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Light rescues hapless Thomians
An earlier Royal declaration may have helped their cause
By Bernie Wijesekera
With the spinners in operation and the Thomians tottering at 81 for 6 bad light came to the rescue of S.Thomas' in the 125th encounter at the Sinhalese Sports Club Grounds, yesterday. Chasing a target of 245 for victory in 50 overs S. Thomas' ran into their plight with still 19 overs remaining.

The Thomians made a firm start for the run chase despite the first wicket that of Isuru Warnakulasuriya falling for a duck in the first over of Kottehewa. They did well to make 45 for 1.

But the Royal spinners headed by Ganganath Ratnayake well supported left-arm spinners Punchihewa and Morawewa with some assistance from the wearing pitch had the middle order in tatters when the Thomians lost five wickets for 17 runs. Allrounder Ganganath Ratnayake with his 'offies' made a double assault, in his fifth and sixth overs. He had Sanjeev Mendis, the most experienced batsman, who made a flawless 85 in the first innings. Silva trying to sweep the bowler top edged to be caught in the slips.

The Thomians were in dire straits at 57 for 5. In the next over Morawake had Charith de Silva trapped in front, 62 for 6. Ratnayake bowling to an immaculate line, could have had the third wicket when Somapala let Rodrigo off the hook. He fumbled with the catch in his second attempt at long on. The Thomian seventh wicket pair of Rodrigo and fresher Panduwawela, who scored a praiseworthy 51 in the first essay in a 114 run stand for the seventh wicket with Kaushal Silva (85), stood firm. The lad had the skills to bat under pressure, to hold on with Rodrigo.

With a lot at stake, both teams were on the defensive and failed to open out. A black blanket hovering around the square with 19 overs yet to be bowled, the umpires suspended play at 5.21 p.m. with the Thomian fighting a battle of survival at 81 for 6.

Had Royal's middle-order batsmen shown some aggression after Dimitri Siriwardena (39) Naveen Dias(58) brought the total upto 150 for 5 Royal could have achieved the same total 30 minutes earlier and made the declaration. The Reid Avenue School could have wrapped up the game with the Thomian lower order made to look brittle with the Royal spinners calling the tune on a helpful pitch on the final day. In the Centenary match when the Royalists were going for the kill with just three wickets to get virtually in two sessions.

Mahinda Halangoda and C.P.P. Richards thwarted Royal's aspirations. The highlights of this match go to three players - Dushantha Edussuriya, who made a stroke-filled 139 with 21 fours and in 90 balls for Royal, reminiscent of Vijaya Malalasekera's 112 also for Royal with 20 fours. This was Edussuriya's first 100 in school cricket and fittingly came in this historic match.

The other three junior national players Ganganath Ratnayake, Kaushal Silva, the stylish wicket-keeper batsman in the mould of Mahes Rodrigo of Royal who played for Sri Lanka as an elegant wicket-keeper bat. The third player leg-spinner Balasubramaniam, who bowled 28 overs, which included five maidens for 64 runs and six wickets had the Royal batsmen in trouble in the second innings. The trio are good future prospects. Kaushal should be in the forefront with a safe pair of hands behind the picket fence.

In the morning before the start of the final day's play there was a parade of past captains who played in this big match. It was led by Bertie Wijesinghe and Gamini Salgado, the oldest among them.

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