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| Sunday, 27 February 2005 |
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Batsmen revel in drawn game by Ranjan Anandappa In a match that batsmen of either side revelled in the sweltering heat, Isipathana's Visuddhi Kaluwitharana stood out with an unbeaten 106 as the 42nd 'Big match' between Isipathana and Thurstan ended in a tall scoring draw at the SSC grounds yesterday. Thurstan set an impossible target of scoring 291 runs to win in 17 mandatory overs, were 90 for 2 at stumps. Opener Hasitha Perera folloowed his first innings half-century with another 72. Batsmen of both sides made merry on a feather bed pitch which gave very little chance for the bowlers who had to toil hard for wickets. Kaluwitharana the centurion, batted in fine style when he reached his century with a swing to square leg that went for a six which took his score from 96 to 106. He struck 12 fours and a six. A total of 820 runs were scored for the loss of 22 wickets in the two-day match as four Isipathana batsmen, Tharaka Waduge 90, Dilan Anurudha 67, Isuru Vindana 62, and Liyan de Silva 52 n.o, and Thurstanites Lahiru Gamage 59, Hasitha Perera twin fifties were outstanding in the match. The match was interestingly poised at the end of the first day when Thurstan replied with 110 for 3 to Ispathana's first innings score of 308 for 9 declared. The outcome of the match very much depended whether Isipathana could enforce the follow-on by getting the Thurstanites out below 208. But, Thurstan's Lahiru Gamage stood in between Isipathana's effort with a fighting knock of 59. He was involved in two match-saving partnerships, first with Buddhika for the seventh wicket adding 37 runs and later another 35 with Elvitigala for the last wicket which virtually saved the game for Thurstan. Thurstan were 7 for 172 at one stage struggling to avert the follow-on. Gamage had 8 fours and tw sixes in an agressive brief stay at the wicket facing 75 balls. Isipathana missed an easy chance of applying the pressure on Thurstan when S.Jayasinghe missed simple chance of running out Elvitigala with the Thurstanites still needing 17 runs to avoid the follow-on. With that, the outside chance that Isipathana had to swing the match in their favour, disappeared. |
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