Day 3 - Picture Gallery
Before the Match
Match
Spectators
Press Box
Awards Ceremony
Royal - Thomian ends in a tame draw
By Chris Dhambarage
CRICKET: The 129th annual Battle of the Blues inter school cricket encounter between the traditional rivals Royal College and S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia ended in a tame draw at the SSC grounds in Maitland Place yesterday.
The Thomians chasing a victory target of 244 runs from 71 overs had reached 59 for no loss when bad light and rain halted play shortly before tea.
Even then S. Thomas’ College did not show a great deal of interest in reaching this target as the openers Jehaan Thaheer and Saleem Fahim occupied the crease for as many as 20 overs before accepting the offer for bad light.
Skipper Thaheer was unbeaten on 35 with seven boundaries and his partner Fahim was batting on 23 having struck two boundaries. They were probably not willing to take a risk considering the fact that their top order had suffered a batting collapse in the first innings.
Royal of course rotated their bowlers in an attempt to get a breakthrough but the batsmen were quite patient and more interested in occupying the crease.
In fact Royal who first took the initiative in making a match of it by closing their second innings at 141 for 6. This was certainly a sporting and a challenging declaration although it was very clear that the weather would have intervened during the final session.
Nevertheless Royal went about their task in a positive manner while collecting their runs almost at the pace of run a ball. In fact they batted for just over two hours and 26.1 overs in making 141 for 6 in their second innings having enjoyed a first innings lead of 102 runs.
The Royal top order batted more confidently unlike in the first innings with Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Kusal Perera and Charith Fernando leading the way. This was no doubt a memorable game for Fernando who had hammered a magnificent 137 in the first innings.
This time he was promoted in the order and he responded well by smashing 41 runs from just 37 deliveries with the help of three boundaries. He performed exactly what Royal needed from him at that stage with a useful contribution that increased the scoring rate.
In addition Sri Lanka youth player Kusal Janith Perera made amends for his first innings failure with a fine 41 from 47 deliveries inclusive of five boundaries. He also put on 47 runs for the third wicket together with Bhanuka Rajapaksa after Royal had lost both openers cheaply.
Earlier S. Thomas’ College carried their first innings to 198 runs having resumed from their overnight score of 181 for 9 wickets. The pair of Dinesh Walpita and Nilushan Fernando further frustrated the Royal bowlers for nine overs while extending their spirited last wicket partnership to 57 runs.
ROYAL COLLEGE
1ST INNINGS
(300 for 9 decl)
(Charith Fernando 137 , Kithruwan Vithanage 40, Dinesh Walpita 3 for 46)
S. THOMAS’ - 1ST INNINGS
(Overnight 181 for 9)
Saleem Fahim c Perera b Fernando 0
Jehaan Thaheer b Rajapaksha 33
Ashan Fernando lbw b Maujood 32
Raveenthiraj Nirushan c Nanayakkara b Rajapaksha 3
Thilina Nugawela c and b Rajapaksha 0
Viswa Weerawardene c and b Maujood 19
Navid Ghany lbw b Botheju 15
Ruchira de Silva c Bogoda b Botheju 0
Dinesh Walpita c Perera b Hettiarachchi 36
Milan Fernando c Perera b Fernando 9
Nilushan Fernando not out 16
EXTRASs (b8, lb12, w1, nb 9, pen 5) 35
TOTAL (all out) 198
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0, 2-82, 3-88, 4-88, 5-104,
6-121, 7-121, 8-131, 9-141
BOWLING: Fernando 17-4-49-2, Abeykoon 5-2-9-0, Rajapaksha 17-3-32-3,
Hettiarachchi 4.5-0-17-1, Thanthirigoda 9-6-6-0, Maujood 20-6-33-2,
Botheju 14-7-17-2, Withanage 1-0-4-0, Nanayakkara 3-1-6-0.
ROYAL COLLEGE 2ND INNINGS
Chalaka Bogoda lbw b de Silva 0
Sahan Hettiarachchi b Ghany 5
Bhanuka Rajapaksa c Thaheer b Walpita 26
Kusal Perera lbw b Fernando 41
Charith Fernando c Nugawela b Thaheer 41
Kithruwan Vithanage c Fernando b Thaheer 12
Dilan Nanayakkara not out 13
EXTRAS (b1, w2) 3
TOTAL (for 6 wickets decl) 141
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0, 2-13, 3-60, 4-91, 5-121, 6-141.
BOWLING: R. de Silva 5-1-22-1, N. Ghany 6-1-17-1,
D. Walpita 5-0-34-1, M. Fernando 7-0-35-0, N. Fernando 2-0-16-1, J. Thaheer 1.1-0-15-2.
S. THOMAS’ - 2ND INNINGS
Saleem Fahim not out 35
Jehaan Thaheer not out 23
Extras 1
TOTAL (for no loss) 59
BOWLING: Fernando 4-3-5-0, Abeykoon 2.3-0-10-0, Hettiarachchi 2.3-2-1-0,
Rajapaksa 3-2-4-0, Boteju 4.1-0-13-0, Moujood 3-0-13-0,
Vithanage 1-0-9-0, Thanthirigoda 1-0-4-0. Source - http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/03/16/spo02.asp
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