Defiant Hussain deny host Sri Lanka victory
Mosun Hussain was the toast of the visiting England Under 17 side as he frustrated the Sri Lanka Under 17 bowlers with a dogged unbeaten knock of 136 helping his side draw their three day match concluded at the Colts ground yesterday.
The England youngsters came into the final day with defeat staring at their face after being bundled out for 79 and needing a further 376 runs to avoid an innings defeat.
England Captain Mosun Hussain is being dropped by first slip Wanindu Hasaranga off the bowling of Daminda Silva as Wicket Keeper Namindu Nirmal looks on. Pic by Ranjith Perera
Hussain came to the rescue with some stubborn batting as he batted almost the whole of day three facing 275 balls whilst cracking 16 boundaries and a six in his unbeaten 136.
In the process Hussain also put on two valuable partnerships with the first being a 116 runs for the third wicket with Haseeb Hameed whose contribution was 66.
This was followed with Hussain being associated in an unbroken 95 runs stand for the seventh wicket with Jared Warner enabling the England Under 17’s resuming on their overnight score of 0 for 1 end the day safely on 280 for 6.
The match proceedings saw Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka winning the toss and after electing to take first lease of the wicket posting a mammoth 456 for 4 declared.
The mammoth score came on the back of three tons with Avishka Fernando making a top score of 134 with 20 boundaries and a six while Wanindu Hasaranga and Malinga Amarasinghe slammed unbeaten knocks of 107 and 102.
Avishka was involved in a massive 195 runs stand for the second wicket with deputy skipper Kaveen Bandara who made 76 while Wanindu and Malinga put on an unbroken 203 runs for the fifth wicket which in the end turned out to be in vain.
At Colts
Sri Lanka Under 17 – 456 for 4 declared (Avishka Fernando 134, Kaveen Bandara 76, Wanindu Hasaranga 107 n.o., Malinga Amarasinghe 102 n.o.: Jared Warner 2 for 54)
England Under 17 – 79 (Harvey Hussain 35: Malinga Amarasinghe 3 for 10, Manelka de Silva 3 for 10, Damith Silva 2 for 21) and (0/1 overnight) 280 for 6 (Haseeb Hameed 66, Mosun Hussain 136 n.o., Jared Warner 31 n.o.: Raveen Sayer 3 for 66, Thilan Nimesh 2 for 70)