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Despite weather gods coming to Thomians’ rescue:
Chamika hero of Right Royal win
By Ranjan Anandappa
In a match destined to be ruined by rain due to the number of overs
lost (70) in the first two days, with rain and more rain predicted
Royal’s medium pacer Chamika Karunaratne opened the ‘gates’ for a Royal
win with a sustained spell of medium pace bowling in both innings with a
match bag of (9 for 83) as Royal beat S. Thomas’ by seven wickets at the
134th ‘Battle of the Blues’ encounter at the SSC grounds yesterday.
Royal last won in 2006 under Nadun Punchihewa. They regained the D.S.
Senanayake Shield after six years.
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Milan Abeysekara his a six over mid wicket off the bowling
of Helakumara Nanayakkara on his way to 22 not out in the
Royal second innings. He remained unbeaten on 50 in the
first innings. Pix : Thilak Perera |
Royal threw down the gauntlet by declaring their first innings at
their overnight score of 260 for 5 with a lead of 68 runs. Milan
Abeysekera remained unbeaten on 50 while Poorna Alujthge was 21 n.o.
adding a valuable unfinished 72 run stand for the sixth wicket. The
pitch which was covered due to rain and the early assistance which
provides the bowlers in the first hour in the morning would have
prompted Royal to declare their innings and the Royal bowlers stuck to
their job admirably backed up by good fielding. Royal, had banked their
hopes heavily on Chamika Karunaratne who bowled exceptionally well in
the first innings to take five wickets and the other medium pacer Hashen
Ramanayake to exploit the conditions and give the side the early break
through which they did successfully.
It was Ramanayake who struck twice by shuttering the stumps of opener
Nipun Gamage (0) and then got the wicket of the top scorer of the first
innings Devin Jayasinghe who hooked and was caught in the deep by
Roanaka Ahangamage. Royal skipper Devind Pathmanathan rotated his
bowlers well and replaced himself by bringing in Karunaratne who trapped
the Thomian skipper Javed Bongso leg before wicket playing across the
line for 19. Bongso and Deelaka Herath batted painstakingly adding 38
runs for the third wicket.
Karunaratne was at his best again when he made Herath to edge one to
keeper Abeysekera after scoring 19 and the Thomians were ushering a
crisis situation. They plunged into disaster further losing the wicket
of one of their accomplished batsman Thilaksha Suimanasiri being run out
for the second time in the match for five runs when his presence at the
wicket needed most.
Sanesh de Mel steered one into the point region and took off.
Thilakasiri responded, but could not beat the throw from Harith
Samarasinghe which was a direct hit at the wicket. The Thomians were at
that stage 73 for 5 and struggling for survival with only a lead of five
runs.
Pathmanathan kept on switching his bowlers spinners Aluthge, and
Samarasinghe, pacies Ramanayake and Karunaratne where the Thomians kept
on guessing all the time. There was not much of help for the spinners.
When Karunaratne and Ramanayake were on the attack they posed a threat
to the batsmen. Besides a sensible innings of 49 n.o by wicket keeper
Sanesh de Mel the rest of the Thomian innings perished under immense
pressure.
With the Thomians dismissed for 132, Royal’s victory target seemed to
be an easy one as they had to get 66 runs to win with ample overs at
their disposal. Royal in their quest for quick runs lost three wickets,
but left hander Milan Abeysekera who struck an unbeaten 50 in the first
innings and Sampath de Silva rallied around to take Royal to victory.
[Holiday for Royal]
March 11 (Monday) has been declared as a holiday for Royal College to
mark the victory of the school’s cricket team at the 134th Battle of the
Blues.
The awards :
Man of the match: Chamika Karunaratne (Royal)
Best batsman: Devin Jayasinghe (S. Thomas’)
Best bowler: Chamika Karunaratne (Royal)
Best fielder: Devind Pathmanathan (Royal)
SCOREBOARD
S. THOMAS’ COLLEGE 1ST INNINGS 192
ROYAL COLLEGE 1ST INNINGS
Roanaka Ahangamage c Bongso b Nanayakkara 40
Isuru Gunatilleke lbw b Kularatne 07
Sampath de Silva st de Mel b Tillekeratne 61
Hashan Ramanayake b Kularatne 43
Heshan Kumarasiri c De Mel b Wijesinghe 20
Milan Abeysekera not out 50
Poorna Aluthge not out 21
Extras (lb-4, w-1, nb-13) 18
Total (for 5 wkts decl. in 63 overs, ) 260
Fall of wickets: 38, 64, 149, 180, 188
Bowling: Sahan Wijesinghe 13-1-64-1
Ishan Kularatne 11-2-42-2
Helakamal Nanayakkara 7-0-28-0
Ravindu Tillekeratne 9-0-35-1
Madushan Ravichandrakumar 16-1-58-0
Thilaksha Sumansiri 5-0-21-0
Devin Jayasinghe 2-0-5-0
S. THOMAS’ COLLEGE 2ND INNINGS
Dulaka Herath c Abeysekera b Karunaratne 25
Nipuna Gamage b Ramanayake 13
Devin Jayasinghe c Ahangamage b Ramanayake 00
Javed Bongso lbw Karunaratne 19
Thilaksha Sumanasiri run out 05
Sanesh de Mel not out 49
Helakamal Nanayakkara (sub Sooiyabandara) b Aluthge 03
Madushan Ravichandrakumar c S. de Silva b Karunaratne 01
Ravindu Tillekeratne b Karunaratne 00
Sahan Wijesinghe b Samarasinghe 05
Ishan Kularatne run out 00
Extras b-4, lb-3, w-5) 12
Total (all out 182 m, 58.5 overs) 132
Fall of wickets: 14, 22, 60, 63, 73, 89, 98, 100, 121, 132.
Bowling: Chamika Karunaratne 17-6-32-4
Hashan Ramanayake 10-3-36-2
Anupa Thilakaratne 1-0-7-0
Poorna Aluthge 15-5-27-1
Devind Pathmanathan 10-4—19-0
Harith Samarasinghe 5.5-4-4-1
ROYAL COLLEGE 2ND INNINGS
Ronaka Ahangamage c Herath b Nanayakkara 16
Isuru Gunatilake c Devin Jayasinghe b Nanayakkara 12
Sampath de Silva c Herath b Nanayakkara 13
Milan Abeysekera not out 22
Hashan Ramanayake not out 00
Extras (nb 4) 04
Total (for 3 wickts in 11 overs) 67
Fall of Wickets: 1-27, 2-30, 3-62
Bowling: Sahan Wijesinghe 2-0-11-0
Ishan Kularatne 4-0-20-0
Helakamal Nanayakkara 4-0-30-3
Dewin Jayasinghe 1-0-6-0 |
