Ananda draw first blood at SSC as Nalanda flounder
Ananda players appeal as Nalanda batsman Umeksha Dilshan gets out trapped lbw by Dileepa Jayalath - Pic by Ranjith Perera
Ananda are sitting pretty at the close of the first day’s play in the 88th Ananda-Nalanda Battle of the Maroons cricket encounter commenced at the SSC Grounds yesterday.
In reply to Nalanda’s total of 144 Ananda were 160 for five with Shammu Ashan unbeaten on 60.
Ananda after losing two quick wickets for 22 settled into build up a respectable score with Shammu Ashan playing the sheet anchor role. Ashan normally an attacking batsman played a very calm and quiet game reaching his fifty off 72 deliveries which included five hits to the ropes.
Ashan was involved in two fruitful partnerships, first a 54-run for the third wicket with Dushan Hettige and another combination of 40 runs for the fourth wicket. At close Ashan was unbeaten on 60 while his partner Kamesh Nirmal remained unbeaten on 12.
Nalanda bowlers couldn’t make use of the two early wickets as the Anandians batted sensibly waited for the loose one. Nalanda would have grabbed another wicket but, Suhanga Wijewardene dropped Nirmal at the long on boundary in the last over of the day.
Earlier in the day, Ananda’s three prong pace attack made use of the early life of the SSC wicket and claimed four Nalanda wickets for 36 runs within the first twelve overs. After an opening partnership of 28 runs Nalanda lost three more wickets at 36. Only a fighting 51 run stand for the 5th wicket between Suhanga Wijewardene (37) and Kasun Sandaruwan (19) brought some respite to their late order. With the departure Wijewardene wickets fell at regular intervals and were dismissed for 144 in 51.5 overs.
The down fall of Nalanda batting was the bad shot selection and poor running between the wickets.
Kavishka Anjula the Ananda skipper kept Nalanda batsmen under pressure by shuffling his bowlers and always attacked with a pace-spin combination. Pick of the bowlers were Ananda pacemen Kavishka Anjula (3 for 37), Chamika Gunasekera (2 for 23).
| Scoreboard NALANDA 1st innings ANANDA 1st innings |