Vigorous century by Ranganath Wijetunga

by Ranjan Anandappa

Cricket: Spearheaded by a vigorous century by Ranganath Wijetunga ( 104) Ananda reached a healthy 287 for 6 declared on the first day of their 78th Battle Of The Maroons between Ananda and Nalanda at the SSC grounds yesterday.

When bad light stopped play around 5.45 pm Nalanda were 66 for 2 in 24 overs with 11 overs still to be bowled.

Ananda electing to bat first after winning the toss were off to a shock start losing opener Udara Jaysundera in the first over and there after one drop bat Prabodha Seneviratne in the tenth over for 19 with the scoreboard reading 40 for 2.

Opener Chandimal Lokuge (75) and Raganath Wijetunga (104) avoided further embarassment when they were involved in a sensible 119 run stand for the third wicket in 157 balls. Wijetunga and Wishwa Wijesuriya then added a further 85 runs for the fourth wicket as the Nalanda bowlers were made to toil hard on a batsmen friendly pitch.

Ananda had made steady progress in them post lunch session , and were 158 for 2 in 34 overs. With Wijetunga 57 n.o and Lokuge 74 n.o doing the bulk of the scoring.

Lokuge was dismissed in the first over after lunch adding one run. Then Wijetunga increased the tempo with a flurry of strokes and was soon heading towards a well compiled century. He faced 141 deliveries and struck fourteen fours.

Ananda declared their innings at 287 for 6 at tea. Nalanda facing 24 overs were 66 for 2. Primosh Perera was the top scorer with 23.

The match will be continued today.

ANANDA - 1ST INNINGS

Udara Jayasundera c S. de Silva b Aponso	  0
Chandimal Lokuge b Atapattu			 75
Prabodha Seneviratne c Uthpala b. Priyanjana	 19
Ranganath Wijetunge st. De Silva b Weerasinghe	104
Wishwa Wijesuriya st. De Silva b Athapattu	 39
Udara Pieris b Aponso				 22
Malith Gunathileka not out			  9
EXTRAS (b 5, lb 3, w. 3, nb. 3, Penalties 5	 19
TOTAL (for 6 wickets declared in 60.5 overs)	287
FALL OF WICKETS: 0, 40, 159, 244, 259, 287.
BOWLING: Lahiru Aponso 11.5 -2-53-2, Ashan Priyanjana 12-0-47-1, 
Madhawa Warnapura 12-1-51-0, Amal Athapattu 10-2-45-2, 
Milinda Weerasinghe 9-0-49-1, Silshan Munaweera 5-0-21-0, 
Nipun Karunanayake 1-0-8-0.

NALANDA - 1ST INNINGS

Silshan Lasantha lbw b Wickremasinghe		17
Primosh Perera not out				23
Madhawa Warnapura c U. Pieris b. Jayasundera	17
Ashan Priyanjana not out			01
EXTRAS lb4, w.1 nb 3. 				 8
TOTAL (in 24 overs for 2 wickets)		66
FALL OF WICKETS: 34,65.
BOWLING: Ishan Wickremasinghe 7-0-21-1, Madhumal Jayaratne 4-0-10-0, 
Ranganath Wijetunga 1-0-1-0, Malith Gunatileka 7-3-12-0, 
Udara Pieris 4-0-12-0, Udara Jayasundera 1-0-6-1.