15-year-old debutant stars with hat-trick for Nalanda First XI
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Sajitha Vithanage
Nalanda College, the Dialog/Sunday Times Best All Island runner-up team, continued from where they left last season at the Nalanda Grounds on Thursday when they scored a convincing innings and 20 run victory over St. Sylvester’s College, Kandy.
The match winner for Nalanda was left arm orthodox spinner Sajitha Vithanage, the 15-year-old, who became the first to take a hat-trick on the 2019/20 season of the Singer Division I cricket tournament when he captured 4 wickets for 15 runs in the Kandy school’s first innings. This young spinner didn’t stop there he went on to capture six wickets for 60 runs in the second innings to end the match with a match bag of 10 for 75 in his maiden appearance in 1st XI cricket.
Having put into bat Nalanda posted a formidable score of 261 off 67 overs, aided by a fine opening stand of 88 by skipper Avishka Perera (63) and Jihesh Wasala (88). Lakshan Mayadunna (38) and Chanul Athukorala (28) were the other batters who contributed for the Nalanda total. Kavishka Dilshan (4 for 71) and Shashika Basnayake (3 for 57) were the most successful bowlers for Sylvestarians.
In their turn the Kandy lads found difficulty in handling the Nalanda attack and were folded out for 70 runs off 27.2 overs. Young left arm spinner Vithanage stole the limelight when he captured the season’s first hat-trick along with Chamodya Rajapaksha who lent good support for the left arm spinner capturing 2 for 16.
Following on St. Sylvester’s College fared little better in the second innings scoring 170 runs. Skipper Avishka Perera handling his bowlers intelligently and making correct changes at the right time made the Kandy school batters uncomfortable with Sajitha Vithanage been the main wrecker. Chandula Jayakody (33), M. Riiza (24), Kavishka Dilshan (31*) and Minsa Wijesinghe (25) made a valiant effort in saving the match.
| Chief Scores: Nalanda 261 (67) (Jithesh Wasala 88, Avishka Perera 63, Lakshan Mayadunna 38, Kavishka Dilshan 4 for 71, Sashika Basnayake 3 for 57) St. Sylvester’s 70 (27.2) (Kasun Edirithilaka 30, Chandula Jayakody 26, Sajitha Vithanage 4 for 15, Chamodya Rajapaksha 2 for 16) and 171 (67.4) (Chandula Jayakody 33, M. Riiza 24, Kavishka Dilshan 31*, Minsa Wijesinghe 25, Sajitha Vithanage 6 for 60, Chamodya Rajapaksha 2 for 36) | |