Kandy, Sri Lanka – The much-anticipated Fondre 22nd Colonel Henry Steele Olcott Memorial Cricket Tournament is all set to showcase the cricketing talents of leading eight cricket playing schools in Sri Lanka. Hosted by Dharmaraja College, the tournament will take place from December 8 to 10 at the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy.
The three-day event will feature exciting cricket matches among eight prominent Buddhist schools established by Colonel Henry Steele Olcott. The participating schools include Ananda College and Nalanda College from Colombo, Mahinda College and Dharmasoka College from Galle, Rahula College from Matara, Dharmaraja College from Kandy, Dharmapala Vidyalaya from Pannipitiya, and Maliyadeva College from Kurunegala.
The tournament, which began in 1999, honors the legacy of Colonel Olcott. Nalanda College hosted the inaugural tournament in 1999, where Sri Lanka’s first Test cricket captain, the late Bandula Warnapura, emerged.
The competition is divided into two segments: one for current players and another for past cricketers of the participating schools. The first day will feature a Six-a-Side tournament among current school boys, including the final. On the second day, past cricketers from the schools will battle it out in an eight-over per side tournament.
Several former national cricket stars will grace the tournament. Ananda College boasts the likes of World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga, Thilina Kandamby, Muthumudalige Pushpakumara, and Sanjeewa Ranatunga. Mahinda College will be represented by former World Cup-winning team member Upul Chandana. Maliyadeva College will have former Test bowler Ranjith Madurasinghe, current junior national cricket selector and Jeevantha Kulatunga. Rahula College will be represented by the current National Cricket Selector and former World Cup-winning fast bowler Pramodya Wickramasinghe.
In terms of historical victories, Mahinda College leads the tally with seven outright wins, followed by Dharmasoka College with five victories and three joint championships. Pannipitiya Dharmapala Vidyalaya has secured two wins, while both Nalanda College and Ananda College have one each.
The tournament is proudly sponsored by Fondre Fat Spread by Pyramid Wilmar (Pvt) Ltd, along with support from Nippon Paint and JN Interiors (Pvt) Ltd. Cricket enthusiasts and fans can look forward to three days of intense competition and sportsmanship in this tribute to Colonel Olcott’s enduring legacy.