Zahira crush A’pura Central by 244 runs
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Najath 100 n.o., Sajith match-bag of 9 match-winners
An unbeaten ton by left-hand batsman Mohammed Najath and a match-bag of 9 wickets by skipper Sajith Sameera saw Zahira College crush Anuradhapura Central College (ACC) by 244 runs at Maradana.
24 wickets fell on Day 1 of the game. Sajith Sameera leading Zahira this season elected to bat first, and lost 3 early wickets. But Mohammed Shamas, 83 off 89 balls with 16 fours and Mohammed Najath, 60 off 103 balls with a six and 7 fours, put on 108 runs for the 4th wicket, to steer Zahira to a 1st innings score of 218 runs. Mohamed Zacky chipped in with 31. Dilshan Lakshitha captured 3 wickets while Sithum Niluminda and Maduranga Chandraratne captured 2 wickets each.
Sajith Sameera 4/15 and Hashmi Hussain 2/15 restricted ACC’s 1st innings to 58 runs in 20 overs, with Chithraka Hirantha (17) and Lahiru Liyanage(15) the only batsmen to enter double figures.
Zahira didn’t enforce the follow-on, opting to bat again, possibly to boost performances of individual players. Zahira continuing from their overnight score of 40/4, declared their second essay at 148/6, as soon as Najath reached his hundred, which came off 97 balls and included 4 sixes and 8 fours. Left-arm leg-spinner Maduranga Chandraratne claimed 3 wickets. Sajith Sameera 5/19 and Hashmi Hussain 4/17 strangled the visitors 2nd innings to 64 runs, 50 minutes before tea. Â Â Â - PDDSÂ
SCORES Â
Zahira 218 in 57 overs (Mohammed Shamas 83, Mohammed Najath 60, Mohammed Zacky 31; Sithum Niluminda 2/20, Dilshan Lakshitha 3/24, Maduranga Chandraratne 2/42) and 148/6 dec. in 38.3 overs (Mohammed Najath 100 n.o., Mohammed Mahdhi 15; Ravintha Prabashwara 2/54, Maduranga Chandraratne 3/39)
Anuradhapura Central 58 in 20 overs (Chithraka Hirantha 17, Lahiru Liyanage 15; Hashmi Hussain 2/15, Sajith Sameera 4/15) and 64 in 23.3 overs (Sandaru Madushan 17, Heshan Senira 16; Hashmi Hussain 4/17, Sajith Sameera 5/19)