Skipper Pieris and Wijeratne take Peterites to safety in follow-on

By Ranjan Anandappa

CRICKET: Skipper Lahiru Pieris (111 n.o.) and Srimantha Wijerathne (79) took St. Peter's from the threshold of disaster to the promised land as the pair were engaged in a face-saving 131 run partnership for the third wicket to force a draw in the 73rd Battle of the Saints between St.Joseph's and St. Peter's at the P. Sara Stadium yesterday.

The Peterites compensated for their initial mistake, inviting the Joes to bat first after winning the toss on a placid surface and a parched outfield which gave little chance to the fielder once the batsmen had picked the gap.

They gave a fine batting display after being forced to follow on, trailing by 142 runs, and were 279 for 3 in their second innings.

In reply to the Joes first innings score of 335 for 5 declared, with Dimuth Karunaratne hammering a blistering 131 to become the only left handed Josephian batsman to score a century in the big match series, and also to score a century in one session the Joes had established a good chance of pulling off the game.

The Peterites were 161 for 6 overnight and a tough job was on their hands to avert the follow on. They were trailing by 143 runs. A lot depended on Anuk Silva who was unbeaten on 72 overnight, but Mathew got the breakthrough dismissing Silva early for 76. The rest succumbed to Thisara Perera's medium pacers as the Petes lost 4 wickets for 32 runs in 12 overs, with Thisara Perera claiming 6 for 51.

Anuk Silva and Angelo Perera added 88 runs for the fifth wicket in 95 balls which was the only worthwhile partnership for the Peterites in the first innings which came early yesterday. In the follow-on, the Peterites sank into deeper trouble losing two quick wickets for 52 at lunch. But after the lunch adjournment, skipper Lahiru Pieris and opener Srimantha Wijeratne batted with assurance to avoid further trouble.

The Peterite duo batted the entire post lunch session bringing the score from 52 for 2 to 176 for 2 with Wijeratne 78 n.o. and Pieris 65 n.o. adding 124 runs for the third wicket.When Wijeratne was dismissed - bowled soon after the tea interval attempting a sweep for 79, the Peterites had partially come back to the game with a 40 run lead with seven wickets in tact, Anuk Silva joined by Pieris added a further 96 runs for the fourth wicket when bad light intervened in the second mandatory over. Silva scored his second half century (51 n.o.) while Peiris remained unbeaten on 111 facing 197 deliveries with thirteen fours.

ST. JOSEPH'S - 1ST INNINGS: 335 for 5 declared (Demuth Karunaratne 131, Ruwantha Fernandopulle 43, Roshane Silva 64 n.o. Krishal Magage 2 for 79)

ST. PETER'S - 1ST INNINGS (161 for 6 overnight) Andry Berenger c & b. Mathew 13 Srimantha Wijeratne c. S. Weerasinghe b. Mathew 18 Krishal Magage lbw b. Perera 5 Anuk Silva c. Karunarante b. Mathew 76 Lahiru Pieris lbw Rajaguruge 4 Angelo Perera c. Wijesiri b. Perera 44 Ruwan Wickremanayake c. Karunaratne b. Perera 0 Lakshan Rodrigo c. R. Silva b. T. Perera 9 Umar Samsudeen c. R. Silva b. T. Perera 13 Vinod Perera c. Wijesiri b. T. Perera 3 Chanaka Fernando not out 1 EXTRAS 7 TOTAL (in 50.5 overs) 193 FALL OF WICKETS 30, 39, 39, 69, 157, 161, 167, 175, 179

BOWLING: Angelo Mathew 16-1-66-3, Thisara Perera 16.5-2-51-6, Trehan Rajasuriya 6-2-21-1, Shameera Weerasinghe 7-0-36-01, Rajeeva Weerasinghe 5-1-17-0.

ST. PETER'S - 2ND INNINGS Srimantha Wijeratne b. S. Weerasinghe 79 Andry Berenger c. Sankalpa b. Mathew 2 Krishal Magage c. Wijesiri b. Perera 26 Lahiri Pieris not out 111 Anuk Silva not out 51 EXTRAS 10 TOTAL (for 3 wickets in 80 overs) 279 FALL OF WICKETS 5,52,183.

BOWLING: Angelo Mathew 11-4-23-1, Thisara Perera 13-1-53-1, Treshan Rajasuriya 11-3-31-0, Dimuth Karunaratne 2-0-4-0, Rajeeva Weerasinghe 18-0-89-1, Shameera Weerasinghe 24-3-70-1, Prabudha Sankalpa 1-0-10.