Kusal shines as Royal regain Mustangs Trophy

Jatila KARAWITA

Prolific run-getter and wicket-keeper Kusal Janith Perera produced a terrific all-round display (55 & 5 victims) to clinch the Player of the Match honours as Royal crushed S. Thomas’ by 5 wickets to regain the coveted Mustangs Trophy after four years, in their traditional limited overs cricket encounter ended at SSC grounds, last evening.

Set a modest victory target of 159 in 50 overs at an asking rate of 3.16 runs per over, Royal romped home with almost 16 overs to spare on the back of vice captain Kusal Janith Perera’s workmanlike 55.

Perera, who came to bat with the total at 2 for 79 eventually steered the Reid Avenue side home while raising a 56-run stand for the fifth wicket off 71 deliveries with Haroon Mowjood who remained unbeaten on 12.

His top-score of 55 came off 51 balls and was spiced with three boundaries and a six while opener Sahan Hettiarachchi (32) and one drop bat Banuka Rajapakse (28) also made handy contributions to overhaul the opposition total despite a minor - wobble at 4 for 98.

Rajapakse one of the two Royal batsmen along with Kithruwan Vithanage to have topped 1000 runs for the season, made a run a ball knock, stroking three boundaries and clouting a six while Hettiarachchi faced 44 balls and struck five boundaries as the Thomians tried desperately to defend a moderate total on a placid track.

S. Thomas’ no doubt did their best to stretch Royal all the way with off-spinner Faheem Saleem the big match hero claiming impressive figures of 3 for 32 in his quota of 10 overs, but the paltry total they made proved costly.

Earlier, Wicket-keeper Kusal Janith showed his powers behind the stumps by having a hand in five dismissals and a run out as S. Thomas’ inserted by Royal captain Yasitha Abeykoon struggled from the get go to post a challenging score before being restricted to 158 for 9 in 50 overs.

Fifteen-year-old left-handed wicket-keeper batsman Sachin Peiris with 31 off 44 deliveries and with three fours top-scored for the lads from Mount Lavinia, and also was involved in his team’s best partnership of 30-runs for the sixth wicket with Ashen Fernando who made 17.

Right-arm medium pacer Bhanuka Rajapakse was the main destroyer with outstanding figures of 4 for 32 as Royal strangled the Thomians never allowing the latter to run away with the game.

S. THOMAS’ COLLEGE

F. Saleem c C. Rajaratne b Rajapakse 26 Anuja Fernando c K. Perera b Abeykoon 12 P. Wijewardena c Hettiarachchi b Rajapakse 16 R. Nirrushan c K. Perera b Rajapakse 7 C. Pathirana st K. Perera b Rajapakse 13 Ashen Fernando st K. Perera b Rambukwella 17 S. Peiris c Abeykoon b Thanthirigoda 31 C. Fonseka st K. Perera b Thanthirigoda 6 D. Walpita run out 3 L. Peiris not out 11 C. Kumarasinghe not out 2

Extras (lb-2, w-11, nb-1) 14 Total (for 9 wkts in 50 overs) 158

Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-41, 3-52, 4-81, 5-83, 6-113, 7-124, 8-139, 9-149.

Bowling: Y. Abeykoon 6-1-18-1, L. de Silva 6-0-18-0, B. Rajapakse 10-0-32-4, M. Thanthirigoda 10-0-33-2, H. Mowjood 10-1-22-0, C. Rajaratne 5-0-19-0, R. Rambukwella 3-0-14-1.

ROYAL COLLEGE

K. Withanage b Pathirana 14, S. Hettiarachchi lbw b Saleem 32, B. Rajapakse c Fonseka b Saleem 28, K.J. Perera c Nirrushan b L. Peiris 55, M. Rajaratne lbw b Saleem 5, H. Mowjood not out 12 ,C. Rajaratne not out 5

Extras (lb-3, w-5) 8

Total (for 5 wkts in 33.4 overs) 159

Fall of wickets: 1-33, 2-79, 3-86, 4-98, 5-154.

Bowling: D. Walpita 6-0-28-0, C. Pathirana 5-0-24-1, C. Kumarasinghe 8.4-0-44-0, F. Saleem 10-1-32-3, C. Fonseka 1-0-9-0, L. Peiris 3-0-19-1.