Ratnavali no match for Anula’s supremacy
Anula Vidyalaya, Nugegoda, went one up in the series, when they scored an easy 8-wicket win over Ratnavali Balika Vidyalaya, Gampaha, in their inaugural Battle of the Queens Cricket encounter at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.
The experienced lasses from Nugegoda dominated the game to maintain their status as All Island Girls Cricket Champions and Runners-up on two occasions each.
Winning the toss, Ratnavali Skipper Pabasara Ranabahu elected to bat in this 40-over match. Ranabahu opening the innings with Nethmi Nimsara laid a solid foundation with an opening stand of 55 in 16.2 overs. With the dismissal of Nimsara, the Gampaha school lost wickets at regular intervals. The elegant left-hander Ranabahu staged a lonely battle against the on-the-spot attack of Anula, to compile a well deserved 50 in 73 balls with 11 boundaries. Only Thilini Niwarthana and Miditha Kalpani batted with some purpose to pull the side out of trouble. Niwarthana batted steadily to score 28 off 53 balls with two boundaries, while Kalpani used the long handle to score a quick 23 off 17 balls, with five boundaries.
Ratnavali were dismissed for 139 in 39.4 overs, with Sri Lanka all-rounder Harshitha Madavi Samarawickrema (2 for 37), off-spinner Janadi Amali (2 for 38), Himasha Sewwandi (2 for 10) and Skipper Dilshani (2 for 3) never allowing the batters to settle down, with effective spells of accurate bowling.  Anula openers Madavi Samarawickrema and Sithmi Hirasha got off to a good start, putting on 38 runs for the first wicket. With the dismissal of Hirasha, Skipper Amasha Dilshani joined Samarawickrema, and this left-handed pair calmly and steadily collected the runs with ease. Both batters dispatched the loose deliveries to the fence with immense power, making spectators of the fielders. They kept rotating the strike with well placed singles, which unsettled the Ratnavali fielders regularly.
Both batters made use of their experience to display high quality batting in a 107-run partnership for the second wicket. Samarawickrema scored an elegant 76 coming off an equal number of deliveries with 11 boundaries. Dilshani remained unbeaten on 51 in 61 balls, with seven boundaries. None of the seven bowlers used by the Ratnavali skipper troubled the Anula batters, with Thilini Niwarthana and Vishmi Dewmini managing to bag a wicket each. Anula were 156 for the loss of 2 wickets in 28 overs, when rain halted play.
SCORES:
- Â Ratnavali Balika 139 (39.4 overs) (Pabasara Ranabahu 52, Thilini Niwarthana 28, Muditha Kalpani 23; Harshitha Samarawickrema 2 for 37, Janadi Amali 2 for 38, Himasha Sewwandi 2 for 10, Amasha Dilshani 2 for 3)
- Â Anula Vidyalaya 156 for 2 (28 overs) (Harshitha Samarawickrema 76, Sithmi Hirasha 13, Amasha Dilshani 51 n.o.)
Pix by Amila Gamage