Nalanda in box seat
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, an Old Anandian, dropped in to the SSC for the 91st Battle of the Maroons encounter
A swashbuckling unfinished fifth wicket partnership of 159 runs coming off in 20.5 overs by Raveen De Silva (100*) and Rashan Dissnanayake (77*) and a fine opening bowling spell by Jithesh Wasala highlighted the first day’ play of the 91st Battle of the Maroons-Ananda Nalanda cricket encounter at the SSC Grounds yesterday.
Ananda skipper Kanishka Ranthilakage’s gamble of inviting Nalanda to bat first misfired as Nalanda posted a healthy 307 for 4 and in reply Ananda were fighting for survival with 79 for 5 at the end of the day.
Ananda fast bowlers capitalised the early life of the SSC wicket as Nalanda openers skipper Avishka Perera and Ranidu De Silva slowly and steadily putting on 52 runs for the first wicket. Perera was first to go gifting the his wicket to a loose shot for 26. Ranidu De Silva and Chamindu Wijesinghe put on 37 runs for the second wicket while Wijesinghe and Raveen De Silva were involved in a 54-run stand for the fourth wicket.
With the fourth wicket falling on 148 then came the partnership that set the SSC grounds ablaze. De Silva joined by Rashan Dissanayake sent the Ananda bowlers in a leather hunt as both batsmen exhibited a fine exhibition of attacking batsmanship. Both batsmen made the ball to kiss the turf with immense power and excellent timing.
Wijesinghe proved his national selection with a hard hitting unbeaten 100 coming off in 81 deliveries with eleven hits to the ropes and two over it. Left-hander Dissanayake took a little time to settle and came out with lightning drives that made the Ananda fielders mere spectators to see the ball whistle pass them to the boundary.
Big Match
Dissnayake remained unbeaten on 77 when the declaration came on soon after Raveen De Silva reached a well deserved hundred. His innings was fashioned in 75 deliveries with 12 hits to the ropes. Earlier Chamindu Wijesinghe, a Sri Lanka cap stroked a fluent 56 facing 71 deliveries with two sixes and five fours which opened the gates for Nalanda batsmen to launch a ruthless attack on the Ananda attack.
The support by the Anandian fielders to its bowlers looked poor with five catches were grassed allowing Nalanda batters to make merry with the Ananda attack.
Ananda going into bat at 3.05 p.m. were crippled with the quick dismissals of the their first four batsmen for just 34 runs. Jithesh Wasala and Dineth Samaraweera worked off a good speed on the batting friendly SSC wicket to capture three and one wickets to fall. Nethma Karunaratne and Hansaja Jayasinghe made a bold effort to repair the shattered innings putting on 33 runs for the fifth wicket before Mahima Weerakoon rattled Jayasinghe’s stumps for 26 making Ananda 67 for 5. Karunaratne (23*) and Janidu Jayawardene (1*) held on till close of play with the score standing at 79 for 5 wickets.
The question that was in every Nalandians lips were would Nalanda able to break the 66-year hoodoo at the 91st encounter. The match ends today.
SCOREBOARD
Nalanda 1st innings
Avishka Perera ct. Hansaja Jayasinghe b Shashika Umayanga 26
Ranidu De Silva ct. Deneth Nissanka b. Janidu Jayawardene 28
Chamindu Wijesinghe ct. Shashika Umayanga b Dineth Nissanka 56
Raveen De Silva not out 100
Moksha Sankalpa ct. Mineth Premaratne b. Dineth Nissanka 5
Rashan Dissanayake not out 77
Extras (4 byes, 8 wides, 2 nb. 1 lb) 15
Total (4 wickets decl; 54.5 overs 307
Fall of wickets: 52 (Perera), 89 (Ranidu De Silva), 148 (Wijesinghe), 148 (Sankalpa)
Bowling: Dineth Nissanka 10-2-34-2, Dasun Tharaka 12-1-74-0, Shashika Umayanga 13-1-77-1, Janidu Jayawardene 12-1-77-1, Saviru Bandara 7.5-2-40-0
Ananda 1st Innings
Anuda Jayaweera b Samaraweera 13
Kanishka Ranthilakage ct. Ranidu De Silva b. Wasala 11
Kalana Wijesiri ct. Mahima Weerakoon b. Wasala 3
Nethma Karunaratne not out 23
Shashika Umayanga ct. Avishka Perera b. Wasala 00
Hansaja Jayasinghe b. Weerakoon 26
Janidu Jayawardene not out 1
Extras: (2 lb) 2
Total (for 5 wickets; overs) 79
Fall of wickets: 21 (Jayaweera), 27 (Ranthilakage), 34 (Wijesiri), 34 (Umanyanga) 67 (Jayasinghe)
Bowling: Dineth Samaraweera 10-1-35-1, Jithesh Wasala 8-3-24-3, Ranidu De Silva 2-1-1-0, Raveen De Silva 4-1-13-0, Mahima Weerakoon 3-1-6-1