Manishka helps Tamil Union clear first hurdle
Right arm pacie Thineth Manishka with a six wicket haul along with right arm spinner Pulina Tharanga helped Tamil Union clear the first hurdle against Moors SC on day two in the final of the Under 23 Division One cricket tournament played at the R. Premadasa Stadium.
The pair combined to effect sharing nine wickets between them to restrict Moors SC to a score of 181 helping Tamil Union who made 223 take a crucial first inning lead which no doubt would go a long way with just three sessions of play remaining.
Tamil Union’s Irosh Samarasooriya in action - Pic by R. Perera
At the end of the second day’s play Tamil Union was sitting pretty and along with their 42 runs first inning lead they ended day two batting the second time on 237 for 5 to give them a lead of 279 runs.
Tamil Unions score was propped by an unbeaten 111 inclusive of 17 boundaries by Rumesh Buddika who was involved in two partnerships first of 66 runs for the fourth wicket with Kithruwan Vithanage and then an unbroken 110 runs stand for the sixth with Mateesha Perera.
The opening days play saw Tamil Union taking first lease of the wicket too being made to struggle for their runs, but two valuable partnerships the first being 62 runs for the fourth wicket between Pulina Tharanga and Rumesh Buddika.
But even then they faltered again and slid to 119 for 7 when the second partnership which was a match saving one for the seventh wicket between Denuwan Rajakaruna who made a top score of 52 with five boundaries and Chamikara Edirisinghe which helped Tamil Union end day one on 221 for 9.
Tamil Union resuming on their overnight score on day two was unable to offer much resistance as they were able to add only a further two runs before being bowled out for 223.
Moors SC in their turn possessing top up and coming youngsters failed miserably and lasted just under two sessions of play. At the lunch break they were reeling on 121 for 7 with Manishka and Tharanga doing the damage and for Moors SC Theekshala de Silva being the only recognized batsman left.
The post lunch session saw Moors SC putting in some resistance through Theekshala but he was forced to watch losing his partners at the other end and despite a quick fire unbeaten 54 with five boundaries and five sixes by Theekshala they were able to muster only 181.
Manishka ended with impressive figures of 6 for 44 and Tharanga 3 for 40.
Tamil Union (221/9 overnight) 223 (Denuwan Rajakaruna 52, Pulina Tharanga 36, Rumesh Buddika 30, Chamikara Edirisinghe 25: Irosh Samarasooriya 4 for 45, Kaushalya Gajasinghe 2 for 48) and 237 for 5 (Kithruwan Vithanage 34, Manoj Sarathchandra 31, Mateesha Perera 41 n.o., Rumesh Buddika 111 n.o.: Irosh Samarasooriya 2 for 40, Sanitha de Mel 2 for 43)
Moors SC 181 (Shehan Jayasuriya 36, Kusal Mendis 31, Theekshala de Silva 54 n.o.: Dineth Manishka 6 for 44, Pulina Tharanga 3 for 40)