Hasitha Lanka hits hundred in drawn Moratuwa big match

Dilwin Mendis -Moratuwa Sports Correspondent

Hasitha Lanka became the eighteenth centurion for Prince of Wales College and thirty first for the series when he notched up a brilliant 110 runs against St Sebastian’s College in their 65th annual Big Match which ended in a draw at the De Zoysa Stadium, Moratuwa yesterday.

Lanka’s knock included 15 fours and two sixes and faced 159 balls occupying the crease for 239 minutes. Skipper Jayanga Peiris scored an elegant unbeaten 102 runs on day one and was associated in a record partnership of 173 runs for the fourth wicket surpassing the previous record of 96 runs set by Priyalal Rodrigo and Indrajith Mendis for Sebs in 1983.

They joined the select band of Cambrians Lasantha Rodrigo and Suranjith Mendis in 1958 and WG Fernando and Sunil de Silva in 1960 scoring centuries in one innings.

Resuming at 203 for 3 on day two, Cambrians declared at 267 for 7 with Nimesh Bandara and Premesh Fernando claiming 3 for 43 and 3 for 53 respectively.

Sebs were 34 for 1 when the game came to a halt due to rain at 11.45 am on day two with Avishka Fernando unbeaten on 26 runs.

SCOREBOARD

Prince of Wales College 1st innings 
(overnight 203-3) 
Jayanga Peiris c Sandaruwan b Bandara 		10
Hasitha Lanka c Bandara b Premesh 	       110
Vishwa Chathuranga lbw b Bandara 		00
Dilanka Maduranga c Sandaruwan b Premesh 	15
Extras (b 4, nb 6, w 3) 			13
TOTAL (262-7 dec in 75.1 overs) 	       262 

Fall of wickets: 4-210, 5-210, 6-237, 7-262. 
Bowling: Kusal Laktilleke 11-3-26-0
 	 Ashera Warnakulasuriya 12-2-53-1
	 Nimesh Fernando 17-5-43-3
	 Premesh Fernando 19.1-4-53-3
	 Avishka Fernando 3-0-25-0
	 Shashika Fernando 8-0-26-0
	 Visal Senanayake 5-0-23-0

St Sebastian’s College 1st innings 
Praveen Perera not out 	5
Visal Senanayake b Lanka 	0
Avishka Fernando not out 	26
TOTAL (1 wicket in 12.2 overs) 	31

Bowling: Hasitha Lanka 6-1-10-1
	 Rameesha Soysa 5-1-16-0
	 Thilan Nimesh 1.2-0-5-0