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| Sunday, 16 March 2003 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Ganganath Ratnayake's unbeaten century helps Royal to a draw by LAL GUNASEKERA It was a draw-the 124th 'Battle of the Blues' schools cricket confrontation between traditional rivals Royal and S. Thomas' at the SSC grounds, Maitland Place yesterday. The Thomians were set a target of getting 269 runs to win in 51 overs, but when play was halted at 5.15 p.m. due to rain in the 29th over, they were 121 for 3 with left handed opener Isuru Warnakulasuriya failing to make a well deserved half century by just four runs. The last win in the series was in 1999 when S. Thomas' under Naren Ratwatte beat Royal by 4 wickets. Royal made 219 in their first innings, while the Thomians in reply declared at 251 for 8 - a lead of 32 runs. Royal in their second turn declared at 300 for 7, leaving the Thomians to make 269 for victory. Royal started their second innings yesterday on 146 for 5 and went on to add 154 more runs before the declaration was made only 40 minutes before the tea break - batting for 417 minutes facing 95 overs. This innings will long be remembered by Royal's No. 3 Tharanga Edirimuni and last year's skipper Ganganath Ratnayake the left-hander. When they came together on Friday, Royal, were poorly placed on 97 for 5, but these two batsmen were associated in a record breaking 110-run partnership for the sixth wicket. They broke a 82-year-old record of 83 runs for the sixth wicket made way back in 1920 by Carl Vangeyzel (46 not out) and A. F. L. Thomas (47 not out), but missed the series record by a couple of runs - 111 made in 1931 by S. Thomas' N. A. de S Wijesekera (105) and F. Amarasinghe (70). Ganganath Ratnayake who made 75 in Royal's first innings, went on to make an unbeaten 111 in the second in 295 minutes with 11 boundaries and a six facing 200 deliveries. His 50 came in 170 minutes off 111 balls, while reaching the three figure mark in 238 minutes off 191 balls. However, the Thomians lost the grip they had on the match when Ratnayake was dropped on 42 by Tharindu Fernando at third slip off seamer Sanjeev Mendis' third over. Thomian vice-captain Tharanga Fernando took 7 for 60 in Royal's first innings total of 219. Tharanga Edirimuni who was unbeaten on 51 overnight added 30 runs before being caught by keeper Kaushal Silva off right-arm leg spinner Videsh Balasubramaniam, who had the best figures for S. Thomas' with 3 for 65 in 30 overs. Edirimuni batted for 288 minutes and hit 10 fours. Just two years back (2001), Royal's M. Thotuwilage made 95 in the first innings and followed it up with 108 in the second. One felt that Royal's declaration should have been made much earlier. When they did, decide finally to declare, the Thomians, were left to make over five runs an over. Even the rains came down earlier than expected, leaving the Thomians on 121 for 3 made in 28.2 overs. Opener Warnakulasuriya, the left-hander, was unbeaten on 46 with five boundaries facing 76 deliveries, while Kaushal Silva remained unbeaten on 25 with three fours off 28 balls - putting on 47-runs for the unbroken fourth wicket. |
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