Mahinda skipper Ambawatte's 103 not out and 'Big Match' figures 15
for 97 a 'World Record'?
By A.C. de Silva
A WORLD RECORD: The Mahinda-Richmond encounter Galle's 'Big Match' of
1953 is still talked about by old boys of the two colleges for some
wonderful individual performances especially by the Mahinda College
skipper - S. Ambawatte who covered him self with glory by performing
well with both bat and ball in the match dominated by Mahinda.
|
S. Ambawatte Mahinda College Captain of 1953 |
Came Mahinda's turn to bat first and skipper S. Ambawatte covered
himself with glory with a fantastic unbeaten innings of 103 that helped
his team to make 241 in the first innings.
That appeared like something similar to "fireworks", but something
more stunning followed when Richmond batted in their first innings and
and were shot out for 106 in their first innings and the stunning part
te who had 10 for 34 in the first innings of Mahinda, had 5 for 63 for
his superb skill of bowling in the second innings - and the debate is
still on whether it was his bowling or batting that was the highlight of
the match.
Bad weather-a spoiler
But Mahinda were not in favour with the weather and the bad weather
that prevailed robbed them of victory.
The clock came to Richmond's side in saving the match.
The talk that went round after the match was drawn and the die-hard
supporters of Mahinda College were somewhat not certain whether the
performance of Mahinda College skipper S. Ambawatte had really set up a
world record - first scoring a century, then taking all 10 Richmond
wickets in the first innings for 34 runs and following it up with 5 for
63, making it a total of 15 wickets for 97 against Richmond constitute a
world record?
SCOREBOARD
MAHINDA 1ST INNINGS
W.B. Bennet c Perera b J. de Silva 27
M.A. Wickremasekera c Wambeek b J. de Silva 21
D. Wijeyaratne lbw b Wamseek 08
D.H. de Silva lbw b Wambeek 01
S. Amendra C.J. de Silva b Wambeek 11
S. Ambawatte not out 103
G.M.S. de Silva lbw Wambeek 41
D.P. de Silva b Wambeek 02
C.E. Jayasuriya lbw b Wambeen 15
S. Jayasinghe c and b J. de Silva 05
A. Gurusinghe St. Gunawardana b J. de Silva 03
Extras 04
Total 241
Fall of Wickets: 1-44, 2-48, 3-51, 4-58, 5-79, 6-161, 7-171
8-208, 9-237.
Bowling: (Richmond) T.S. de Silva 17-3-43-0
V. Wambeen 49-12-75-5
R. Wickramasinghe 22-5-40-0
J. de Silva 24.1-1-67-5
K. Abeywickrema 3-0-12-0
RICHMOND 1ST INNINGS
D. Gunawardena St. Bennet b Ambawatte 41
J.N.A. Gunawardena b Ambawatte 10
K.C. Abeywickrema lbw b Ambawatte 01
Ranjan de Silva St. Bennet b Ambawatte 00
S. Perera St. Bennet b Ambawatte 04
K. de Silva c Wickremasekera b Ambawatte 00
T.S. de Silva c Bennet b Ambawatte 19
R. Wickremasinghe c Bennet b Ambawatte 10
V. Wambeek c G.M.S. de Silva b Ambawatte 00
H. Kulasuriya c Bennet b Ambawatte 10
J. de Silva not out 00
Extras 11
Total 106
Fall of Wickets: 1-31, 2-35, 3-35, 4-47, 5-55, 6-75, 7-90
8-105, 9-106
RICHMOND 2ND INNINGS: 167:
D. Gunawardena 31, J.W.A. Gunawardena 62 not out; S. Ambawatte 5 for 63,
D. Wijeratne 4 for 46. |
