`Battle of Babes' ends in a draw

by S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Corr.

The 52nd `Battle of the Babes' between St. Sylvester College and Vidyartha College ended in a thrilling draw at the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy yesterday.

There was a chance of a decision just after tea when Vidyartha trailing behind on first innings by 77 runs 68 for 6 but the later batsmen hung on to force a draw. At close they were 138 for 8. St. Sylvesters Skipper and off spinner had a match bag of 8 for 99.

Earlier St. Sylvesters continuing from 65 for 2 batted attractively to declare at 268 for 7 wickets. Dilip Gayashan 64 not out and Ruwantha Ekanayake 74 put on 146 for the sixth wicket which boosted the Sylvestrian total.

Vidyartha - 1st innings 191 all out

St. Sylvester - 1st Innings 65 for 2 overnight cont. Waruna Wijesinghe ct. Chandrasiri 6 Wickremasinghe 43, Niluka Kandaderge b Wickremasinghe 20, Nuwan Nilantha ct. Wijekoon b Attanayake 15, Diliepa Gayashan not out 64, Ruwantha Ekanayake ct. Rupasena b Attanayake 74, Dananjaya Athauda ct. Wijekoon b Attanayake 05. Extras 23

Total (7 wkts. decl.) 268 Fall: 2nd at 49, 87,112,112,258,268

Bowling: Kasun Wijekoon 17-3-48-0, Sameera Abeyratne 6-3-21-0, Ushan Wickramasinghe 29-4-97-4, Samitha Attanayake 14.3-1-42-3, Tilina Rupasena 8-0-17-0, Keshan Gamage 5-2-10-0, Thirantha Dissanayake 1-0-14-0.

Vidyartha 2nd Innings: (Thirantha Dissanayake lbw Nilantha 01, Ruwan Bandara ct Kandaderage b Nilantha 11, Niluksha Galapitage st. Nanayakkara b Nilantha 23, Sameera Abeyratne ct. Ahamed b Gayashan 07, Kasun Wijekoon lbw Malalasena 14, Dinusha Gunatilleke b Nilantha 01. Keshan Gamage not out 34 Tilina Rupasena not out 19 Extras 05 Total (for 8 wkts) 138 47 overs.

Fall:- 4,25,42,56,58,68,88,91.

Bowling Dananjaya Athauda 4-3-2-0 Waruna Wijesinghe 1-0-4-0, Nilusha Kandaderage 4-0-14-0, Nuwan Nilantha 14-1-51-4, Dilipa Gayashan 9-6-3-2, Dushan Malalasena, 9-1-43-2, Faiz Ahamed 2-0-5-0, Tiwanka Gunaratne 5-1-11-0.