|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 14 March 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Sports |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Late declaration and dropped catch by Somapala helps Thomians to draw 125th Battle of the Blues by LAL GUNESEKERA So close, but yet so far. This was exactly what transpired at the SSC grounds, Maitland Place yesterday and the historic 125th Battle of the Blues schools cricket encounter between traditional rivals Royal and S. Thomas' ended in yet another draw with Royal taking the honours in the end. Left to make 253 to win in 50 overs, the Thomians were struggling at 81 for 6 in 31 overs when play was suspended due to bad light at 5.21 p.m. and later called off. Earlier, Royal who were 35 for 2 overnight in their second turn declared at 204 for 9. Royal made 293 for 6 declared in their first innings, while the Thomians in reply too declared at 245 for 7. Royal's declaration in their second innings seemed to have been made too late. If they declared at 177 for 7 at the fall of Heshan Morawaka's dismissal it could have been to their advantage. Royal had a lead of 225 runs at this stage. Then, the Thomians were in a hopeless position, losing 5 wickets for 58 runs, but were let-off the hook by Royal's deep mid-on fielder Chaturanga Somapala who dropped a 'sitter' of a catch with Thomian hard hitting batsman Pramuditha Rodrigo off Ganganath Ratnayake. Rodrigo was only on two then and he was unbeaten on 11 when bad light stopped play. Somapala will certainly have a nightmare more sometime about this missed chance. The Thomians looked as if they will chase the runs with the first 10 overs producing 45 runs, but at the loss of Navin Perera and Ashan Pieris. They put on 44 runs for the second wicket, but after the dismissal of the former, wickets started falling at regular intervals and both Pramuditha Rodrigo and Sajeev Panduwawala were left to play out till bad light stopped play. Royal's skipper Tharaka Kottehewa dismissed Isuru Warnakulasuriya in the very first over and then came the two spinners Ganganath Ratnayake (right arm off-spin) and Nadun Punchihewa (left-arm orthodox spin) who bowled superbly to finish with 2 for 22 in 11 overs and 2 for 8 in 7 overs respectively. Morawaka, another left-arm leg-spinner claimed the other wicket to fall in the Thomian second innings. Royal who were 35 for 2 overnight, made every attempt to force the pace with Dimitri Siriwardene and Naveen Dias putting on 88 runs for the third wicket in about two hours. The former was run out for 39 off a direct throw at the bowlers end after hitting five fours, while the latter went on to top score with 58 before he was caught at short mid-wicket. He stroked six boundaries. Dias' half century came in 94 minutes off 78 deliveries. Ganganath Ratnayake who had a memorable game last year, then made 26 with two fours and a huge six before Thomian right-arm leg-spinner Vidyesh Balasubramaniam made a memorable match for himself this year by going on to claim 6 for 64 in 28 overs. He did not take a single scalp in the first innings. Royal's last five wickets fell for just 54 runs within one-and-a half hours after lunch. ROYAL 1ST INNINGS - 293 for 6 declared
S. THOMAS 1ST INNINGS - 245 for 7 declared
ROYAL 2ND INNINGS
Gayan De Silva lbw b Balasubramaniam 12
N. Punchihewa c Mendis b Balasubramaniam 18
Dimitri Siriwardene run out 39
N. Dias c Warnakulasuriya
b Balasubramaniam 58
G. Ratnayake c Warnakulasuriya
b B'subramaniam 26
Dhanushka Edussuriya c Silva b Adams 7
Tharaka Kottehewa not out 34
Heshan Morawaka st Silva b Balasubramaniam 0
Janith Jayawardene c Mendis b Panduwawala 4
Dulanjaya Wijeratne c Panduwawala b Balasubramaniam 3
Chaturanga Somapala not out 0
Extras 3
TOTAL (for 9 wickets declared) 204
FALL OF WICKETS: 29 (Punchihewa), 35 (De Silva),
123 (Siriwardene), 131 (Dias),
150 (Edussuriya), 176 (Ratnayake),
177 (Morawaka), 182 (Jayawardene),
185 (Wijeratne).
BOWLING: Pramuditha Rodrigo 6-2-30-0,
Sajith Kularatne 5-1-19-0,
Sajeev Panduwawala 16-2-45-1,
Vidyesh Balasubramaniam 28-5-64-6,
Sanjeev Mendis 2-0-11-0,
Nigel Adams 10-1-34-1.
S. THOMAS' 2ND INNINGS
Navin Perera c Ratnayake b Punchihewa 27
Isuru Warnakulasuriya b Kottahewa 0
Ashan Pieiris c Kottahewa b Punchihewa 16
Kaushal Silva c Dias b Ratnayake 7
Sanjeev Mendis c Edussuriya b Ratnayake 1
Pramuditha Rodrigo not out 11
Charith de Silva lbw b Morawaka 2
Sajeev Panduwawala not out 11
Extras 6
TOTAL (for 6 wickets in 31 overs) 81
FALL OF WICKETS: 1 (Warnakulasuriya), 45 (Perera),
49 (Pieris), 50 (Mendis), 57 (Silva),
62 (Charith de Silva).
BOWLING: Tharaka Kottahewa 3-0-16-1,
Chaturanga Somapala 2-0-9-0,
Naveen Dias 1-0-8-0,
Ganganath Ratnayake 11-2-22-2,
Nadun Punchihewa 7-3-8-2,
Heshan Morawaka 5-3-9-1-,
Dulanjaya Wijeratne 1-1-0-0-.
|
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
