Narrow shave for Antonians

by S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Corr.

St. Anthony's College, Kandy escaped an outright defeat at the hands of St. Sylvesters College, Kandy by the skin of their teeth in their schools under 19 cricket tournament match conducted at Katugastota yesterday.

The Antonians trailing behind by 88 runs were struggling at 62 for 7 when bad light stopped play 25 minutes before the scheduled close.

Hero for the Sylvestrian was their left arm spinner Nimesha Mendis who spun a thick web in the Eagles nest. In the first innings he had the fine analysis of 13.2 - 11-17-7 to skittle out the Antonians for 112. In the second innings he turned out to be the bugbear of the Antonian having the analysis of 20-7-26-5. then he had the excellent match figures 12 for 43 - the best by a Sylvestrian against the Antonians.

Luck was certainly not with the Sylvestrians in their victory. On the first day the match got underway only at 11 am as one of the umpires was notified late and he arrived in the ground only at 10.35 am.

On the second day the match got underway late and there were three interuptions due to rain and bad light stopped play 25 minutes before close and all these stalled the Sylvestrian victory bid.

The Antonians batting flopped in the first innings and from 105 for 5 they were all out for 112.

In the second innings to it was weak kneed batting which hit them . If not for a stubborn knock of 17 not end off 72 eliveries by Damithra Panditharatne which stopped the Sylvestrians St. Anthonys college 112 all out in 56.2 over. ( Nimesha Gunasinghe 29, Damithra Panditharatne 31, Dilan Bandara 11, Nimesha Mendis 7 for 17, Manuja Perera 1 for 21, Harsha Madushan 1 for 1, Indunil Samarawanda 1 for 2) and 62 for 7 in 39.4 overs (Nimesha Gunasinghe 13, Damithra Panditharatne 17 not out, Nimesha Mendis 5 for 26, Sumedha Dissanayake 1 for 15, Indunil Samarananda 1 for 5)

St. Sylvester's College 200 for 7 decl. in 55 overs (Mohamed Rifas 45, Malith Premathilake 15, Hansamal Perera 39, Sumedha Dissanayake 39, Parakrama Tennakoon 30, Nimesha Mendis 14 not out, Dilan Bandara 3 for 39, Uditha Mahindaratne 1 for 55, Buwaneka Wijetunga 1 for 50)