Flawless Maheesh sends Dharmasoka reeling
Shannon Fernando, who scored 64 for St. Peter's against Ananda, makes an elegant sweep - Pix by Ranjith Perera
A top of the shelf allround performance by Benedictine Maheesh Theekshana who scored 115 and followed that up with a match haul of 7 for 70 helped them beat Dharmasoka Ambalangoda by an innings and 60 runs at Kotahena yesterday.
Besides Maheesh, Kaveesha Jayatilleke also shone with an impressive allround performance to chalk up an unbeaten knock of 66 and follow it up with a haul of 5 for 18.
The second day’s play saw Maheesh who ended with a five wicket haul cracking a ton enabling his side resuming from their overnight score of 210 for 5 make a formidable 300 for 7 declared.
Dharmasoka MV, being shot out for a paltry 86 in the first innings on day one, were left with the daunting task of erasing a deficit of 214 runs fared better but was unable to avoid the Bens from securing an easy innings win.
Hasith Geesara was unfortunate to miss out on a ton by three runs as he along Thisuraka Akmeemana helped Wesley make a bold reply against St. Joseph’s in their annual Under-19 Bryan Claessen-Arthur Hakel Memorial Trophy inter-school cricket encounter played at Darley Road.
Maheesh Theekshana claimed seven scalps and returned to score 120 for Bens - Pic by Priyantha Wickramaarachchi
The pair associated in an opening wicket stand of 154 runs as Wesley continuing from their overnight score of 72 for 0 made a score of 336 in reply to the Josephians massive score of 393 for 2 declared which came on the back of two solid tons made by Revan Kelly (182) and Nipun Sumanasinghe (152 n.o.) who put on a record 314 runs stand for the second wicket. This partnership is a record for any wicket made by a Josephian pair against any school in its history of cricket.
Revan and Nipun featured in another big stand of 113 runs for the second wicket in the Josephian second innings while Dunith Wellalage with his six wicket haul reached 50 wickets for the season.
St. Peter’s had Ananda under control and succeeded to record an easy first innings win in the match concluded at Bambalapitiya.
The second day’s play saw Ranmith Jayasena and Shalith Fernando sending the Ananda bowlers on a leather hunt as the Peterites in reply to Ananda’s 151 declared their innings on 282 for 3.
Meanwhile there were two other outright wins recorded with Rajasinghe Central home for lunch with a comfortable nine wicket win against Kirindiwela Central by nine wickets at Hanwella while St. John’s Jaffna outclassed Siri Piyaratana MMV Padukka by ten wickets at Jaffna.
St. Peter's batsman Ranmith Jayasena pulls during his knock of 96
Results
- At Kotahena: St. Benedict’s beat Dharmasoka by an innings and 60 runs
Dharmasoka MV Ambalangoda 86 (Sachin Sangeeth 29: Maheesh Theekshana 5 for 19, Prithvi Jegarajasingham 3 for 14) and 154 (Ashantha de Silva 43, Sachin Sangeeth 34, Arosha de Soysa 31: Kaveesha Jayatilleke 5 for 18, Jason Charles 2 for 32, Maheesh Theekshana 2 for 51)
St. Benedict’s (201/5 overnight) 300 for 7 declared (Maheesh Theekshana 120, Ryan Selisinghe 45, Kaveesha Jayatilleke 66 n.o., Imesh Fernando 39 n.o.: Kavindu Nadeeshan 2 for 63, Isurinda Mendis 2 for 97
- At Darley Road: Match drawn
St. Joseph’s 393 for 2 declared (Revan Kelly 182, Johanne de Silva 33, Nipun Sumanasinghe 156 n.o.: Movin Subasinghe 2 for 106) and 143 for 2 (Nipun Sumanasinghe 45, Revan Kelly 75 n.o.)
Wesley (72/0 overnight) 336 (Hasith Geesara 97, Thisuraka Akmeemana 67, Sakuntha Liyanage 39, Movin Subasinghe 29, Tharinda Bakmeewewa 21: Dunith Wellalage 6 for 80)
- At Bambalapitiya: Match drawn
Ananda 151 (Lahiru Hiranya 57, Kamesh Nirmal 31, Hasinda Shamika 26 n.o.: Shivan Perera 3 for 13, Tariq Saboor 3 for 37, Mohamed Ameen 2 for 43) and 155 for 6 (Kanishka Ranthilakage 58, Lahiru Hiranya 51, Hasinda Shamika 20: Shivan Perera 3 for 39)
St. Peter’s (147/2 overnight) 282 for 3 declared (Ranmith Jayasena 96, Shanon Fernando 64, Shalith Fernando 95 n.o.: Chamika Gunasekera 2 for 61)
- At Kurunegala: First innings win for Vidyartha
St. Anne’s Kurunegala 162 (Kavindu Ranasinghe 58: Medunaka Wijetilleke 3 for 57, Chathuranga Dilshan 2 for 15, Ishan Sandeep 2 for 24) and 158 for 9 declared (Wanitha Wanninayake 37, Kavindu Ranasinghe 36, Lasith Warnakulasuirya 25: Kasun Karunatilleke 5 for 44, Midunaka Wijetilleke 4 for 54)
Vidyartha (139/6 overnight) 163 (Gihan Jayasekera 67, Chathuranga Dilshan 23, Pulina Gunatilleke 22: Avishka Rupasinghe 3 for 35) and 91 for 4 (Ravishka Upananda 37, Pulina Gunatilleke 24 n.o.: Randeera Ranasinghe 2 for 24)
- At Jaffna: St. John’s beat Siri Piyarathana by 10 wickets
St. John’s Jaffna 272 for 9 declared (Vasanthan Jathushan 106, M. Saumyan 32, D. Sheropan 29, V. Abilakshan 28: Sandaru Shanilka 7 for 98) and 5 for 0
Siri Piyaratana MMV Padukka (90/5overnight) 123 (Kavindu Nimesh 25, Rajitha Ashan 25: M. Abinash 6 for 25, K. Kapilraj 3 for 43) and 153 (Kavindu Imesh 31, Heshan Kavinda 29, Yasiru Dineth 24, Kavinda Eashwara 23: K. Kapilaj 5 for 34, V. Jathushan 3 for 33, M. Abinash 2 for 65)
- At Hanwella: Rajasinghe Central beat Kirindiwela Central by 9 wickets
Kirindiwela Central 91 (Vidusha Dilshan 21: Udara Jayasinghe 5 for 12, Rukshan Diluksha 2 for 12) and (23/3 overnight) 68 (Udara Jayatilleke 7 for 35)
Rajasinghe Central Hanwella 131 (Sachin Malinda 28, Chamod Sanjaya 23: Harsha Rangana 4 for 23, Duvindu Nishan 3 for 36) and 29 for 1 (Amila Chathuranga 17 n.o.)
- At Matugama: Lyceum Panadura beat CWW Kannangara by 9 wickets
CWW Kannangara MMV Matugama 66 (Dumin Aditha 3 for 8, Chakil Charuka 3 for 9) and 173 (Kavinda Dewmina 71, Lasinda Shehan 27: Sheron Kavinda 6 for 54, Dulin Aditha 3 for 46)
Lyceum IS Panadura 174 (Dumin Aditha 33, Shayan Roshen 22, Nimantha Ransilu 24 n.o.: Kavinda Sapna 3 for 9, Lasith Karunanayake 3 for 27) and 66 for 1 (Nesanda Nandupa 33 n.o.)
- At Nattandiya: Match in progress
Azhar College Akurana 137 (Mohamed Akram 31: Navodya Nimesh 3 for 21, Dulaj Ashen 3 for 23, Heshan Madusanka 3 for 33) and 72 for 1 (M. Akram 37 n.o.)
St. Xavier’s Marawila 194 (Ravindu Anjana 73, Dulaj Ashen 35: Mohamed Usman 5 for 60, Ijaz Ahamed 3 for 22, Krishan Dharshan 2 for 23)
- At Batticaloa: Match in progress
St Michael’s Batticaloa 126 (A. Krishan 20, T. Roxan 49 n.o.: Chamindu Sudashka 2 for 9, Thanura Dilshan 2 for 10, Kalpana Adithya 2 for 31)
DSS Ampara 185 for 4 (Yasindu Ruwanga 31, Damith Dinura 86 n.o.: T. Roxan 2 for 54)
- At Wattala: Match drawn
Christ King Ja-Ela 102 (Lahiru Peiris 36, Sandaruwan Silva 31: Theeraka Ranatunga 4 for 4, Imantha Fernando 2 for 10, Dilshan Jayawardena 2 for 27) and 97 (Dhananjaya Fernando 40: Pasindu Kamesh 5 for 30, Imantha Fernando 3 for 37, Jeewathan Maheshwaran 3 for 
Lyceum IS Wattala 63 (Pasindy Malith 5 for 18, Lahiru Silva 5 for 42) and 100 for 4 (Theeraka Ranatunga 23, Dilshan Jayawardena 28 n.o., Hasitha Gunasiri 22 n.o.: Nisal Malinda 3 for 20)
- At Wattala: Match in progress
Basilica Ragama 122 (Dilesh Chamodya 24: Hansaja Bandara 5 for 34, Nipun Hettiarachchi 2 for 19, Ravindu Rajaratne 2 for 20) and 4 for 0
Lyceum IS Nugegoda 277 (Pasindu Rajapakse 120, Sadushka Senaratne 45, Yasiru Chathumal 29: Dilhara Silva 3 for 26, Pathum Vimukthi 2 for 40, Chamuka Irosh 2 for 44, Dineth Nisal 2 for 62)