Inter-Provincial Cricket:

Blistering 87 from Sanath

by Chris DHAMBARAGE

CRICKET: Veteran opener Sanath Jayasuriya returned to form with a run a ball 87 and speed star Lasith Malinga snapped up four wickets for 21 as Ruhuna Province cruised to a convincing 191 run victory over the SLC Combined XI in their inter provincial limited overs cricket tournament opening match worked off at the Galle Stadium yesterday.

Ruhuna: 293 for 6 in 50 overs (U. Tharanga 41, S. Jayasuriya 87, T. Sampath 43, L. Fernando 27, K. Kulasekera 28, G. de Silva 34 n.o, C. Peiris 2 for 62).

SLC Combined XI: 102 in 27.3 overs (B. Rajapaksa 59, L. Malinga 4 for 21).

Kandurata win

All rounders Jeewan Mendis and Chintaka Jayasinghe scored fighting half centuries and put on 151 runs for the unfinished sixth wicket to help Kandurata beat Basnahira North by 52 runs in their inter provincial limited overs cricket tournament opening match worked off at the Colts CC ground in Havelock Park yesterday.

Kandurata: 253 for 5 in 50 overs (K. Weeraratne 48, T. Samaraweera 23, J. Mendis 67 n.o, C. Jayasinghe 69 n.o, S. Serasinghe 3 for 46).

Basnahira North: 201 in 44.5 overs (K. Silva 20, A. Mathews 52, S. Serasinghe 24, R. Silva 42 n.o, C. Vidanapathirana 2 for 36, T. Thushara 2 for 32, M. Muralitharan 2 for 45, S. Randiv 2 for 43).

Basnahira win

Basnahira South survived a fierce late rally from allrounder Farveez Maharoof to register a close 18 run victory over Wayamba in their inter provincial limited overs cricket tournament opening match worked off at the Welagedera Stadium yesterday.

Basnahira South: 271 for 8 in 50 overs (N. Zoysa 31, M. Siriwardena 28, G. Rupasinghe 23, H. Fernando 42, M. Bandara 59 n.o, A. Mendis 2 for 60, R. Herath 2 for 37).

Wayamba: 253 in 48.1 overs (J. Kulatunga 34, M. Van Dort 28, M. Jayawardena 34, J. Mubarak 20, F. Maharoof 70 n.o, I. Udana 21, A. Mendis 28, S. Lakmal 3 for 50, M. Bandara 2 for 54).