians CC at Pallekelle and the next two games are with TRI Youth SC and Old Vidyalians C .
Kandy was demoted to the lower division about four years back due to poor performance. The club believes strongly in the importance of promoting cricket and are offering every opportunity for young players to recapture the past glory.
The Club consists of some exciting players led by Kasun Ekanayake a former Anthonian. . He should guide the talented team to success and is expecting to extract the best from the team. Players are in peak condition and much is expected in the rest of their matches. Their main objective is to get in to the mainstream and play in the division one. Chinthaka Girihagama another former Antonian cricketer who is in charge of the squad admits that the side is up to the required standard with some good experience players, there are no big names or stars in the side but certainly there are players who could change the tide to counter the opposition and produce the results.
Kandy CC is the oldest cricket playing club in the hill capital , they have not only produced several top class cricketers but also produced several invincible teams when they were in the hands of good cricket promoters, Hope once again they could reach that level. The present president of the club Sarath Ekanayake the Chief Minister, a keen follower of the game has promised to provide all the facilities for the sport. And their secretary Janaka Pathirane gives the cricketers all the encouragement. The club is fortunate to obtain the services of former D.S. Senanayke College cricketer Sampath Perera as their coach, with his coaching experience he is confident to form a good match winning combination . Sampath the coach is also in the squad. Cricket has been played in Kandy since 1863. The first club was Kandy Dancing, Boating & Rowing Club. In 1896 it became the Kandy Sports club.
Ceylon’s first unofficial test was played at Bogambara Grounds in 1889. The Kandy Sports Club was exclusively for the Europeans, but from 1920 locals were also invited to play. In 1946 a revival took place and the Kandy District Cricket Association and there after the Central Province Cricket Association was formed. In the first tournament teams like Kandy Sports Club, University Scheme SC, Kandy YMCA and the Kandy YMBA Sports Club.. One time Kandy Sports Club was the main cricket playing club, in the 1970’s the club was unable to complete their quota of matches and were suspended which invariably saw some of the keen cricketers forming the Kandy CC. The contribution rendered by this club for the advancement and fostering of cricket in the hills is inestimable.