[Inter-School Cricket]

Trinity breaks 17-year hoodoo

By S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen, Kandy Sports Corr.

Trinity College, Kandy, broke a 17-year hoodoo when they trounced S. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia by an innings and 39 runs in their interschool cricket match concluded at the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy yesterday. Lions won with nearly two hours to spare.

Trinity's last win came in 1993 under Himesh Goonatillake when spinner Kelum Edirisinghe turned in a match winning performance. Trinity's previous win over the Thomas' was in 1967 under H. S. Ranaweera when medium pacer Glen Vanglenberg bowled them victory.

The Thomians put up a pathetic display especially in the first innings when they were bowled out for 97 before the lunch break on the first day and this debacle had a big impact on the match. The match winners for Trinity College were off spinner Rushan Jaleel who had a match bag of 7 for 86. In the second innings it was left arm spinner, Aamil Anas capturing 4 for 43.

When Trinity batted it was the batting of Rajitha Jayatunga 84 (13 fours, 96 balls), Shameera Wijesuriya 78 (15 fours, 116 balls), Kavinda Jayasuriya 65 not out (5 fours, 1 six, 74 balls) which helped them to total 328 for 6 declared. There were four run outs in the innings.

Trailing behind by 231 runs, the Thomians started off well with the openers putting on 40. But the frontliners once again flopped and the total slumped to 64 for 4 and later it became 99 for 6 and there was escape from the inevitable for the Thomians.

Opener Brian Dharmasena batted well to score 48 which had 6 fours and 2 sixes off 99 balls. It was an innings which was mixture of caution and aggression.

The later batsman Sachin Peiris batted extremely well to remain unbeaten on 52 which had five hits to the ropes off 131 balls. Sachin Peiris somewhat delayed the Trinity victory who claimed the 30 minutes before the tea break to post win which they achieved when the last man was run out.

Aamil Anas 4 for 43, Suresh Wickrema 2 for 46, Heshan Wanniarachchi 2 for 7, bowled with success.

S. Thomas: 97 all our and 192 all out in 76.1 overs (Brian Dharmasena 48, Kavinda Perera 19, Ashen Fernando 13, Lalindra Peiris 16, Sachin Peiris 52 not out, Chamodh Pathirana 24, Aamil Anas 4 for 43, Suresh Wickrema 2 for 46, Heshan Wickrema 2 for 7).

Trinity College: 301 for 5 overnight contd. 328 for 6 decl. 62.4 overs (Kavinda Jayasuriya 68 not out, Rajitha Jayatunga 84, Suresh Wickrema 29, Chamodh Pathirana 2 for 86).