Sri Rahula College, Katugastota is one of Kandy’s oldest cricket playing schools. They started the game in the 1890s but dropped it to concentrate on Football, Athletics and Hockey. In 1970s they returned to cricket and later took to Rugby, and came on top at Mini Rugby.
This season, Sri Rahula with limited cricket facilities fields a fresher-laden side under the guidance of D.M.P. Damakage, their one-time junior coach who learned his cricket at this school, played for the senior side from 1998 2001 as a right arm paceman and middle order batsman. Damakage is going all-out to make the side a match winning team. He is well supported by the MIC M.J.S. Ariyasinghe a fine boxer during his schooldays at Peradeniya MV. The sporting Principal S.M.C. Weerakoon lends them a big hand. The Old boys too give the best possible backing to keep the game going in the school.
 Captain - Chamika Samarasekara and Coach - D.M.P.Damakage |
One of their best products was Asela Gunaratne who played in the years 2002-4. Gunaratne became the first Rahula cricketer to represent the country when he was selected for the tour of Zimbabwe.
Asela was guided correctly by one of the top school coaches Aubrey Kuruppu, a well-known person in the coaching field.
Asela joined the Army and improved his cricket and went onto represent the country. Some of the cricketers learnt their finer points at this school and later crossed over to other schools to gain more recognition in their cricketing careers.
Though Sri Rahula has its own ground facilities available there are no sufficient facilities to play school matches and they have to travel to Kandy for matches. At times to play school games they have to travel out of Kandy.
So far Rahula has played five matches, recording two wins vs Sadalankawa College, and Royal College Wayamba, lost to Ibbagamuwa Central College, Loyola College, Negombo, and drew vs Nugawela Central College. The matches yet to be played are vs Kuliyapitiya Central College, vs St. Patrick's College, Jaffna, vs Kothalawala College, Kurunegala, vs Dudley Senanayake College, Tholangamuwa. Big match ‘Battle of the Golds’ on 3rd and 4th of March and one day match scheduled for March 11 vs Wariyapola Sri Sumangala.
This season the Rahula team is led by a fine cricketer Chamika Samarasekara who is a fourth year coloursman, who had a good season last year. He bats right hand and bowls medium pace.
His deputy is another top cricketer Madushan Paranavithana who also is a fourth year, bowls right arm off spinners and a good left hand batsman.
The rest of the players are Gathika Wickramasinghe the stumper of the side and a steady right hand batsman, Malith Rajapakshe right hand opening bat and bowls leg spin, Krishantha Dilshan right hand bat and a leg spinner, Shamalka Asela bats number one, a left hander and bowls right arm off spin, Mohomad Aadil a steady right hand bat with an array of strokes and off spin bowler, Amila Wijesooriya left hand bat and left arm leg spinner, Udara Godakumbura medium pace bowler and a steady right hand bat, Erranda Kumaratunga right hand batsman and bowls off spin, Ravindu Bandara steady batsman, Sayuru Ranathunga right hand bat and a good off spinner, Sandaruwan Wijerathne left hand bat and the opening bowler, Dilshan Arambegedara right hand bat and a good spin bowler, Tharindu Fonseka medium pace bowler and bats right hand, Akash Gardiyawasam right hand bat and a leg spinner, Thilanka Kumaratunga medium pace bowler, Hasith Minuwangoda right arm pace bowler and a right arm bat, Hasitha Gangoda bowls right arm medium pace and a hard-hitting batsman, Janith Maitipe an opening bat and an off spinner, Kushan Senarath a right hand bat and a stumper, Kalana Wijesinghe right hand batsman and a medium pace bowler, Janith Kodituwakku left hand bat and right arm leg spinner, Januka Ranasinghe right hand bat, Sahan Milinda left hand bat and a leg spinner, Kalana Ekanayake left hand bat, bowls right arm leg spin, Sajitha Kumara right hand bat a good spinner, Malitha Wijerathne right arm off spinner and a hard hitting batsman