Record sixth-wicket stand helps Rahula force a draw
Rahula skipper Sasith Manuranga scored a match saving 141 off 172 balls and figured in a 212-run partnership with Tharindu Rajapaksha for the sixth wicket - Pic by Ranjith Perera
A 212-run stand for the sixth wicket between skipper Sasith Manuranga and Tharindu Rajapaksha lifted Rahula College from a disastrous 67/5 to 279/6 and averted of being asked to follow on, thus forcing a draw against Dharmapala College in the 8th Battle of the Golden Lions at the P. Sara Oval yesterday.
Manuranga scored 141 off 172 balls with 19 boundaries and a six to eclipse Chamindu Samarasinghe’s knock of 104 scored the previous day while Rajapaksha was unfortunate to be stumped out on 97.
Dharmapala, electing to bat first were able to declare their first innings on 378/5, with Chamindu Samarasinghe scoring the first century of the series while Navindu Naveen, Amila Dayanaka, Avishka Hasarinda and Dulaj Egodage contributed with 50 plus scores.
Rahula were 54/3 at stumps on day one and lost two more wickets within the first five overs of day two after which Manuranga and Rajapaksha saved Rahula with the record sixth wicket stand. Rahula were eventually bowled out for 330. Sanchana Lanka was the giant killer, capturing the wickets of both Manuranga and Rajapaksha. Sanchana and pacie Kavinda Ushan captured three wickets each while Chamidu was rewarded with two scalps.
Dharmapala were two wickets down for 44 runs at which time the high scoring game was called off. The 4th One Day encounter between Rahula and Dharmapala will be played today at the same venue.
- Dharmapala 378 for 5 wickets declared in 71 overs (Navindu Naveen 55, Amila Dayanaka 69, Chamundu Samarasinghe 104, Avishka Lakshan 52, Dulaj Egodage 51n.o., Pasindu Avishka 2/68) and 44 for 2 wickets in 6.4 overs at close (Nvindu Naveen 25n.o., Sasith Manuranga 2/24
- Rahula (54/3 O’night) 330 all out in 96.1 overs (Binara Sanketh 21, Sahan Bandara 24, Sasith Manuranga 141, Tharindu Rajapaksha 97, Sanchana Lanka 3/24, Kainda Nishan 3/45, Chamindu Samarasinghe 2/83)