Devans in a spot of bother 50th Battle of the Blues
View(s):By M. Shamil Amit
The right arm pace and spin combination of Lasith Kumara and Dinuka Dilshan led Dharmasoka MV fight back after being restricted to a score of 159 to have their traditional rivals struggling at the end of the first day’s play in the 50th (Golden Jubilee) Battle of the Blues big match played at De Zoysa Stadium in Moratuwa.
Lasith ended with impressive figures of 3 for 3 while Dinuka ended with two scalps to have the Devans in a spot of bother with the score on 96 for 7.
Sri Devananda MV after having restricted Dharmasoka MV to a score of 159 got off to an inauspicious start and from there on they never recovered as they lost wickets at regular intervals despite an unbeaten 35 coming from Kavindu Sohan.
Earlier in the day Sri Devananda MV skipper Amindu Mendis winning the toss and inviting Dharmasoka MV to take first lease of the wicket tasted early success as the pacies Kavindu Rajapakse and Imesh Madusanka got rid of the openers with the Sokians score on one. Dharmasoka MV was rescued by Kaweesh Kumara and Ravindu de Silva who put on a valuable 61 runs for the third wicket which followed by Kaweesh adding another 32 runs for the third wicket with Dinuka Dilshan.
But the Sokians despite the two useful partnerships lost two quick wickets for the addition of just seven runs and slid to 101 for 6. Later they recovered through a brief partnership of 32 runs for the eighth wicket between Nimesh Mendis and Subash Lasanga before ending with a respectable score of 159 runs.
The Battle of the Blues between these two home town rivals had to be played beyond the stipulated dates that were fixed as the Public ground in Ambalangoda was not available and which has been under construction for more than a year.
The officials of the two schools along with the support of the old boys of the schools were forced to play the match which was the Golden Jubilee encounter miles away from their hometown. The match will be continued today.
Scoreboard
Dharmasoka MV 1st innings
Harshajith Rushan b Madusanka 0
Kasun Maduranga lbw b Rajapakse 1
Ravindu de Silva c Rajapakse b Milan 17
Kaweesh Kumara b Milan 55
Dinuka Dilshan c Mendis b Sankalpa 6
Nimesh Mendis c Sohan b Sankalpa 21
Ushan Imantha run out 0
Lohan de Zoysa b Sankalpa 8
Subash Lasanga run out 11
Kavindu Nadeeshan not out 13
Lasith Kumara c Madushan b Madusanka 1
Extras (b5, lb4, nb5, w2) 16
Total (all out 56.2 overs) 159
Fall of wickets – 1-1, 2-1, 3-62, 4-94, 5-100, 6-101, 7-110, 8- 142, 9-148.
Bowling – Kavindu Rajapakse 7.3-3-19-1, Imesh Madusanka 5.2-2-19-2, Amindu Mendis 1-0-12-0, Charith Rukshan 13-1-37-0, Chathura Milan 14-237-2, Sajila Sankalpa 14-2-23-3, Charith Chinthaka 1.3-0-3-0.
Sri Devananda MV 1st innings
Amindu Mendis lbw b Kumara 0
Sachindu Uddeepana c de Silva b Imantha 29
Samith Madushan b Dilshan 5
Kavindu Sohan not out 35
Charith Chinthaka lbw b Dilshan 2
Chathura Milan c de Silva b Mendis 11
Sajila Sankalpa lbw b Kumara 9
Imesh Madusanka b Kumara 0
Kushan Randika not out 0
Extras (b1, lb2, w2) 5
Total (7 wickets: 37 overs) 96
Fall of wickets – 1-0, 2-15, 3-59, 4-62, 5-74, 6-96, 7-96
Bowling – Lasith Kumara 3-1-3-3, Dinuka Dilshan 9-3-22-2, Kaweesh Kumara 3-1-10-0, Ushan Imantha 13-2-23-1, Lohan de Zoysa 3-0-13-0, Kavindu Nadeeshan 3-0-13-0, Nimesh Mendis 3-0-9-1.