Beat Royal on Duckworth-Lewis system:

Thomians regain Mustangs Trophy

By Ranjan ANANDAPPA

In a strange match which the players of either side having the Duckworth/ Lewis system in their pockets which created confusion among players and spectators S. Thomas’ regained the ‘Mustangs Trophy’ beating their traditional rivals Royal by 113 runs under the Duckworth and Lewis system in their limited over cricket encounter played at the SSC grounds yesterday.

The Royalists were set a victory target of 239 in 50 overs and were 130 for 4 in the 29th over when bad light stopped play around 4.15pm which Royal would have won according to the D/L system at that point as Royal were three runs ahead of the required target of 127. Play recommenced one hour and three minutes later with a revised victory target of 259 runs to get in 35 overs for Royal. After the completion of the 35th over Royal were 145 for 4 and the Thomians emerged victorious by virtue of the D/L/system.

It was a welcome win for the Thomians as they last won in 2008 and Royal winning the previous three encounters from 2009 to 2011. The Thomians batting first were propelled by a fine 101 by their opener Devin Jayasinghe. Jayasinghe batted with authority to defuse the Royal bowling facing 132 deliveries with eleven fours and six. With the dismissal of Asiri Wickremanayake for 9 with the score at 21, Jayasinghe received valuable support from left hander Javed Bongso who was showing signs of reproducing his good batting form displayed in the three day game a week ago.

But Bongso mishit a full toss from Harith Samarasinghe and was caught at mid wicket by Sampath de Silva. Jayasinghe and Bongso added 50 runs for the second wicket.

However, the most inspiring partnership for the Thomians came from centurion Devin Jayasinghe and skipper Sachin Peiris who were engaged in a 107 run stand for the third wicket. The pair took the score from 71 for 2 to 178 for 3 when Sachin Peiris going for a big hit was well caught by Devin Pathmanathan at mid wicket.

There after the Thomians lost their way with Anjana Kudahetty who inflicted the early damage, Harith Samarasinghe (3 for 27), Anupa Tillekeratne (3 for 39) sharing the remaining seven wickets for 60 runs. Royal going to bat in pursuit of 239 runs for a win were soon seen playing according to the Duckworth and Lewis System with the light fading and in case of rain or bad light intervene.

Opener Isuru Gunatileka (41), skipper Imal Liyanage (39) and Heshan Kumarasiri (26) kept Royal’s hopes flickering but they could not make much headway with the revised run rate after play resumed after the stoppage. Royal’s Harith Samarasinghe was adjudged most promising frecher

		Scoreboard
		
S. THOMAS’

Devin Jayasinghe b Tillekeratne 			       101
Asiri Wickremanayake c Samarasinghe b Tillekeratne		09
Javed Bongso c S. De Silva b Samarasinghe			15
Sachin Peiris c Pathmanathan b Kudahetty 			53
Chamod Pathirana b Kudahetty 	 				07
Thilaksha Sumanasiri c Abeyskera b Pathmanathan 		05
Ramith Gunaratne c Abeysekera b Tillekeratne 	 		01
Danush Peiris not out 	 					09
Madushan Ravichandrakumara b H. Samarasinghe 	 		08
Rishen Mathangaweera lbw Samarasinghe 	 			00
Sahan Wijesinghe not out 	 				04
Extras 	 							26
Total (50 overs for 9 wkts) 				       238

Fall of wickets: 21, 71, 178, 196, 204, 208, 213, 230, 230.
Bowling: Anjana Kudahetty 9-1-54-2
	 Anupa Tillekaratne 9-0-39-3
	 Supun Subasinghe 5-0-19-0
	 Harith Samarasinghe 7-0-27-3
	 Poorna Aluthge 10-0-48-0
	 Devin Pathmanathan 10-1-47-1

ROYAL

Sampath de Silva retired hurt 	 				00
Isuru Gunatilleka c Peiris b Mathangaweera 			41
Supun Subasinghe c Peiris b Pathirana 	 			03
Imal Liyanage c Peiris b Wijesinghe 				39
Heshan Kumarasiri c Peiris b Ravichandrakumar 			26
Milan Abeysekera not out 					15
Poorna Aluthge not out 	 					05
Extras 								16
Total (for 4 wikts in 35 overs)				       145

Fall of wickets: 15, 78, 116, 121.
Bowling: Chamod Pathirana 7-1-25-1
	 Danush Peiris 5-0-20-0
	 Sahan Wijesinghe 5-0-22-1
	 Thilaksha Sumanasiri 5-0-28-0
	 Rishen Mathangaweera 6-0-23-1
	 Madshan Ravichandrakumar 7-1-25-1