Another long wait for Vidyartha
The 59th Big Match between St. Sylvester’s and Vidyartha provided the latter with a chance to at least take a first innings lead. Having done the hard work and by the Sylvestrians down to a very modest 134, Vidyartha’s batting collapsed. At one point, they lost three wickets for one run.
Palina Gunatilleke, the burly, hard-hitting batsman, provided some momentum to the innings. However, they could not overcome the early loss of skipper Upananda.
Left arm spinner Tusith de Soysa was almost single-handedly responsible for keeping the Vidyartha in check. He grabbed 4 for 21.
There were only around 150 minute’s plays on the second day. Thus, Vidyartha will have to wait some more time to win the Big Match. As it is, they have waited for fifty years.
St. Sylvester’s 134 in 63 overs (Janakantha Rajapakse 40, Tusith de Soysa 19 n.o Kavindu Munaweera 16, Avidu Herath 10, Nimsara Attaragalla 13, Nimesh Senanayake 3 for 23, Nipuna Kumnarasiri 2 for 27, Ravishka Upananda 2 for 16)
Vidyartha (37 for 2 contd) 104 for 8 in 52 overs (Pulina Gunatilleke 38, Shan Danwatte 16, Kasun Karunatilleke 12, Pulina Gunatilleke 38, Sahan Danwatte 16, Kasun Karunatilleke 12, Tusith de Soysa 4 for 21, Manuja Perera 3 for 28, Kanishka Jayasekera 2 for 7)
- AK