Fickle weather — Trinity-Antonian clash limps to a draw
A little bit of rain and bad light condemned the 101st Trinity-Anthonian to a dull draw at the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy yesterday. The battle saw little play on Day Two.
A sharp shower halted play at the lunch break. There was a delay of around two and a half hours, before the players made a token appearance. They play was called off at the first hint of a drizzle.
Anthonian opener Mohamed Absar is clean bowled by Vimukthi Nethumal - Pic by Amila Gamage
Continuing from 150-9, Trinity reached 196. Stumper Ashan Lokuketiya made 35 while Thisaru Dilshan produced a breezy 19 that included a six and two fours.
‘Mighty Atom’ Nimnaka Jayatilleka was unlucky to miss out on a hat-trick. He had the best figures of 18-2-63-4.
The Anthonians made a better fist of things in their second knock. Opener Mohamed Absar played some attacking shots in his 22. But it was Dion Stouter who played attractively for an unbeaten 27.
Day One started in dramatic fashion. Put in to bat, St. Anthony’s lose two early wickets. Two more followed as a result of run outs, one was tragicomic. However, Navodya Vijaykumar, the rising Anthonian star, and Mohamed Absar put on 53 to take the total to 70. They finally folded up for 115.
Sri Lanka Under-19 pacie Thisaru Dilshan bowled a couple of good spells to end up with 4 for 30. Another pacie Ruvin Pieris had three.
Trinity were shocked into silence at 2 for 2. However, in Sri Lanka Under-19 opener Hasitha Boyagoda, they found a saviour. His 78-ball knock of 72 helped weather the early storm and put them in a slightly dominating position. Boyagoda struck two sixes and eight fours.
Good knocks from Ashan Lokuketiya, Pubudu Bandara and a brief assault by Dilshan ensured they had a lead of 81 runs.
St. Anthony’s 115 in 37.2 overs (Mohamed Absar 29, Navodya Vijaykumar 32, Tamashana Abeykoon 17, Thisaru Dilshan 4 for 30, Ruvin Pieiris 3 for 31) and 65 for 2 in 20 overs (Mohamed Absar 22, Dion Stouter 27 n.o)
Trinity 196 in 53.3 overs (Hasitha Boyagoda 72, Ashan Lokuketiya 35, Thsairu Dilshan 19, Trevor Percival 18, Nimnaka Jayatilleka 4 for 63, Navodya Vijaykumar 2 for 35)